Upscale, 3-Story Fitness Center Proposed for Former Sealtest Plant Site

Bushaw said typical construction would take 12-15 months once approval from the Town of Framingham is given.

Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin said this is an "very different use" for that site and an "exciting project for Framingham."

Halpin said the combination of new jobs created and the secondary retail dollars to the surrounding neighborhood coupled with the tax revenue the project could create is good news for Framingham.

Bushaw said the project, when approved and completed, would add 250-plus jobs.

Halpin said the range of services and the price point from Life Time would about equal the revenue Sealtest brought to the town.

Life Time opened its first location in 1992 in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The company is still headquartered in Minnesota.

"Life Time, which is two words, is a healthy way of life," said Bushaw.

"Framingham has a lot of wonderful gyms, but nothing like what Life Time has to offer," said Bushaw, the company's public relations manager.

"When you come to Life Time, you have all the experiences, for a healthy way of life, in one place," said Bushaw. There is cardio training, yoga, pilates, barre classes, aquatics, a spa and a healthy cafe, she explained.

Bushaw said Life Time is not going to be the "least expensive on the block."

She said the company creates an "experience second to none." It offers a "high team-member ratio." She said staff members pride themselves to know what members want and to be prepared for them once they arrive.

Life Time offers individual, couples, family and kid memberships, said Bushaw. Prices are not available on the company's website.

Life Time is proposed for one end of Old Conn Path, near Speen Street. On the opposite end is the newly-renovated MetroWest YMCA.

Besides adult fitness programs and spa services, Bushaw said other Life Time facilities have  Life Time Kids Academy, which besides fitness, Zumba and yoga classes, kids can participate in music, arts & crafts, Spanish immersion and other enrichment programs.

We bring in "gurus to train and educate children," said Bushaw.

She said other centers have child centers for children ages 3 months to 11 years.

For teens, they have the opportunity to take in the entire center from working with personal trainers, to agility training, to building endurance and more. She said some Life Time center offer after-school activity clubs for teens.

Bushaw said it is to early in the process to say specifically what programming would be available for children and teens in the proposed Framingham location.

"We’re here to provide an educational, entertaining, inviting, functional and innovative experience that meets the health and fitness needs of the entire family," said Bushaw. "We expect families will make Life Time a destination on weeknights and on weekends."

She said other Life Time centers offer 90-day summer memberships and school vacation week programming for families.

There is no contract, said Bushaw, membership is month-to-month.

Life Time also offers corporate wellness programs.

Life Time is growing its business on the East Coast. It has a Baltimore location and a handful of centers near Washington DC. Bushaw said the company recently opened its second location in New York. She said Framingham, will not be the first location to open in Massachusetts.

The company's revenue in 2010, was more than $900 million and employees almost 20,000 individuals.