File photo
File photo
Plans are in the works to transform the old Sears building in Texas City to the largest World Gym in the United States.
Jerome Karam, a Friendswood attorney and developer, finalized the deal to purchase the property this month. The 100,000-square-foot building at 10000 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway was vacated by Sears last year. It's located in an area known as Mainland City Centre.
With this purchase, Karam now owns 758,000 square feet of property within Texas City limits.
Galveston County Texas Economic Development said Karam plans to uphold his title as the owner of the "largest World Gym" in America. He took that title in 2015 when he redeveloped what once was a Macy's at the center once known as the Mall of the Mainland. That World Gym was 45,000 square feet. The new gym will be more than double in size and will have additional features such as new equipment, a basketball court, a sauna, a physical therapy area, a group workout area and a smoothie shop.
The new World Gym is scheduled to open in January.
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