Chicago rock climbing, yoga fitness center planning to enter the Johnson County market

A Chicago-based fitness center focusing on rock climbing plans to open in Leawood.

First Ascent Climbing & Fitness wants to demolish some spaces on the north side of Town Center Plaza — east of Bravo Cucina Italiana — and put up a new 25,000-square-foot building, with one section soaring to 65 feet.

It has five locations in the Chicago area, offering rock climbing, yoga classes and fitness equipment. It is starting the approval process and there will be a public Zoom meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 12, and a public hearing before the Leawood Planning Commission on Aug. 25.

Partner and attorney Jon Shepard got into climbing 15 years ago, right before law school. After relocating to Chicago he couldn’t find a dedicated climbing gym, just fitness centers that had a climbing wall.

So he founded First Ascent with three partners in 2015.

“When was the last time your fitness gym truly inspired you?” Shepard said. “What makes this different is you have a ton of fun. Doesn’t really feel like you are exercising.”

The facilities have color-coded climbs based on difficulty and new routes are created on a weekly basis.

“If you feel comfortable climbing a ladder you can do our climb,” he said. “But the climbing route is both physically and mentally challenging. Not just foot over foot, hand over hand.”

It will have 15 employees.

A day pass will be $23 and a monthly membership is $79, and each includes access to yoga classes and the fitness facilities.

Town Center Plaza officials declined to comment.

As for Bravo, it has been closed since the shelter-in-place order. The parent company filed for bankruptcy and new owners have taken over. A company spokeswoman said Bravo is working with the landlord and is “excited to reopen in the future.”