As a memeber of Equinox and residence of Marina del Rey (Del Rey neighborhood), I welcome the addition or should I say renovation. I use to be a member of the LA Fitness, and that place is just old and dingy. The upgrade to Equinox standards will definately be welcomed. But looks like Pizza Antica [:( - sad] and Souplantation [:) - good) is going to be displaced from the rendering. Still parking circulation will still be atrocious, tight access aisle and tight spaces - thank goodness I will be able to walk!

I LOVE this plan, great place to put a Great gym and an even better place to teach Group Fitness classes! I am in heaven.

my Question in all of this, is where is Souplantation, and Antica Pizza going to go, because I use to go to that souplantation there so where is that going to go, and is Souplantation, and Antica pizza going to be included in the NEW plans for this Development I wonder, I am for this project, because that place dose need abit of a face lift.....

I just thought of this is Souplantation there in the villa marina market place, and Antica Pizza still going to have a home there too in the redevelopment GEE I hope so ID hate to see IT go because I use to go to that Souplantation alot, and replacing it with a GYM dose sound great, and all but IM concern will souplantation, and Antica Pizza both still have a home there too as well??

MY thought now on the villa marina market place redevelopment project where it would replace souplantation, and Antica Pizza, IM not even sure now if IM for it, or againist it now, because I would hate to see Souplantation, be taken away from that shopping center, because I use to go to that souplantation resturant there above Gelsons, I mean the artist rendering of the new development dose look very nice, I half to give the artist credit on that, but I just wanna know If souplantation, and those other resturants there are still going to have a HOME there at the new villa marina market place, and are those resturants going to put back when its all said, and done??

I'm excited about the change though like others I hope Antica sticks around. But they MUST improve parking here. The spaces are really, really tight!

Yeh I do agree that parking there needs to be inproved, but IM not sure what you mean by inproving it, I mean yeh the spaces are kinda tight to get into, especialy if you have a big Car, and I dont think that you can add another parking Garage there, because there is no room, and yes I hope too that Antica pizza there dose stick around, and I do wanna ask is SOUPLANTATION still going to have a home in the new complex is my big big Question please let me know, thankyou.....

Nice to know the "high income consumers" will have a place to consume...

I asked the Souplantation manager and they are closing this Wed the 15th, with no plans to re-open in the marina. They're sending promo ads to folks in the marina for their location at the Howard Hughes center, but its got very difficult and stupid parking, so I don't know if I'd go there. I don't understand, with all the new residents in the neighborhood (and 250 more coming right across the street) why the property owner can't/won't find some place to put a Souplantation, perhaps upstairs where Tower Records used to be. It is a real shame, I've been a regular customer since the day they opened.

I agree on that, why dont they just open up the gym some where else, like what about where the movie threater is on the other side, and I say leave the souplantation where it is, Its fine where it is I think that is a good spot for it, so I would say, or what i might suggest is the developers, and the designers, need to go back to the drawing broads, and find some place else in that complex to put the Gym, and please please please leave the Souplantation where it is, I mean yes that place dose need a bit of a face lift I agree, but com'on lets not go overbroad here folks again SOUPLANTATION is just fine where it is period, its a good spot for it, because you can see it from Lincoln blvd, and again its a good spot for it period....

MY thought is why not then put the souplantation over in the new development they're building across from there, because I read too that someone thought why not put it in where Tower records use to take up residence, to me that would be kind of too small for that size of a resturant such as Souplantation, but again my thought is too why not just keep it where it is now, because as I said again, the developers of this new place need to go back seriously to the drawing broads, and re, think there plans, why I Mean why displace a good resturant that gets good bussiness, and serves good food, so again I think that these developers need to go back to there drawing broads, and again re, think there plans, because I think there going overbroad with all this, and having to displace such a good place to EAT??

John Printy is clearly obsessed with Souplantation. As a member of the LA Fitness in this location, I have always felt like they needed to relocate that Souplantation, because it smells DISGUSTING. I understand people liking the soup there, but when you're working out, and the first thing you can SMELL when you exit the gym is the weird smells of these restaurants right next to the gym...well, its disgusting.

The fact of the matter is, is to replace the current LA Fitness with an upscale gym like Equinox, not only do they need to completely re-do the space LA Fitness occupied, but they need MORE space to make sure the facility meets their higher standards.

I really can't believe people on here are fixating on the fact that Souplantation is moving. Seriously?? That is what people consider to be a good meal?? Grab a can of soup at the grocery store.

@Melissa - FYI, the Souplantation was there first. When the building first opened, the space where LA Fitness is was designed as a food court with a "Steak & Fry" the first tenant. I'm not sure why you don't enjoy the smell of fresh produce, soups and breads, but its certainly quite a few steps above a can of soup. I understand progress, but it would be nice to see them re-locate nearby, as I suggested, across the street above DSW. And yes, a lot of people consider fresh vegetables and soups to be a good meal. As a fitness person, I'm surprised you don't agree. Not to mention a reasonable price in these austere days.

