Momentum is Going To Houston

The planned Momentum climbing center in Katy, Texas: Photo: Courtesy Momentum Indoor Climbing via Coveringkaty.com
The planned Momentum climbing center in Katy, Texas: Photo: Courtesy Momentum Indoor Climbing via Coveringkaty.com
CoveringKaty.com, a local news outlet for the tony suburb of Houston is reporting that Salt Lake-based climbing gym developer Momentum will open the largest full-scale climbing gym in Texas in 2016.
The unique 36,000-square-foot facility will feature rock climbing, including 50-foot climbing walls, fitness and yoga areas and abundant natural light in a climate controlled environment.
The real estate brokerage firm associated with the deal, Baker Katz, announced that they completed a 3.95-acre land acquisition on behalf of Momentum Indoor Climbing. “The fast growing city of Houston is the perfect place for Momentum to introduce climbing to an active population,” said Momentum Indoor Climbing Co-Founder Jeff Pederson. Currently Houston is served by three climbing gyms. The newest, InSpire Climbing, having opened up in 2013. Momentum currently operates two full-scale climbing gyms as well as one bouldering only facility in the Salt Lake, Utah area.

New Ownership for Prairie Walls

Climber at Prairie Walls. Photo: Prairie Walls.
Climber at Prairie Walls. Photo: Prairie Walls.
Jay Maier has bought the Prairie Walls Climbing Gym in Rochester, Minnesota on Sept. 1. The Post Bulletin is reporting he purchased the gym from Prairie Walls founder Dave Brandt. Brandt, who started the climbing operation in 1998, remains at Prairie Walls in a new position.
“Jay’s strengths as a business person will complement my strengths in technical operations and creative efforts, leaving me free to do the things I do best,” said Brandt in an announcement.
At the start, the sale will affect mainly the behind-the-scenes parts of the operation, he said. However, the financial boost and business experience that Maier brings to the business is expected to result in an upgraded facility. Brandt said some upgrades are expected for the gym under Maier’s leadership as well as installing a new conference.

Gym Architecture the Italian Way

Kletterzentrum - Bruneck. Photo: Kletterzentrum Bruneck
Photo: Kletterzentrum Bruneck
Climbing walls are basically works of art. But the buildings that house them are, usually, woefully boring and utilitarian metal boxes. The capital costs to get a climbing facility off the ground are so high that most developers put all their resources into the climbing walls themselves and leave out any extraneous styling on the building. But a gym developer in northern Italy is trying to change that by putting as much thought into their buildings as they do the climbing walls. Kletterzentrum just opened their second facility in the small town of Bruneck (population: 15,491) which lies in the heart of the South Tyrol, close to Italy’s northern border, and about an hour-and-a-half south of Innsbruck, Austria. The facility features over 21,528 square feet of climbing inside the building and outside under the cover of a roof facing stadium seating. Built by the Italian wall builder Sint Roc, the walls are impressive, but it’s the architectural elements that are getting all the attention.
The outdoor wall at Bruneck
The outdoor wall at Kletterzentrum – Bruneck

Outside

The idea to put a climbing facility in Bruneck was first conceived in 2009 by the Province of South Tyrol, which acts like a county government, to provide a place for the students of Bruneck, as well as the general public, to learn and practice climbing. According to one of the gym’s operators Gunther Meraner, South Tyrol has over the last 20 years tried to, “promote sophisticated architecture,” he told CBJ. To accomplish this for the project they created an architectural competition that generated 127 entries from firms all over Europe. It was the firm of Stifter + Bachmann that won that competition with their winning design that features, according to Meraner, “Architecture that gives the aura of silence and stability.” The building is simple, like the sleek feel of an iPhone. Everything has been chipped away and what remains is the purest form of a building. Yet it is a space that draws you near for inherent reasons you may not understand. And when you stand under the 55 foot outdoor wall and look through the windows into the space within, you understand that the building has a purpose more than just to cover climbing walls. Stifter + Bachmann wrote about the project:
“The project has on the one hand, a high level of recognition, but at the same time … a certain restraint and a strong scenic reference…and a good integration with the surrounding nature and landscape space.”

