This Building Wants To Help You Lose Weight

The Melody in the Bronx.

The media might be making you fat (not that there is anything wrong with that), but the Times reports that a new apartment building in the Bronx is aiming to do the opposite by helping its low-income residents lose weight with an airy gym, jazzy stairs and passive-aggressive signage.

The eight-story, 63-unit, co-op called The Melody was built with keeping active in mind. So not only does it include a gym inside and exercise equipment outside, it also boasts a well-lit, decorated stairwell with light jazz coming over the speakers. And outside of that staircase is a sign that reads: “A person’s health can be judged by which they take two of at a time, pills or stairs.”

The $18 million building is meant for families with incomes of $90,000 or less and was built by the Blue Sea Development Company with Habitat for Humanity. Much of the funding for the co-op was provided by the city, state and the borough of the Bronx. Prices in the building run from $104,435 for one-bedroom apartments to $219,997 for three-bedrooms—and it actually looks pretty nice in the brochure [PDF]. It will be ready for occupancy later this summer and 40 percent of the units have already had contracts signed.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in Food on June 2, 2011 1:25 PM

Comments [rss]

supercoup

Maybe if more appartment blocks had gyms the sale of weight loss pills in America would drop.

Bruce Goldensteinberg

Residents of the Bronx are fat and obese (highest obesity rate in NYC) because they eat pork rinds, fried chicken (kennedy's fried chicken) and other unhealthy grub. They also (the women) pop out way too many kids to get more welfare $$. Finally, in the hispanic/afr0-american community, the men like women who are fat and heavy. I resent having my tax money wasted like this.

Joel Ceballos

a) You're generalizing, not every Hispanic man 'likes fat women,' b) Education is the key here rather then indifference, neglect, and carelessness. c) You're a douche bag :D

davee44

Blame the Food and Drug administration who have poisoned the food supply with chemicals that cause diabetes and obesity. This is why people cannot lose weight and it was proven by a European filmmaker SEE HERE http://spirithappy.wordpress.c...

Peanut_Butter

“A person’s health can be judged by which they take two of at a
time, pills or stairs.”

What an awkward sentence. The builders should have hired an editor.

Peanut_Butter

Is there a corned beef sandwich? I'll take 2 of those.

Peanut_Butter

"...a new apartment building in the Bronx is aiming ton do the opposite..."

Freudian slip?

Samantha_Ga

Less than $90,000?? Sweet! I'm in!

Edit:
The PDF says
" Earn between 50% - 80% of the city’s area median income ($38,400 to $61,450 for a family of
four)
"