Chattanooga Times Free Press

Social club in former YMCA site to open in May

Social club in former YMCA site on Southside to open in May

- BY JENNIfER BARDONER | STAFF WRITER

Representa­tives for Common House, a new social club concept taking over the former YMCA on Mitchell Avenue in downtown Chattanoog­a’s Southside, have set a formal opening date for the space.

There is still a long way to go, but Director of Operations Honor Hostetler said she feels good about the May 6 scheduled opening. There is already a wedding booked at the end of April, she said.

“Our timing is really exciting because people are really anxious … to get out and socialize in some capacity,” said Membership Director

Rob Praino.

He set a goal of having 1,000 members signed up by the time the club opens, and said he’s already close to that number.

“People are excited about it. It’s a concept I think we didn’t know we wanted here in town,” Praino said.

Modeled after the two existing Common Houses in Virginia, the space will serve many purposes.

Members will have access to a variety of programs like wine tastings and educationa­l seminars, and special events like concerts could welcome non-members as well.

While the locations in Charlottes­ville and Richmond have started re-admitting guests following a brief shutdown as part of COVID-19 protocols, programs are being offered virtually and members from any location can access them, along with the buildings themselves if traveling — which will likely include more locations around the Southeast, said Praino.

An on-site restaurant, multiple bar areas and a billiard room also will serve the primary purpose of offering adults a new place to meet each other.

“Part of what we want to do here is try to create a community and create connection­s between people,” Praino said.

To facilitate that in a profession­al sense, there will be a floor dedicated to co-working spaces and reservable conference rooms where guests will have access to a printer, copier, even a podcast studio.

Members will also be able to use the common areas for telework. Servers will roam throughout the four-story, 36,000-squarefoot building.

The largest of the soonto-be three locations, Chattanoog­a’s club will have several amenities the other two don’t.

A fitness center will offer a steam room and workout machines, and they plan to partner with local providers for group classes, Hostetler said. Outside, a heated, regulation lap-size pool will be lined with cabanas and a bocce ball court.

There will also be a child care center so member parents can enjoy the 21-andup facility without having to worry about a babysitter. Similar to the programs for adults, there will likely be some special events for children, such as yoga or art lessons, said Praino.

The fourth-floor hotel will be another new concept for the brand. Open to the general public age 21 and up, the hotel will hold six single queen- and kingsize rooms and one suite. Members will receive a discount on stays.

The several private event spaces, ranging from an interior hall that can hold 35-70 people to a garden area big enough for 185 seated, will also be available to the general public. Rental rates will include all the necessary amenities like tables and chairs, Praino said.

In keeping with the Italian Renaissanc­e character of the building, built in 1929, the interior decor and food menu will reflect that influence.

“On the first floor, we’re trying to keep as many original details as we can,” Hostetler said, motioning to the hand-painted coffered ceiling and decorative brick flooring.

They have partnered with local woodworker Cabeen Originals to restore details like the original door frames and reception desk from the building’s former life as Chattanoog­a’s original YMCA. And workers spent the summer carefully removing each of the terracotta tiles from the roof and relaying them after adding insulation, Praino said.

That purist mentality will extend to the food menu as well.

“… If we can’t source it locally or make it in-house, we just don’t do it,” Praino said, noting that the menu will focus on simple ingredient­s of the highest quality and will change with the seasons.

With restaurant­s around the country taking a hit amid the pandemic, Hostetler said there’s been a lot of interest in the open positions, but “we’re trying to pull as much local talent as we can.”

Meanwhile, Common House’s executive chef, Matt Greene, and sommelier, Erin Scala, will drive the related offerings, which will include a wine club.

Scala’s virtual programs have already proven popular with new members, Praino said.

While the median age of Chattanoog­a’s current membership pool is 37, Praino said the goal at Common House “is to be really diverse and really broad — lots of different ethnic background­s, lots of different age groups, people of different career background­s. And that’s what we’re seeing.

“It’s outstandin­g to see a broad group of people excited about this. Social clubs have a long history of … being a lot of one type of person.”

The former Southside YMCA building was raised in 1929 and initially offered 58 dorm rooms, an indoor swimming pool and basketball gymnasium. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and was bought in 2018 by Walk2Town for $2.75 million from Chattanoog­a businessma­n Jack Kruesi. The owners have partnered with Common House to develop the social club.

“Our developmen­t partners brought the project to us,” said Common House co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Derek Sieg. “We actually didn’t know a ton about Chattanoog­a, but the more we got to know it, the more it felt like a much bigger version of Charlottes­ville: a beautiful setting, adventurou­s and outdoorsy people, and a strong arts and culture scene. It felt like a place we’d want to live, so that seemed like as good an indicator as any.

“Plus, the building is epic and would have been impossible to say no to. In the end, we couldn’t feel more fortunate to be moving into such a cool building in such a cool city.”

In addition to a onetime initiation fee, monthly membership costs $150 per person or $225 per couple, with discounts for corporate members, those under age 30 and those who sign up early. To learn more, visit

 ?? STAFF PHOTOS BY MATT HAMILTON ?? Rob Praino talks about the roof in the gymnasium at the location for the Common House on Tuesday.
STAFF PHOTOS BY MATT HAMILTON Rob Praino talks about the roof in the gymnasium at the location for the Common House on Tuesday.
 ??  ?? A fireplace on the first floor is shown at the Common House.
A fireplace on the first floor is shown at the Common House.
 ??  ?? A lounge and bar area on the second floor is shown.
A lounge and bar area on the second floor is shown.
 ?? STAFF PHOTO BY MATT HAMILTON ?? An outdoor lounge area will be located on the third floor at the Common House.
STAFF PHOTO BY MATT HAMILTON An outdoor lounge area will be located on the third floor at the Common House.
 ??  ?? Signs on the wall show the fitness area was once an indoor pool at the location for the Common House.
Signs on the wall show the fitness area was once an indoor pool at the location for the Common House.

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