GP81, a climbing gym on 81 Quay Street, announced in an Instagram video that the gym would be closing within the next couple of months.
“You may have heard that our landlord has plans to develop this property, which means that our building is going to be demolished, and unfortunately, we have received our final notice, and we are only going to be able to operate until June 18,” said Cliff Simanski, one of the owners.
Fellow owner Julian Acevedo shares that the team has been looking for a new space for the gym.
GP81 first opened in 2017 and made headlines with its adults-only, tight-knit community atmosphere — an article from 2020 details the gym’s decision to ban birthday parties and introductory classes (though, according to GP81’s website, they now offer a bouldering intro class).
“GP81 strays from other similar facilities in the city by focusing on steep angles and bad holds, the kinds of climbs that get you strong for the outdoors,” wrote Kai Burkhardt.
It appears that the lot that currently houses GP81, as well as surrounding lots, will be a mixed-use development. In 2021, New York Yimby reported that the project would be a nine-story building with up to 61 market-rate homes and 25 affordable units.