One of Murray Hill's sleepier stretches is about to get a serious jolt of gym traffic. Hydrogen Fitness, a luxury 24-hour gym franchise, has inked what industry watchers say is the neighborhood's largest single retail lease in years, taking the ground and lower levels at 145 East 32nd Street. The deal brings Hydrogen's first New York City location to this Midtown East pocket and hands the brand a rare, multi-level street-front footprint of roughly 25,000 square feet. It is being billed as one of the biggest retail commitments in Murray Hill in recent memory and could meaningfully reshape the block's retail mix.
As reported by Crain's New York Business, the lease covers the street-level and cellar space at the Meyer Equities-owned building at 145 E. 32nd St. and will serve as Hydrogen's first outpost in New York City. Crain's characterized the transaction as Murray Hill's largest retail lease in years.
About Hydrogen Fitness
Hydrogen presents itself as a large-scale, luxury fitness franchise that operates 24/7, with amenities that include saunas, towel service and a so-called "Hydro Bar," according to Hydrogen Fitness franchising materials. The company stresses spacious floorplates and a growth strategy that spans both suburban and urban markets. Corporate documents also highlight franchisee support on site selection, construction management and marketing when new locations come online.
Space and landlord details
Meyer Equities owns the 145 East 32nd Street building, which the landlord markets as a roughly 120,000-rsf medical-office property with a retail-grade ground floor, according to Meyer Equities. Broker marketing previously listed the ground and lower levels as a combined, roughly 25,000-square-foot space, helping explain why the Hydrogen deal is being described as Murray Hill's biggest retail lease in years, per a Noah & Co. listing. Those materials called out high ceilings and a private entrance at the corner of East 32nd Street and Lexington Avenue.
Why this matters for the neighborhood
Murray Hill's retail corridors are typically lined with small, neighborhood-serving storefronts, and the area has seen notable turnover in recent seasons. Local coverage of longtime spots shuttering, including the January 2025 closure of a 60-year neighborhood stalwart after a rent dispute, has underscored that churn, as reported in Abbey Tavern Closes. Dropping a large, 24/7 fitness operator into the mix could shift foot traffic patterns and draw a different blend of retail and services to the block.
No official opening date has been announced, and buildout and permitting for a large fitness club typically take months. Hydrogen's franchising materials note that the company assists franchisees with construction management and presale marketing as they prepare new locations to open.
