After a decade of vacancy and numerous proposals that failed to materialize, the former Lombardi Sports building on Russian Hill has secured a new tenant in the form of Fitness SF. The San Francisco Planning Commission has given the go-ahead for the gym chain, which currently operates six locations throughout the city and in Marin and Oakland, to renovate and move into the 44,000-square-foot space that once buzzed with sporting goods shoppers, according to reports from the San Francisco Chronicle.

While no official opening date is on the books, the gym's application, approved on November 18, well, Fitness SF is proposing to utilize the space with an investment of $3.27 million for renovations, which will include a marquee and new windows and awning, as detailed in city planning documents. Moreover, the revamped premises will provide up to 60 parking spaces and 10 bicycle spots, accommodating the fitness enthusiasts expected to frequent the new location; this information was confirmed in a letter penned by city planners.

The story of 1600 Jackson Street is marked by thwarted ambitions and community disagreements over the building's next chapter, Dan Sider, Planning Department Chief of Staff, hailed the approval process as very straightforward, expressing enthusiasm for the site's impending activation. A series of would-be occupants, including Target and a Whole Foods 365 concept, encountered stiff resistance, leaving the prominent edifice idle while the neighborhood's expectations shifted.

Meanwhile, Fitness SF's foundation stems from brothers Zsolt and Sebastyen Jackovics's entrepreneurial journey after severing ties with Gold's Gym in 2012 over a values dispute, the Fitness SF brand has cultivated a strong presence in the fitness industry in San Francisco in the years since, according to KRON 4. Russian Hill Board member Moe Jamil noted that a state-of-the-art fitness center seems fitting for the area's demographic, predominantly comprising younger residents inclined toward active lifestyles.