Construction crews are already at work on a new Crunch Fitness location at First Colony Commons in Sugar Land, with the gym targeted to open its doors by summer 2027. The project carries an estimated cost of $1,500,000 and is being led by franchisee Reed Traphagan, who confirmed the opening is in the works.
The gym is planned for 15555 Southwest Freeway, according to WhatNow, which first reported the project. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issued a permit for the build, per the TDLR permit cited in that report, and construction is currently underway with completion slated for the end of August 2027. Traphagan did not share further details about the project by the time of publication, the outlet notes.
Where the New Gym Will Land
First Colony Commons sits at the intersection of the Southwest Freeway, also known as I-69, and Williams Trace Boulevard, according to Wulfe & Co., which manages the property. The company describes the shopping center as an outdoor destination anchored by national retailers and restaurants, making it a well-trafficked stretch of Sugar Land for a new fitness tenant to plant its flag.
Crunch has been building out its Texas footprint steadily. The chain now counts about 81 locations across the state and nearly a dozen in the greater Houston region, per the same WhatNow account. Crunch also did not immediately answer the outlet's questions about broader expansion plans, as company COO Molly Long did not respond to an inquiry about the chain's growth strategy.
From Basement Studio to National Chain
Crunch's roots trace back to 1989, when founder Doug Levin opened the brand as a basement studio in Greenwich Village, New York City, the report states. The company built a reputation for blending fitness with entertainment and introduced its “No Judgments” philosophy in 1995, a mantra the chain's website says means room for everyone “regardless of shape, size, age, race, gender, or fitness level.” Over the years, Crunch has been credited with pioneering unconventional class formats including gospel aerobics, yoga cycling and pole dancing classes, according to the outlet's account of the brand's history.
The company hit turbulence in 2009, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection that May amid a declining membership base and heavy lease obligations, per the same report. Jim Rowley led the company's restructuring afterward. Crunch began franchising in 2010, opening its first franchise location in Norwalk, Connecticut, before passing through a string of ownership changes — acquired by Bally Total Fitness in 2021 when it had 19 locations, later bought by Angelo Gordon, backed by TPG Growth in 2019, and most recently acquired by Leonard Green & Partners for $1.5 billion in 2025.
A Gym Boom Backdrop
Today Crunch operates more than 600 locations worldwide across over 40 U.S. states and several international countries, offering membership plans with no long-term commitments, the outlet reports. The expansion into Sugar Land also arrives amid what industry researchers describe as a surge in U.S. gym usage; the Health & Fitness Association reported membership was up 5.2 percent over 2025 levels as of April, according to Health Club Management. Separate figures from Gymdesk put total U.S. gym, studio and fitness facility membership at a record 81 million people in 2025.
For Sugar Land residents, the takeaway for now is simple: the building is going up, the timeline points to next summer, and the rest of the details remain under wraps until Crunch and its local franchisee are ready to share more.