Inside

The 7 million Euro (nearly 8 million US dollars) facility is dedicated purely to climbing. There are no fitness classes or yoga or parkour or weights or treadmills. Just climbing and the training of climbing. The outdoor lead area alone is larger than some gyms and faces a cascade of outdoor seating that lends itself to public spectating. Inside the lead climbing area is bathed in daylight from the floor-to-ceiling wall of windows that look out on the mountain wonderland that is northern Italy. The rope climbing walls vary in height as the building sloops down to the bouldering and training areas. In between is the bar. This bar is the only non-climbing aspect of the gym and is “the heart of the gym,” Meraner said. “Our geographical situation makes it easy to offer good tasting Italian coffee and at the same time a high quality German beer,” he added. The elegantly designed bar and lounge space offers climbers a chance and a reason to spend the whole day at the gym. Meraner said, “For a lot of our visitors, a day in the climbing gym is nothing else than a good day in the outdoors. First maybe you start with a nice coffee, than you climb some nice pitches and at the end of the day you enjoy a big beer while talking to your friends. The people in the bar are the soul of the gym.”
The bar at Bruneck
The bar at Bruneck

Operation

Before the gym was up and running the Province of South Tyrol knew they needed a company to run the facility. Instead of a company they tapped Alpenverein Südtirol, the non-profit, mountain association of South Tyrol. The AVS, as it’s known, has built and maintains 19 climbing and bouldering facilities all over the South Tyrol. The AVS then turned to proven gym operators, Peter Unterkofler, Ralf Preindl and Günther Meraner, to manage the new facility. This trio helped conceive and build the first Kletterzentrum facility just down river in the town of Brixen. The Brixen facility is also architecturally stunning. Built in 2012, it is a simple box and features an entire wall of windows that showcases the approximately 21,528 square feet of climbing terrain within. The other three sides are clad in a rippling metal exoskeleton. Both Kletterzentrum challenge us to think about what a climbing center can look like.
Kletterzentrum Brixen (Vertikale)
Kletterzentrum Brixen (Vertikale)

New Climbing Gym Coming to Denver

ubergrippen_logo From Press Release: A local Stapleton family is excited to announce their plans to open a new community focused indoor climbing facility to serve all of NE Denver. The new business, named “Übergrippen Indoor Climbing Crag,” will open in the summer of 2016 at the intersection of Montview and Central Park Boulevard in the Stapleton neighborhood. The vision of Übergrippen is to offer NE Denver residents a family friendly climbing and fitness facility that becomes a place where the region’s residents, employees, and visitors will socialize, network, get fit, and of course – climb. The facility will be 20,000 square feet with 16,000 square feet of modern state of the art climbing walls including special designed children’s and beginner’s areas, a bouldering room, and of course high end performance climbing to challenge the best athletes. Members and guests will be able to meet all of their fitness and training needs using our 3,000 square foot fitness facility equipped with modern cardiovascular and weight training equipment. We will also offer many group fitness classes including yoga, Pilates, and boot camp style fitness classes. The modern facility design will include a training area complete with system board, campus board, and a ninja warrior style activity room. Übergrippen will offer a wide range of programming to its customers such as learn to climb classes, children’s birthday parties, youth climbing teams and clubs, parents night out, summer camps, after school programs, and more. Beyond the health benefits, climbing is an extremely social activity most often participated in by pairs or with groups of friends. Übergrippen will create a community and unmatched experiences around climbing. To support the experience and to help build this community, there will be a complete Café / Taproom that offers breakfast, lunches, and of course for many, the obligatory post climbing beer with both indoor and outdoor seating. We plan to host community events, social groups, corporate events, and community groups by offering a unique active experience coupled with the ability to have a private event spaces. The location was selected in order to make it easily accessible to all the great NE Denver and North Aurora neighborhoods as well as the Fitzsimmons Medical Campus which includes the CU Health Science Center and future VA Medical Center. Übergrippen will become a basecamp that brings together the residents, students, and employees in this community. Übergrippen is breaking new ground by building a climbing gym in the middle of a residential community. Its modern architected, colors, and natural elements will be a compliment to the surrounding residential and commercial structures.

