Pandemic, focused strategies, meant the end for Virtua's Rohrer fitness center in Voorhees.

Just before the COVID pandemic reached the area, Virtua's William G. Rohrer fitness center in Voorhees was celebrating its best year ever.

Membership had reached 4,600 at the center at Evesham and Cooper roads that opened in 2000.

Coming out of the pandemic, membership had fallen by half, to between 2,200 and 2,300, April Schetler, Virtua's assistant vice president for community health engagement, told 70and73.com.

"We never really bounced back," Schetler said.

The membership plunge, and a strategic decision to focus even more on health care, were behind Virtua's decision in late July to permanently shut down the large fitness center, which has three swimming pools.

Members were informed on August 11 that the center would lock its doors on November 30.

Many of the Rohrer members have already moved to other clubs, Schetler said. She said Virtua wanted to provide nearly four months' notice so members who have worked out together for years would be able to organize and move to another center as a group.

About 90 people work at the center, from those who teach only one class to those employed full time, Schetler said. Some of the fitness center workers may find work at Virtua's other locations.

"We're doing our best to open doors for those folks who are being impacted," Schetler explained.

The fitness center occupies about half of the Evesham Road building. Medical and surgical services will be expanded into the space once it is cleared after November.

"Our core business is health care," Schetler said.

Part of the strategy is to make sure that everyone has access to quality care, no matter what ZIP code they live in, she said.

Late last month, the Camden Planning Board approved demolition of an empty and decrepit office building and new construction at 1800 Davis St., next to the Ferry Avenue PATCO station in Camden.

Virtua Health is working on the project with Camden-based The Michaels Organization to provide health care to the community on the first floor of the new building. Forty-seven affordable apartments for seniors will be on the second and third floors.

Nicholas J. Cangelosi, vice president of Michaels, said the Virtua health office will have 14 examination rooms providing primary and specialty care.