Clovis Closes Planet Fitness on Shaw Ave. Over Unsafe Building Entryway

The Planet Fitness at the corner of Shaw and Clovis avenues in Clovis has been shuttered since March 17 after the city's Building Division determined the gym was unsafe to enter, citing a structural failure at the building's covered front entryway.

"The site was inspected by our Building Division, who determined the building was not safe to occupy," said Chad McCollum with the City of Clovis. "The covered front entry area appears to be pulling away from the building and needs to be repaired."

The Clovis Fire Department responded to the location on Tuesday, March 17, at around 6 p.m. following a report about structural issues at the gym. Crews arrived to find that a facade had peeled away from the building, and the location was shut down.

A notice posted in the window described the closure as being "for the safety of our members," but building inspectors characterized the situation as more serious, describing a structure that was not safe for people to go inside. A temporary safety fence has been installed around the property, and city officials say they are working with property management to make the needed corrections.

As of Monday morning, any structural damage was not immediately noticeable from the exterior, and no construction crews were on site. McCollum said the building will remain closed until the issues are resolved, with no reopening date announced.

In a statement, Planet Fitness said "the health and safety of our members and team members is a top priority." The franchise group said it is working with its landlord and vendors on necessary repairs and plans to reopen as quickly as possible, and all members are invited to work out at nearby locations during the temporary closure regardless of membership type.

The gym occupies the former CVS Pharmacy building at 634 Shaw Ave., west of Sierra Vista Mall. The Shaw and Clovis avenue corridor is one of the busiest commercial stretches in the east Fresno County area, and the closure leaves members without access to a location many use daily.