The community center can no longer afford

Jews in the D

JCC Health Club

COURTESY JCC FACEBOOK to Permanently Close The community center can no longer afford to operate its fi tness facilities, its CEO said. DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER JCC

The Jewish Community value proposition, but also an ful moment for those who have Center of Metropolitan exploding competitive market- called the Health Club home Detroit in West place.” for decades,” the statement Bloomfield Township is closing Prior to the pandemic, read. “Like each of the local its health club, effective imme- the JCC was in a committee partner agencies that receive diately. process with representatives funding from Federation, the

Brian D. Siegel, CEO of the of the Jewish Federation of JCC operates independently JCC, spoke exclusively with Metropolitan Detroit and the and is responsible for all deciJOHN HARDWICK the JN to lay out how this all came about. He said the decision was due to a mixture of United Jewish Foundation to try to solve its real estate problems. “A plan was established to shrink the size of the JCC subsions regarding its programs and services.” In a follow-up statement, new Federation President Matt Lester and Foundation financial, philo- stantially, including reducing President Dennis Bernard

Brian Siegel sophical, political the size of the health club,” said the JCC “is committed and practical reasons, all in dif- Siegel said. to maintaining and restoring ferent ways exacerbated by the wellness programs including COVID-19 pandemic. ‘RIGHT-SIZING’ THE BUILDING fitness classes, basketball and

The financial impact had The pandemic accelerated swimming,” and that the clomuch to do with the JCC plans rapidly. A new com- sure “will mainly affect the suffering from “overbuilt” real mittee was formed with Fitness Club members.” estate for the past 20 years, Federation to see how the The club was also failing Siegel said. pandemic affected the JCC’s to bring younger members

The health club contributed prior plans to “right-size” the onboard. “Young Jewish people to overhead costs but was not building. today don’t make a decision running a net profit, and that Instead of just reducing the on where to work out based was even before the pandem- size of the health club, the new on where there are other Jews ic. If the health club were to committee decided to close it there or not,” Siegel said. open, the impact short-term completely. On the political side, Siegel would be devastating and the The committee is in the said the JCC had been trying long-term impact even worse, process of issuing a report, and to negotiate with the commuaccording to Siegel. the report will recommend that nity to take responsibility for a

The health club’s member- the health club be demolished. building that no longer fits its ship has seen a 50% decline in Until the money is raised to tear purposes. the last decade. A crucial part down that section of the build- “It’s only the crisis that of that decline is the drop in ing, it will be shuttered or its use allowed that conversation to be Jewish membership. will be radically modified. productive,” Siegel said.

“What was once a core value In a joint statement, the The political question proposition, of Jews wanting incoming and outgoing pres- the JCC asked itself was a safe place to work out next idents of both JFMD and the what they should do with a to other Jews, has gone away United Jewish Foundation said 340,000-square-foot building for the majority of people,” they were aware of the move to with business operations that Siegel told the JN. “The JCC close the health club but that no longer support it. health club was declining both the decision was the JCC’s own. The JCC has operated as by virtue of a loss of its core “We know that this is a pain- the sub-landlord of the buildCommunity Response

JN READERS HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE JCC’S HEALTH CLUB CLOSING ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

“When they closed the Oak Park JPM branch, which was always busy and active and had a highly incentivized membership, they said that the building was too old, and the W. Bloomfield building was the one to save. Now they delete services to the community at that building as well. It isn't turning a profit? Since when does profit define the mission of a community service? I was at the meetings for JPM and heard the same stuff. It infuriates me.” — Jodie Stein

“So sad that the Federation can't help keep the JCC intact. The Y doesn't seem to have the problems we do!” — Jane Lori

“That is so sad. Enjoyed working out at the JCC through the years. Glad to know the pool will be open.” — Jodi Roth Isser

“Sad that us members had to learn about this from an article in the DJN and not directly from the J.” — Danielle Gordon

“They have done nothing to recruit or incentivize young families or people for membership.” — Rachel Williams Bloch

“I remember going to the JCC men’s health club as a child. It’s a shame they haven’t figured out how to keep it going.” — Gregory Firestone

“Should have kept the Oak Park JCC open but those WB Jews left Oak Park and HW and Southfield and would not support it. I guess they don’t support their building either.” — Ronald Fry

“JCC, WB … totally overbuilt … and ignoring Jews from other areas … you did this all by yourself!!!!” — Elaine Cohen

ing, with the real estate being owned by the United Jewish Foundation.

