BOALSBURG — For six years, Climb Nittany has served as more than an indoor climbing gym for Centre County residents. It became a gathering place for athletes, families, Penn State students and older adults looking for community, movement and belonging.
Now, the gym’s future is uncertain.
Climb Nittany, located at 328 Discovery Drive in Boalsburg, will permanently close May 31, according to CEO Mardi Roberts of 5.Life.
Roberts said the closure ultimately came down to occupancy costs that the business could no longer sustain.
“A lot of it stems even from before we’d opened,” Roberts said, explaining the gym was under construction when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.
According to Roberts, pandemic-related construction delays and rising costs pushed the project roughly $1 million over budget. The gym then opened during COVID-era restrictions, creating additional financial strain from the beginning.
“Our rent rate is tied to the construction and development of the building,” Roberts said. “From the very beginning, the rent has really been way oversized for what this market could really produce in terms of revenue and performance.”
Roberts said the company spent years attempting to make the business sustainable through marketing efforts, expense reductions and negotiations with the landlord. Over the past 18 months, she said the organization explored potential buyers, investment groups and other solutions to keep the gym operating.
“We tried very diligently to negotiate with the landlord,” Roberts said. “We tried to put an investment group together and weren’t able to raise enough capital to actually bring that price down into a level that the gym could sustain.”
Despite the closure announcement, Roberts said community support has been overwhelming.
“The outpouring has just been so heartwarming and really beautiful to see,” she said. “I just love this community.”
Roberts said community members have already begun discussing possible ways to preserve the facility through local investment or a future buyer.
The gym developed a wide range of programs during its time in Centre County, including youth climbing programs, competitive athletes and community-focused initiatives.
Roberts pointed specifically to the gym’s “Classic Rockers” program for older adults, which became one of Climb Nittany’s most beloved offerings.
“It’s been really wonderful to see them integrating into the community,” Roberts said.
The gym also became home to elite youth climbers. Roberts said one team athlete, Hazel Pollock, recently qualified for the Youth National Championship in Salt Lake City.
Penn State students also became part of the gym’s culture. While the university has its own climbing wall, Roberts said members of the Penn State climbing club regularly trained at Climb Nittany.
The gym even became part of Penn State classroom discussions. Roberts said a Penn State business professor recently used Climb Nittany’s financial and real estate challenges as part of a real-world case study for students.
“It was really amazing to see the students and what they brought to the table,” Roberts said. “They had a real life problem.”
Beyond climbing, Roberts said the facility worked to create an inclusive atmosphere where people felt welcomed.
“We have such a spectrum of people from the community that find this such a welcoming space and a sense of belonging,” she said.
As the May 31 closure date approaches, Roberts said she hopes the community remembers the impact the gym had over the past six years.
“This place matters and mattered to a lot of people,” Roberts said. “Even if it doesn’t continue to exist, it brought a lot of love and joy and happiness into the community for the six years that it was open.”