USA Climbing Signs Medical Provider

howardhead From Press Release: Howard Head Sports Medicine, the same medical provider for the US Ski, Snowboard and Free Skiing Teams, is now the official provider for the USA Climbing Teams. Approached by team officials for their stellar reputation of working with professional and recreational athletes, Howard Head therapists will offer physical therapy support at major international events and help improve the quality of the medical support at all of USA Climbing’s domestic events. “This is an exciting partnership for both Howard Head Sports Medicine and the USA Climbing Teams,” said Doris Kirchner, president and CEO of Vail Valley Medical Center, of which Howard Head is a department. “The therapists at Howard Head are some of the best in the nation, and working with the teams’ climbers will help them treat similar issues these types of athletes face on a recreational basis.” Howard Head has provided unofficial support to USA Climbing since 2008 and the 1st World Cup in Vail. Since then, therapists have helped the athletes prepare for competition and rehabilitate after injury. “I’m excited at what the future holds for our athletes as organizations like Howard Head Sports Medicine step up to support them in international competition,” said Kynan Waggoner, CEO of USA Climbing. “Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a long relationship with the incredible folks that are part of the Howard Head Sports Medicine family.” Vice President of Howard Head Sports Medicine Nico Brown has a longstanding relationship with the climbing teams. Upon formalizing the partnership, he traveled with the US Youth Climbing Team to Arco, Italy for the World Youth Championships in August to provide medical support. “We are thrilled to work directly with USA Climbing and know our combination of aligned passions and missions will surely result in truly exceptional outcomes,” he said. Read more at VailOrtho.com

Philly Rock Gyms Leases New Space

The new warehouse space leased by PRG.
The new warehouse space leased by PRG.
According to ReBusiness Online the Philadelphia Rock Gym as signed a multi-year lease on a 10,000 square foot warehouse building in the Philly suburb of Wyncote. This new facility will mark PRG’s 4th location in the Philadelphia metro area. PRG also announced on their Facebook page a new partnership with outdoor gear retailer EMS.
We are thrilled to announce that we have secured a partnership agreement with Eastern Mountain Sports, which as you probably know, is headquartered in New England and carries much of the apparel, outerwear, footwear and gear we all use for our daily adventures! They are interested in working with us to help build a vital outdoor community in the Exton area. EMS will be kicking off this partnership with a special introductory offer of $15 off a purchase of $50 or more, with limited restrictions – for all group members. Stay tuned for this exclusive offer, and more announcements and member benefits from our new partner – Eastern Mountain Sports!

New Website For USA Climbing

Screenshot from the new USAC website.
Screenshot from the new USAC website.
From Press Release: USA Climbing, the United States National Governing Body for the sport of competition climbing announced today that it is currently in the process of transitioning to a new website. “Much like last year’s rebranding effort, a new website has been at the top of our “to-do list” for many years,” said USA Climbing CEO Kynan Waggoner. “Due to the support of a very generous donor and a long relationship with the folks at the Active Network, we now have a website and technology platform that is going to support our needs now and in the future.” During the transition period, USA Climbing will be running and testing the new website at www.usaclimbing.org, but will continue to run the old website at www.usaclimbing.net while we work through some potential bugs with membership and the online scoring functionality over the next few weeks. All pertinent data will continue to be posted to both websites while we make the full transition to the new website. If you have specific feedback about the new website, please email info@usaclimbing.org with your thoughts.