Mayor Sarno tours BuildEmUp Fitness in Springfield after ARPA funds help build business

Ashley Shook and Melissa Torres

56 mins ago

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A local women-owned gym and fitness center was awarded $40,000 through the American Rescue Plan Act to go toward improvements.

Owner of BuildEmUp Fitness Emily Banerjee gave Mayor Domenic Sarno and local leaders a tour of the location on Monday after transforming space on the 9th floor of One Financial Plaza at 1350 Main Street.

The gym offers group fitness classes, personal trainers, a recovery spa with a cold plunge, normatec air compression therapy, an infrared sauna, and more. Amenities include locker rooms, showers, towel service, meals and supplements.

Emily Banerjee told 22News that their unique model allows them to cater to everyone in the community, “we know everyone’s name, what they do for a living, their dog…people bring their children, their mothers, whomever, everybody is welcome here and I think that says a lot.”

Mayor Sarno states, “CDO Tim Sheehan and I are proud to continue to highlight the diverse reach our local ARPA funding has provided in our community.  Emily Banerjee and her team at Build Em Up Fitness offer transformative services for their clients to help achieve their health and fitness outcomes and now have been able to transform the fitness center space with improvements funded by our ARPA new business program.  I am looking forward to seeing the space which is located right here downtown at On Financial Plaza on the 9^th floor – I have heard there is a great view of the city up there and I am excited to meet with Emily and see it.”

The thirteenth round of ARPA funding announced on July 19, 2023 was awarded to 17 small businesses, 36 new businesses, and 5 nonprofits totaling $2.16 million. Funding for new businesses was a total of $942,656, $725,800 was awarded to small businesses, and $492,041 was designated to nonprofits,

Also included in this ARPA update was direct cash assistance for Springfield households. To date, over 5,000 applications have been approved with a total of over $7 million awarded to Springfield residents/households. 

Those new and small businesses and nonprofits that were awarded are:

Small businesses

• Allston Supply: $75,000
• Baked Beauty Bar: $35,000
• CMJ Paving & Landscaping: $75,000
• Dino’s Auto Repair: $15,000
• Ethics LLC: $25,000
• Grez Automotive: $10,000
• LaFritura Restaurant: $50,000
• Maggie’s Pizzeria: $15,000
• Nolan Wells, Inc.: $20,000
• P2B Springfield, LLC: $40,000
• SnapChef: $100,000
• Youth on the Move: $110,000
• Arrow Medical Transportation: $85,000
• Hanna’s Diner & Deli Shoppe: $30,000
• Martie’s Floating Event Planning, LLC: $20,000
• Weemans Custom Vinyl: $20,800

New businesses

• A.P.E. Wellness, LLC: $25,000
• Afghan Hala Market of Western Mass: $15,000
• Blyther’s Transportation and Delivery Service, LLC: $30,000
• Bori Chino: $20,000
• Break Time Springfield: $15,000
• Bridge2Homecare, LLC: $40,000
• BuildEmUp Fitness: $40,000
• Cana Café Bar and Restaurant:$20,000
• Car Connect Auto Sales: $20,000
• CCR Freight Logistics, LLC: $40,000
• Coalition of Experienced Black Educators: $40,000
• D’s Dishes: $20,000
• Ebesnezer Daycare: $20,000
• First Generation Wealth Builders Association: $40,000
• Fly-Ty, LLC: $15,000
• Frederick William Music: $20,000
• Higher Expectations: $30,000
• Kwik Fix Automotive: $20,000
• L & M Hospitality Group d/b/a All American Sports Bar Grill and Patio: $40,000
• L’Amour Restaurant: $35,000
• Latino Marketing Agency: $40,000
• Marlee’s Bar and Grill: $20,000
• Napoli Pizzeria and Restaurant: $20,000
• Natural Living Landscapes: $17,656
• Osteria by Berman’s Food: $20,000
• PH 650, LLC: $30,000
• Redd’s Flowers and More d/b/a Knots, LLC: $20,000
• Renown Comfort Homecare: $15,000
• Replenish Biofuels: $20,000
• Rose Entertainment: $15,000
• Springfield 413 Elite: $40,000
• The Artist Café: $40,000
• The Movement Lab: $40,000
• The Urban Food Brood: $25,000
• Uni Vib3s Wellness Space: $15,000
• Zo Lit Lifestyle: $20,000

Nonprofits

• Macedonia Church: $225,000
• The New Life Center for Recovery: $100,000
• Regreen Springfield: $50,000
• Progressive Community Baptist Church $99,000
• Third Baptist Church: $18,041

Three Springfield-based higher education institutions were awarded $750,000 of ARPA funding for long-term economic, educational, and cultural benefits that are associated with higher education, for Springfield residents.

• American International College
• Springfield College
• Western New England University