Duke in Pics: Health and Fitness Center Gets New Look

The Duke Health and Fitness Center has reopened for workouts after an 8-month, $4 million renovation project.

Improvements to the facility, which originally opened in 1991 on the Duke Center for Living Campus, include a private exercise studio for mind/body classes and special programming, big-screen TVs in the cardio area, a larger group exercise floor for fitness classes, and a conversion to a saltwater pool.

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The Center’s 1,800 members, 30 percent of whom are Duke employees, have been working out at an alternative location, the Duke Diet & Fitness Center, since May of 2014 as the facility underwent construction.

Duke employees can join the Duke Health and Fitness Center at a discounted monthly membership rate of $52 through LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, or submit an application directly to the Health and Fitness Center to receive the same rate.

“This entire building was gutted,” said Debbie Carter, membership coordinator of the Duke Health and Fitness Center, during a sneak-peek tour for members on Friday. “Most of our clients just love these big windows, especially while walking around the track.”

The Fitness Center will also house the Duke Sports Medicine Physical Therapy division in the mezzanine of the building.

During an open house on Friday, about 400 Fitness Center members walked around the pool and checked out weight-lifting machines. One of the visiting members was Cindy McAbee, a 61-year-old nurse manager of the dialysis unit at the Durham VA Medical Center.

“I love the colors,” McAbee said. “I love that it’s so light and airy and bright.”

McAbee joined the Fitness Center about a decade ago. Since then, she has had two hip replacements and surgery for cancer treatment. She exercises after work by walking around the Fitness Center’s track and participating in strength training with the help of an exercise physiologist.

“I’ve gone from where you can barely get around the track with a walker to doing pretty much anything,” McAbee said. “I decided this was my new home and I would come and stay as strong as I can.”

The facility, located at 3475 Erwin Road in Durham, is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Noah St. John, above, an exercise specialist with Duke Health and Fitness Center, leads a tour group around the facility's renovated, three-lane indoor track on Friday. Photo by April Dudash

Jean Olich checks out the equipment during a tour of the newly renovated Duke Health and Fitness Center on Friday. Photo by Shawn Rocco