Fitness Ventures Leases 50,616 SF at Commons at Willowbrook for Houston's Seventh Crunch Fitness

BALTIMORE, MD – Fitness Ventures, LLC, a Crunch Fitness franchise operator, has signed a lease with Continental Realty Corporation (CRC) for 50,616 square feet at Commons at Willowbrook, a 442,000-square-foot open-air regional power center in Houston, according to an Oct. 22, 2026, announcement from CRC. The club will be the operator's seventh in the greater Houston metropolitan area and is expected to open in spring 2027.

Commons at Willowbrook is located at 7502-7540 W. FM 1960. Cherene Keenan, Senior Leasing Manager, Anchor Specialist for CRC, represented the landlord. Kyle Cowan, Jed Mannon and Banner Scarborough of NAI Wheelhouse represented the tenant.

Crunch Fitness Lease at Commons at Willowbrook: Deal Details

Fitness Ventures operates more than 125 Crunch Fitness clubs across 30 states. The Florida-based group's Willowbrook location will be its 19th club in Texas. The 50,616-square-foot premises represent approximately 11.5% of the center's stated gross leasable area.

The facility will reflect the Crunch Fitness 3.0 design, which combines modern aesthetics with enhanced functionality. The club's layout includes an expanded strength floor with Olympic lifting platforms, a multi-zone HIITZone turf for functional training and modernized boutique group fitness studios. Members will have access to an expanded Relax & Recover® wellness studio featuring infrared saunas, red light therapy and specialized deep-stretching areas.

Fitness Ventures is considered to be the largest fitness franchise operator in the country, and the operator indicates that pre-sale memberships are currently available.

Executive Comments on the Willowbrook Lease

"We are excited to welcome Crunch Fitness to Commons at Willowbrook, bringing a high-quality, accessible fitness option to the surrounding community while revitalizing a prominent anchor space," said Kristina O’Keefe, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations at Continental Realty Corporation. "Crunch Fitness will complement the center's existing mix of retailers, restaurants and services, bringing consistent traffic throughout the week and creating additional opportunities for customers to shop and dine. This addition reflects our continued focus on bringing relevant, complementary uses to our centers that meet the needs of the community and contribute to the long-term success of the property."

Brian Hibbard, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fitness Ventures, said Willowbrook "is a community that is ready for a low-cost, high value option for fitness, and Crunch Fitness is designed to be that option." He added: "The presence of five major anchor tenants, combined with the exceptionally robust traffic counts, were significant draws. We intend to offer a highly-motivational environment that addresses the fitness requirements of everyone, ranging from seasoned athletes to people entering a gym for the first time."

About Commons at Willowbrook

Delivered in 1985 and situated opposite Willowbrook Mall, Commons at Willowbrook is anchored by Academy Sports, HomeGoods, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less and Total Wine & More. CRC acquired the center late last year. It also houses national and local retailers, professional services and quick-serve dining options such as Chipotle, Starbucks, McAlister's Deli and Panda Express.

The property attracts 4.3 million customer visits each year from a 15-mile radius. Within five miles, nearly 110,000 households have an average income close to $110,000, contributing to total spending power of almost $12 billion. More than 150,000 vehicles pass the site daily via Hwy. 249, and an additional 70,000 drive by via FM 1960.

Houston Retail Market Context

The lease comes as Houston retail fundamentals remain tight despite signs of moderation. Second-quarter 2026 retail vacancy ranged from 5.5% to 5.8% depending on the research provider, while quarterly net absorption was negative, at roughly 478,000 to 509,000 square feet. Asking rents continued to rise, reaching approximately $21.47 to $21.52 per square foot in the second quarter, up about 1.2% from the prior quarter and as much as 6.2% year over year.

Fitness has been among the more active leasing categories in the market. Sporting-goods and fitness users led Houston retail leasing activity in the first quarter of 2026, when vacancy was approximately 5.3% and average asking rent was about $2.06 per square foot per month, or roughly $24.72 per square foot annually. Fitness, grocery and experiential tenants have also been clustering in high-traffic shopping centers across north, northwest and southwest Houston. Restaurants, healthcare, beauty and childcare have maintained leasing demand, while discretionary soft-goods retailers remain more cautious.

About Continental Realty Corporation

Founded in 1960, Continental Realty Corporation is a vertically integrated, privately held commercial real estate investment and management company specializing in the acquisition and operation of retail and multifamily properties. CRC owns and manages a diversified national portfolio of more than 10 million square feet of retail space and more than 10,000 apartment homes across 16 states, with a total value of more than $5 billion.

Sources

Continental Realty Corporation press release: https://www.crcrealty.com/crunch-fitness-franchise-group-selects-commons-at-willowbrook-for-seventh-location-in-greater-houston-area/