THE818NOW
December 7, 2012
Burbank police arrested a man Thursday who allegedly stole an iPhone and Kindle tablet computer from a gym, took the items to his car and then returned to the gym to work out, police said. The victim flagged down officers at around 7:30 a.m. outside the Burbank Athletic Club at 226 East Palm Ave. to report the stolen items. Surveillance video allegedly revealed a man -- who police identified as Jonathan Ng, 34 -- in a white shirt and shorts taking the items, exiting the building, and shortly after, returning to lift weights.
NEWS
By Maria Hsin, maria.hsin@latimes.com | July 27, 2012
A 16-year-old North Hollywood boy died Thursday night at a hospital shortly after sparring at a Burbank boxing club and complaining of pain, authorities said. The boy, Raul Alvarez Jr., was pronounced dead at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center about an hour after suddenly falling unconscious, police said. He had been brought to the hospital at about 6:45 p.m. complaining of pain. An investigation into the cause of death by the Los Angeles County coroner was pending Friday, but Burbank police said Raul had been wearing protective gear around his head and lower body at the time he was sparring at Pullman's Gym in the 4300 block of West Magnolia Boulevard.
NEWS
By Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com | April 17, 2012
A new Crunch gym has opened in downtown Burbank following the huge success of the company's West Hollywood location, which has become a trendy work-out spot for celebrities and entertainment-industry types. Burbank's identity as the “entertainment capital of the world” should fit right in with the gym's L.A. branding, according to company officials. It's only the second Crunch gym in the Los Angeles area, said Amita Balla, general manager of the new gym, located at 761 N. San Fernando Blvd., above Barnes & Noble.
NEWS
By Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com | July 26, 2011
After facing initial rejection and then litigation, the new 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport center in Burbank opened on Saturday. The 40,000-square-foot gym, located at 1903 W. Empire Ave., has an indoor lap pool, full-sized outdoor basketball court and a variety of strength and cardio equipment with personal viewing screens on some machines. There is also a retail shop, personal training area, sauna, steam room, whirlpool and a baby-sitting service for children ages six months to 12. At the gym's opening, Mayor Jess Talamantes referenced the club's rocky journey to fruition.
SPORTS
By Jeff Tully, jeff.tully@latimes.com | June 25, 2011
BURBANK — Members of the Burbank Boxing Club are not actually able to stage fights during their workouts. Because the club is housed in the Burbank Community YMCA, rules prohibit the boxers from doing any kind of sparring. Instead, athletes work on their techniques, learn about the sport and get an exhausting workout in the process. "We can't even do any tough-boxing," Burbank Boxing Club Director Stave Harpst said. "It just isn't allowed. " Because of this lack of competition, Harpst likes to take his fighters out and give them a chance to compete in some actual bouts every now and then.
NEWS
By Bill Kisliuk, bill.kisliuk@latimes.com | July 17, 2010
The owner of the Burbank Athletic Club is suing to block the city from allowing a 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport center to open on Empire Avenue. David Bedrossian, along with longtime city critic Mike Nolan, filed the lawsuit last month claiming the May 18 approval of the 24 Hour Fitness in the 1900 block of Empire did not meet city codes. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court contends the city failed to comply with its own procedures and ignored potential parking problems related to the proposed gym. Burbank city spokesman Keith Sterling declined to comment on the litigation, but said city officials were "vigorously defending our position and the decision that was made."
NEWS
By Christopher Cadelago | June 2, 2010
CITY HALL — Fresh off of approving a new comedy club and 24 Hour Fitness, Burbank officials have pushed back against proposed changes to the downtown shopping district, rebuffing a request to build a Gold's Gym and possibly more restaurants into the mixed-use Collection. Development plans for the Collection allow 60% of the 39,770-square-foot space to be used as retail with the remaining space to be used for restaurants. The City Council last week voted 3 to 2 to deny Bob Champion's request to fill roughly 20,000 more square feet with either restaurants or retail, and another 19,600 square feet for the Gold's Gym. "I know it's tough economic times, but to me it seems like your short-term gain of throwing somebody in a space may have some long-term effects that are detrimental to the downtown area," said Mayor Anja Reinke, who was joined by Councilmen Jess Talamantes and David Gordon.
BUSINESS
By Christopher Cadelago | May 19, 2010
CITY HALL ? The City Council on Tuesday reversed course on a proposed 24 Hour Fitness on Empire Avenue, voting 3 to 2 to allow the club after operators revised the project. In approving the Super Sport club, the council voted against Crown Realty & Development Corp./Burbank Mall & Associates, which argued that the 24 Hour Fitness would exacerbate traffic congestion during peak commute times and that the project failed to meet parking requirements. Councilman Jess Talamantes contended that the building, which sat vacant for nearly six years, was an opportunity for the council to make good on prior commitments.
BUSINESS
By Christopher Cadelago | February 13, 2010
CITY HALL — In a reversal of fortunes for 24 Hour Fitness, the City Council on Tuesday voted to rehear a revised proposal for a Super Sport club in the 1900 block of Empire Avenue. The 4-1 vote came after the council narrowly rejected the original proposal, reversing a decision by the Planning Board on the grounds that the club would have inadequate parking and negatively impact traffic. In an unusual move Tuesday, council members instructed 24 Hour Fitness to revise the project before the matter could be re-noticed and re-heard, rather than making them wait one year to resubmit plans.
NEWS
January 30, 2010
The City Council’s narrow decision this week to block a 24 Hour Fitness from converting a warehouse on Empire Avenue into a gym may, on its surface, seem like a bad case of local protectionism, but a closer look reveals a different picture. For starters, several full-service gyms are already in this city of roughly 108,000 people, an unknown slice of whom actually go in for regular workouts. Given the economic conditions, gym workers haven’t exactly been working double shifts to accommodate an influx of new patrons.