BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:

A Burbank fitness business is getting a boost this year with two retooled gyms under one local name.

The newly renamed Burbank Athletic Club North and the club’s Media Center locations are both owned by Greg Bedrossian, 35, of Valencia.

Bedrossian bought the gyms in October from World Gyms.

“The whole company is basically being redone from the ground up,” Bedrossian said.

A personal trainer for more than 17 years, Bedrossian decided that Burbank was the perfect spot to take his idea for an up-to-date health club that stresses one-on-one attention.

“I’m basically taking the best that the clubs have to offer, and I’m making it affordable and bringing it to Burbank,” he said.

Burbank Athletic Club North on North Hollywood Way, the smaller of the two gyms at 11,000 square feet, is getting new card-reading systems for members, a custom front desk and 32 top-of-the-line cardio machines with televisions mounted in them.

Burbank Athletic Club Media Center on East Palm Avenue will be getting the same updated treatment but is almost three times as large as the gym on the north side.

Along with new equipment coming in the next few weeks, Bedrossian has also changed the color scheme in both gyms to create a calming atmosphere.

Where turquoise and bright yellow trims covered the interior of the gyms, there is now a soft tan on the walls. It is a welcome change to gym member Pat Paczynski, of Glendale.

“It’s looking better and better all the time,” said Paczynski, who has been coming to the gym for seven months.

A fair amount of regulars who knew the spaces when they were World Gyms are still members.

“I joined this gym before it was even built,” said Nelson Hamilton, 59, of North Hollywood.

He signed up for his World Gym membership in 1991, almost three months before the then-World Gym opened for business.

He’s seen a bevy of managers come and go and said Bedrossian has been one of the positive constants at the gym.

“Everybody loves him,” Hamilton said. “Everybody loves him because he is really sincere about what he does. Really knowledgeable.”

As for the new decor and the upcoming upgrades to the equipment in the gym, Hamilton wasn’t too excited.

“I could work out in a phone booth,” he said.

But he was happy about the gym getting new, more personable ownership.

“He’s here,” he said. “How many places can you go and talk to the owner? You got a gripe or something, you just say, ‘Hey, Greg!’”

But Bedrossian is shooting for a gym environment free of gripes, he said, by changing the color scheme, exploiting the space’s high ceilings and large windows and making the locker rooms feel comfortable.

“I don’t want it to feel like a prison locker room,” Bedrossian said. “I want it to feel really cozy.”

Regular gym member Susan Kussman, of Glendale, said she was looking forward to the new cardio workout machines with television screens.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Kussman said. “I can hardly wait. Because with that, before you know it, you’ve done your 20 minutes.”

Construction and improvements on the two gyms won’t be done until March, Bedrossian said. Until then, they will both remain open for business.

Burbank Athletic Club North is at 2010 N. Hollywood Way, and Burbank Athletic Media Center is at 226 E. Palm Ave. For more information on the Burbank Athletic Club North, call (818) 563-4203. For more information on the Burbank Athletic Club Media Center, call (818) 954-0021.