Renovated Building Newest Addition to Martin City

New Beautified Building Houses Crossfit Gym

By Kathy Feist

Parts of the building’s facade has been fitted with metal paneling that will rust over time. In fact, it’s rusting now. Eventually its natural patina will be black.

The rest of the building’s siding has been painted a dark gray.

“It’s designed to honor Martin City’s identity with the train,” explains Nilson M. Goes who along with partner Mark O’Donnell have turned the building located at 201 W. 135 St. into the Martin City Crossfit Gym. (See accompanying story.)  

Goes is also Chief Operating Officer of Infinite Energy Construction, 13625 Oak St., his family’s business that supplies electrical contracting to the military.

In 2012, IEC sunk $1 million into rehabilitating a vacant metal building into a stunning corporate headquarters.

“We love Martin City,” Goes says of his family. “We want to help make Martin City a destination.”

The Martin City CrossFit facility was initially a gymnastics studio before it became an office for an engineering firm. It also housed digestive health firm Body Basics. The front facade was known to most passers by for having a blue ceramic tile mosaic surrounding the front entrance of the faded gray metal building. The tiles are still there, hidden under the metal panels.

Inside, the gym is surrounded by grey metal walls and black mat flooring, creating a modern,  industrial look. Open garage doors on both sides of the building create a refreshing cross breeze. In the middle of the gym is an open pit with colorful padded flooring and walls where children play while their parents work out.

Photo Caption if used: Members of IEC, the City Council, and the South Kansas City Chamber of Commerce participated in the ribbon cutting at Martin City CrossFit on May 12.

There are weights,  a line of bicycle equipment and televisions but other than that a spacious set up.

Near the entrance is a members’ lounge that will eventually serve Martin City Brewery beer. Above is a second floor with newly remodeled rooms. Goes hopes to fill the offices with businesses that complement CrossFit.  

The designer of the building is 34-year-old Richard Hu of HJM Architects located in Waldo.

The opening of the building was celebrated with a ribbon cutting on May 12 and a grand opening the following day.