BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Onelife Fitness has announced a $14 million investment to convert a former AMC movie theater in Lee Branch into a 68,000-square-foot gym. This project marks the largest club development for the company in recent years.
The new facility will feature state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment, functional turf workout areas, an indoor saltwater pool, and group fitness classes. Recovery amenities such as cold plunges and saunas will also be available, all at affordable rates. The club is expected to generate over 100 new jobs in the Birmingham community, with more locations planned for the future.
“At Onelife Fitness, our members are at the heart of everything we do,” said Ori Gorfine, CEO of Onelife Fitness. “Each new club embodies our commitment to empowering people to live healthier, stronger, and happier lives. We’re excited to welcome Lee Branch to the Onelife family and are thrilled to be making an ongoing financial and wellness commitment to the Birmingham community.”
Gorfine added, “Onelife Fitness Lee Branch is a perfect location for us to renovate an existing space that will anchor the Birmingham community and local businesses. We will be rolling out our new flagship design at Lee Branch that focuses on the holistic member experience, with engaging spaces and areas for people to connect with one another.”
The new club will serve as a community hub, offering a wide range of facilities and services, including boutique-style fitness classes, a holistic Mind & Body Studio, extensive strength training areas, and a Recovery Studio. A kids club will also be available for children ages 3 months to 11 years, featuring a gaming area, basketball, and cinema.
Jeremy Miller, a local resident, expressed enthusiasm about the development, saying, “I’m excited to see what comes from it, out with the old, in with the new.”
The City of Hoover said the area was already zoned for C-2 commercial, and fitness centers are permitted at the location.
Gorfine noted the rapid progress of the project, stating, “It’s all happening very fast and we’ve been in discussions with this landlord for several months to make the deal work.”
The Lee Branch location is part of Onelife Fitness’s broader expansion strategy, with another center set to open in McCalla this year. Gorfine emphasized the company’s commitment to revitalizing large, vacant spaces, saying, “For us, 50-70 thousand square foot spaces, they don’t grow on trees. They are hard to find for sure. We see a great opportunity to take these spaces that are now really become blights of the community, just vacant, or it might have plywood up or a broken window and we see opportunity taking those types of spaces and revitalizing them and making them into community anchors for health and wellness. “
The Lee Branch club is slated to open in 2026, bringing with it 100 jobs to the community. The next steps are to secure building permits. Onelife will also open a location in McCalla at the old JCPenny, which is set to open before the end of the year. The space is 58,000 square feet.
