Powerhouse Gym closes, court says property owners owed $27,000

Powerhouse Gym closes, court says property owners owed $27,000The owner of the Powerhouse Gym in Standish, which has been closed since the afternoon of Oct. 2, has not made a rental payment to the property’s landlords since Dec. 30, 2012.

Landlord-tenant case files in 81st District Court in Standish show that Ladd White and Kevin Noffsinger, the owners of the building Powerhouse Gym operated out of, are owed $27,000 in rent, according to an Aug. 8 district court order. Their lease agreement with Powerhouse owner Glen Bailey, which was included in the case file, showed that Bailey’s lease was set to run from Nov. 1, 2012, through Sept. 30, 2013.

Rent was only paid through Dec. 30, 2012, according to the court report.

A response from Bailey dated Aug. 15 said any overdue rent was due to a miscommunication between the landlords and tenant.

“It is my contention, that any past rent that is owed, is due to a prearranged verbal agreement, between Ladd White, Kevin Noffsinger, and myself, made in February of 2012, pending a purchase agreement. All other financial obligations that were to Mr. Noffsinger and Mr. White, have been met,” the letter said.

A posting on the gym’s Facebook page also alleged there was a lack of communication from White and Noffsinger, and said memberships would be frozen and that the gym would reopen.

“Members, we apologize for any inconvenience suffered for the gym being closed. At this point, we anticipate a short closing of approximately 30 days before reopening at a new location. Because of the political nature of this closing, and the lack of communication from the previous owners, the new location will not be disclosed until the lease is signed. All memberships have been frozen, and the time we are closed will be added to the end of everyone’s membership. Thank you for your patience, during this difficult time,” the posting reads.

According to White, the issue is that Bailey simply did not pay rent.

“From Kevin and my standpoint, it was just a guy who didn’t pay his rent,” he said. “We had an account opened for him to wire money into, and he never did it.”

Arenac County Undersheriff Don McIntyre said presently, employees of Powerhouse Gym and Bailey are not being allowed in the building.

“His employees were trying to remove equipment from there and our deputy did not allow them to remove equipment,” he said.

“It’s back in the possession of Ladd White at this time,” McIntyre added.

White added that he contacted Sheriff James Mosciski, who told him the building could be secured, since the lease was up Sept. 30.

“He did not have any right to take equipment out of there,” White said. “He prearranged with some employees, who had no clue what was going on, to remove some equipment.”

White said he is not as worried about the future of the building as to what may happen to some of the gym’s members.

“I’m more concerned with all those contracts people signed,” he said. “Who knows what’s going on with all of those.”

However, there are plans to reopen the gym, White added.

“Right now we have somebody that’s interested in purchasing it and reopening it as a gym,” he said. “It sounds like they’re willing to work with all the gym members as best as they can.”

The Independent has attempted to contact Glen Bailey, but has received no response.