With renovations for the Student Recreation Center ongoing and access to Gold’s Gym dwindling, quality fitness facilities provided by area apartment complexes will be a valuable asset for students looking at off-campus housing options for next year. 

The existing part of the SRC is open to students but is limited to primarily dumbbells and select training equipment.  Further renovations to the SRC are in progress with no exact date for completion.  However, many gym rats find themselves using their apartment gym facilities in an effort to save time and gain easier access.

A large gym enterprise like Gold’s Gym offers more appeal than most small apartment fitness centers. But for the sake of students with a busy schedule trying to fit a little fitness in their lifestyle, here is a list of the top five most UNCW student populated apartment complexes, ranked from least favorable fitness center to most appealing. 

Five of the most student populated apartment complexes in Wilmington include: Campus Walk II, The Quads, Avalon Apartments, The Reserves at Forest Hill, and The Reserves at Mayfair.   Carolina Cove is a complex that is still being constructed but has plans for a fitness facility.  Four of these six have fully constructed fitness centers while Campus Walk II and Carolina Cove are in the process of building.  While small in size, these locations can be a stress free and often seldom used environment to exercise.

The least favorable apartment location for fitness would be Campus Walk II, formally known as the Brookstone Apartments. Their fitness center is currently under construction, but Campus Walk II is modeling UNCW and giving their tenants free access to Gold’s Gym.  The previous fitness center included two treadmills, a small dumbbell rack and 5 pieces of training equipment, but the size of the center was its most problematic area. At most three people could fit in the center comfortably.  In addition to its lack of size, it is the only apartment complex of the aforementioned that is not a 24-hour facility.

Fourth in line is The Quads. Space is this center’s most reputable pro. Lack of strength equipment is its largest con.  The 24-hour fitness facility offers two elliptical machines, treadmills and bikes. To a runner, this facility has what they need. There is also a series of strength training equipment, with ample space to use them, but there is a lack of dumbbells.

Although not fully constructed, the Carolina Cove Apartment will have a promising new 24-hour fitness center. The plans include two to three ellipticals with TV’s inserted in them, as well as two treadmills. There will be a bench with weights which is something most apartment complex gyms cannot fit into their fitness area.  The plan also showcases a series of dumbbells.  The weight bench will be Carolina Cove fitness facility’s most enticing entity.

The Reserves at Mayfaire and The Reserves at Forest Hill are separate apartment complexes but they are both owned by Bell Apartment Living and have very similar fitness centers, grouping them together in the second place category. Diversity of equipment is these fitness centers’ best pro.  Both 24-hour complexes have been renovated within the last year, quadrupling their previous size. Each has been equipped with new weights, cardio equipment, and exercise balls. A weight bench equipped with a safety harness for squatting and benching is included in both areas as well. Each piece of cardio equipment includes a TV, in addition to a TV on each side of the room.

Lastly, Avalon Apartments has the most appealing apartment fitness center in Wilmington.  This 24-hour fitness center has most everything any runner, bodybuilder or simple gym rat could want all in the convenience of a short walk from your apartment.  Newly renovated, the size has doubled its previous size. It is one of the only apartments that include a punching bag. Along with its cardio machines there are 16 pieces of training equipment available to tenants, with a typical set of dumbbells.

Each fitness center has its positive and negative qualities based on personal preference. But the next time you go looking for your future home, remember to ask the staff: how is your fitness center?