Developers of The Uptown retail center in North Long Beach are hoping to bring in a gym, among other service businesses, as they seek to break ground early next year.

Yanki Greenspan, president of Westland Real Estate Group, said his team has been in negotiations with Blink Fitness to open a location at The Uptown, making it the center-point of the new project that would replace the abandoned patchy field located at Atlantic Avenue and 61st Street.

Blink Fitness has other locations throughout the country. There are eight locations in California with monthly membership costs ranging from $10 to $23 dollars. The gyms located in LA County remain closed under current health laws prompted by the pandemic. Greenspan said the gym would operate at limited capacity, and hope that the virus is under control by the time the project is complete.

With no end in sight to the pandemic, retail spaces with outdoor seating have momentarily braved the wave of full-blown closures.

“Our project is perfect for a post COVID world,” Greenspan said. “The buildings all surround central courtyards with plenty of outdoor seating opportunities.”

Greenspan said he’s optimistic that tenants will be able to open their businesses by the time the project is completed late next year. So far, Tierra Mia coffee shop and Long Beach Beer Lab have shown interest in opening locations at the retail center, however, they haven’t signed leasing contracts, Greenspan said.

If they break ground early next year as the team hopes, Greenspan said tenants will most likely have the keys to their spaces in late 2021.

The Uptown was originally slated to open in late 2018, but delays in acquiring retail tenants that fit its vision held back the project. Greenspan said he wants the development to be built for the community.

“I’m not going to lie to you and say I’m not nervous,” Greenspan said. “But we’re optimistic.”

Blink Fitness officials could not provide a statement at this time.