On the practical side, Siegel said the JCC realized the building couldn’t just be reduced “hodge-podge,” and that there needed to be specific plans in place on which parts were reduced.

The “right-sizing” committee had plans to keep the health club before the pandemic and was going to fill the indoor pool and place a new health club over it. The pandemic stopped that, and it was agreed that a more aggressive demolition and size reduction of the JCC made the most sense.

“The JCC is going to be a much more nimble, financially viable operation that no longer has to chase a building it can’t afford,” Siegel said. “It’s a historic moment, a heartbreaking moment, but a critical moment for the future of the JCC.”

The outdoor pool will remain, with a goal of it being covered with an inflatable structure so it will become a yearround pool. The indoor pool will be closed long term, but short-term plans are uncertain.

The JCC basketball leagues will move over to the Rosenberg Center. That facility, which includes inline hockey, will be retained. The area that houses volleyball will be covered with wood floors so basketball and volleyball can be played there.

There will be no impact or negative implications for the Detroit Maccabi Games.

The JCC has plans to retain its JCC Day Camps, with goals to renovate their standing day camp center into a “world-class day camp” in partnership with Tamarack Camps, the managing entity that runs the camps.

Frankel Jewish Academy’s athletic department currently uses many of the JCC’s athletic facilities. Siegel said the JCC intends to fulfill all obligations under its current lease to FJA, which may mean using the existing gymnasiums until alternate spaces are found in the Rosenberg Center.

END OF MEMBERSHIP MODEL

The membership model will simply cease to exist. “We intend to build in partnership with our members a robust wellness operation, but it will not be membership-based,” Siegel said.

Instead, it will be fee-for service. For example, there may be monthly passes that will allow an individual to swim every day.

Siegel wouldn’t go into specific numbers but stated that many at the JCC will be losing jobs, including many longstanding employees who worked in the health club, which Siegel describes as just as heartbreaking as the close of the club.

An official vote was taken Sept. 28, and both the executives committee and the board voted overwhelmingly in favor of the closing.

The health club is located in the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building, which currently spans 340,000 square feet. The committee is proposing to demolish about 110,000 square feet, leaving the remaining JCC with about 140,000 square feet (not including 90,000 allotted for other tenants and service areas).

“It was time for a paradigm shift,” stated JCC President Mark Rubenfire in a press release. “For decades, the JCC had been struggling financially. A large part of the problem related to the size and deteriorating nature of the building. Reducing our footprint will free up capital and resources to get back to our core mission to build a more dynamic Jewish community by collaborating to create world-class education and engagement programs throughout Metropolitan Detroit.”

Our Our STORY STORY

Scott Marcus is a commercial real estate developer, a franchise owner of Orangetheory Fitness, and a Hebrew Free Loan Board member. “What intrigues me about HFL is the scope,” Scott said. “For instance, a loan for a used car allows the borrower to work, which supports a family, helps keep a business running and improves a community. It’s meaningful.”

When Scott’s father passed away after a brief battle with cancer, Scott and his family established the Henry F. Marcus, D.O. Medical School Education Fund, under the umbrella of the

William Davidson Jewish College Loan

Program. The fund benefits medical students who wish to follow the path of osteopathy and pediatrics in general practice.

“My father actually began as a pharmacist, switched to medicine and genuinely loved it,” Scott said. “He was proud that he served families through 40 years and three generations. Young patients grew up and brought their own children to him.”

Scott says HFL has touched the lives of borrowers for generations, in much the same way as his father worked directly with his patients. “When I work with HFL, I think of how many facets of people’s lives we affect, and that speaks to me,” Scott said. “It’s not much different than my father’s philosophy. He had medical students rotate through his office, teaching them how to listen and be there for patients.

“He was passionate about medicine that touched people’s lives directly, and I think he would be pleased to support education for the next wave of medical professionals.”

Click. Call. Give Now. www.hfldetroit.org • 248.723.8184

6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 300 • Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48301 Hebrew Free Loan Detroit @HFLDetroit