District will open the doors to its 3,000 square foot multi-level brownstone gym in September.
The neighborhood’s newest fitness center boasts high ceilings, skylights and a street view. Don’t call it a gym, call it a brownstone gym.
Opening at 106 1st Place this September, District is a 3,000 square foot multi-level brownstone gym where members can squat, lift and run, among other exercises, in the natural light of day. The workout space features several Samson racks; free weights; a room for private training; Star Trac treadmills; Hydrow rowing machines; and Echelon bikes that face the street. The facilities also include an elevator and two large bathrooms.
“This is a beautiful neighborhood with such a rich history,” said Angelo Sasso, co-founder of District. “How do we do something that’s unique to Carroll Gardens that you wouldn’t find somewhere else? We chose a brownstone.”
Sasso and Nick Vargas, co-founder of District, met at Body Elite, a gym that occupied a three-story building on the corner of Court and Union Streets until the building collapsed in 2020. Vargas was Sasso’s trainer at Body Elite.
Both Sasso and Vargas grew up in Carroll Gardens. Sasso’s father used to own Rainbow Market, a local produce store, which Vargas frequented. When he was younger, Vargas was an altar boy during services at Scotto Funeral Home, which was previously located on the block where District will soon open.
With District, Vargas aims to make the gym experience as tailored as his clients want it to be.
“How do we wrap an arm around somebody, however much arm they want?” Vargas said. “I’m one guy, but I can write programs for people. I can direct them to specific trainers. I can assist the trainer when they're doing their programming.”
Vargas and Sasso are developing a web app that will incorporate a quiz based on trainer and internet personality Christian Thibaudeau’s Neurotyping System, a questionnaire meant to determine the kind of training and nutrition an individual should receive based on their personality type.
Photos by Tymel Young / Raised Media Co
“I've taken that and used my programming to meet those neurotypes, and now, I've made it my own in a way,” Vargas said.
This summer, District held a variety of pop-up classes in a neighboring brownstone while its own space underwent construction. In July, Sasso and Vargas held an open house for locals to preview District. A line of people formed to sign up for one of the three membership tiers, which will be limited in quantity. Prices start at $199 per month for the most basic membership. There are options to share memberships.
“I think the traditional gym model is to have underutilization. People just have their membership roll over and over,” Sasso said. “My background’s in digital marketing and digital user engagement. You want people to use your stuff all the time. We're not selling 20,000 memberships. We want this to be an active, engaged community and we want to give them something that is helpful.”
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