Gleason’s Gym
Like all lockers, this one is yours as long as your lock is on it.
Street Address: 77 Front St, 2nd floor
Hours: M–F 5a–10p; Sa-Su 8a–6p
Website: www.gleasonsgym.net
Getting there: F train to York St
Once you arrive at the gym: tell the receptionist that you have the Key to the City. You may want to ask for a tour of the gym while you’re there.
Your key will unlock: the Key to the City locker in the corner of the room opposite the entrance of the gym.
Hate to say it but this was a bust. Went to Gleason’s after the opening ceremony and was very coldly “locked out” by a nasty older woman receptionist.
I explained why I was there and asked to open the locker as instructed, and was told it belonged to someone and I had no business touching it and, as she said, “if it were my locker and I saw you opening i would have to kick your ass.”
I tried several times to explain that Gleason’s was advertised as participating in this project, showed her the booklet, and tried not to lose it, and was met with complete rudeness. She wouldn’t listen to a word. Worse, I had a guest with me whom
I’d hoped to surprise with a gym tour and the Key concept.
In retrospect, I wish I’d fought harder and not left without completing the mission but the receptionist was literally waving us away and forcefully telling us to get out.
What a disappointment. Maybe this location should be better informed. I told her to expect others with the same request. Such an awesome historic place but you really do have to fight to be there.
Very sorry this was a disappointment! Our partner venues have been wonderful at spreading word of the project to their staff, but in the first few days there may be some who will not be aware of why you’re there. Thanks for your understanding, and please don’t let the experience discourage you from visiting other sites. Most staff members at the sites will be glad to engage with the project.
So we got our keys yesterday and stopped by this gym on our way home… the woman let us in (she was really nice about it, actually- sounds like she just wasn’t informed when gymrats visited).
But I will say that it was pretty anti-climactic. The other spots we’ve visited (Bryant Park, Whitney, Me, Trinity) all felt a little special, like we were opening something for a purpose. But as far as we could tell, all we did was open a locker that was filled with someone else’s sweaty stuff. Kind of odd… and we weren’t sure what to do, so we just closed it back up right away and left.
I’m glad we went because we’d like to try to hit them all, but as my boyfriend said, if we’d gone way out of our way to get there, he would have been pretty disappointed with the find.
haha… sorry gym rats… its a gym.. boxing gym.. hell yea fight hard. haha.. i havent been a part of the project unofrtunately… not from the area… just stumbling around reading on the net and thought this to be an incredibly engaging project at such a grand scale.. for better or worse.
The owner, Bruce, was there the day I went and he gladly showed us around. I loved this site because I have never been to a boxing gym. In fact, I’ve never stepped foot on a boxing ring. So that was fun. The locker was already opened so having a key was really not a perk. In fact, our experience has been somewhat similar at every site thusfar. Either the lock is gone (GWB) or already unlocked, or it doesn’t actually open anything for you. And at the Met, the “key” was only given to the first 20 participants each day. Nonetheless, I’ve enjoyed the adventure and plan to visit all 25 sites.
The receptionist was very nice to me. I really liked Gleason’s and all it’s down and dirty, equipment duct taped together, hot as heck, this is a Brooklyn boxing gym specialness.
hope to make it back! cute neighborhood i’ve never visited before, just was closed today for the holiday – doh!
This one is kinda neat. I think the idea is for you to take out the equipment and use it, but I’m not sure. It felt like being in the gym in the movie, Rocky — gritty, hot & sweaty! But cool!
The lock wouldn’t open, but it was great going to the gym. Will it be fixed???
Visited this location after jury duty and it significantly cheered me up. This lock is very hard to open, but one of the gum members (a big strong guy) helped me out.
The receptionist is very sweet.
candleashes.wordpress.com
I thought this was a hit. For those who had trouble opening the locker, you need to take the lock off and lift the handle/
the receptionist was very nice. she told me where the locker was and even told me that i could look around. when i got to the locker there was man sitting in front of the locker. i kindly said excuse me and he moved to the corner, giving me very little room to check out what was in the locker. i opened it and ran out since i felt that i was not welcomed in the gym while others were busy training.
i LOVED this one. very cool experience.
Eat at Rice if you go!
http://key2thecitykey2myheart.blogspot.com/2010/08/thirteenth-date.html
Probably my favorite site in Brooklyn. Certainly not a place I would have ventured (or even found) were it not for this project. A very large gentlemen was sleeping in front of the locker and I was hesitant to wake him. Some one else needed him for something and he turned out to be very very nice. Even took my picture for me, posing with a glove on. The receptionist was also wonderful. No problem opening the locker.