I heard trader joes is coming. True?

ILL half to disagree with you on that, I think it was a good plan from the start to have a resturant like that next to LA, Fittness, I mean who would not want, a Souplantation next to a GYM, I mean you could go to the GYM first, and work up an appitite, and go strait from there to souplantation, because when I use to go to that souplantation, I a,sure you that I use to see alot of people come in that just came from that GYM, and you could tell, they worked up an appitite when you would see them coming into souplantation, and its not that IM clearly OBsessed with the souplantation itself, its just that I was shocked, and surprised to read on the marina del rey patch that a new GYM was coming to the villa marina market place, and I didnt think it was going to be going into where souplantation, is, so personaly I think souplantation needs to stay where it is, and the new GYM be put in another location, in that building, what about where the movie threater is on the other side of the building??

Actually, as I said, the plan from the start was a food court - LA Fitness was an afterthought, and I thoughts a good one. I used to work out there and go to the Souplantation myself. I always wondered how Ruby's Diner could exist selling burgers & fries on the other side of the gym, with the Souplantation there.

The demographic is changing my esteemed co-commentators! That part of the Marina is a younger more affluent place than it was 5 years ago and replacing a mediocre restaurant with a high-end gym is a reflection of said reality. I concur with those who suggested that a FINE soup and salad (without the high calorie desserts) can be had at Gelsons. For those who aren't counting (myself included) Antica is still open as of 7/6/11, serving their SUPERB Lasagna Bolognese. Whether it will continue to be there upon the conclusion of the Villa Marina Marketplace face-lift I have yet to find out, but I can tell you this: Change is inevitable so we either embrace it or we live a bitter life commenting on websites and ignoring their automatic spell checks.

One last suggestion . . .JOIN THE GYM or go bike along the bike path! You'll feel better.

This still dose not make any sense to me what so ever, I understand, that this place dose need some rentovation yes I agree with that, But why not, Put the new GYM, in where the LA, fittness sitts now, and keep the souplantation where it is, then why not fix up the souplantation instead of taking it out of there, and replacing it with a GYM that dose now make any sense at all, taking souplantation, out of there would be like throwing the baby out with the Bath water, in a sense, and personaly I think that is a good spot for souplantation, it has a good view, of Maxcella, and Lincolin blvd, so really I think that they need to find another spot in that complex to put the new GYM...

Soup Plantation's loss will be felt, but the LA Fitness was in disrepair and won't be missed. On balance, a new Equinox Fitness Club should be a real plus for Marina and Playa residents and it may also give the Marina Marketplace a much needed shot in the arm. That would be good for Antica Pizzeria, Gelson's and the Cinema. A rising tide lifts all boats.

Yes I do agree with you on that IM sure it will be a loss for the marina market place now that souplantation is no longer there now, because I use to go to that souplantation, alot, and I think that was a good spot for it too, next to LA fitness, so I just cant understand for the life of me, why dosent souplantation find another spot, in the Marina market place, to put, It, IM sure there are other places there to relocate the place, instead of taking it out of there all together....?

@Marcos Cline - yes, the salad & soup at Gelson's is fine, and at least twice the price and half the choices of the Souplantation. Not everyone in the Marina is on an unlimited budget, there are plenty of families and LMU students who appreciate fresh at a reasonable price. All I'm suggesting is that they move it across the street.

I say yeh why not relocate it across the street it would be a good place for it, why not put it where the Tower records use to take up residence, or better yet tear down the old tower records building, and build the new souplantation in that spot, I think thats a very good Idea, because I think that would make a very good spot for it too....so yeh why not......?

This is great news! Can't stand L.A. Fitness and have been counting down the days that provided an alternate choice in gyms. Great space for it, too.

For fitness, I have to agree with AM - Equinox will be a major upgrade from an LA Fitness branch that was really a disgrace. But I will also miss Soup Plantation and Pizzeria Antica and I hope MDR will be geting some reasonably priced replacements.

what are you sayin souplantation was a some what of a reasonbley priced place to go, and Enjoy, a nice Meal with the family, when i use to go to that souplantation in that area, trust me I saw many familys come in there to EAT, so why replace, something that is already, reasonble in price, and not to mention, you get a different aray of salads, and soups, and desserts, I think taking souplantation out of the villa marina market place would be like throwing the Baby out with the Bath water, It just makes no sense taking out a good resturant, that familys enjoy going to, , and no plans to open another one there makes no sense to me at all,??

John, you keep saying that you went to Souplanatation a lot. If you did go a lot, how did you not know that they were closing on June 15. There were signs up for at least a month and a half. I loved Souplantation, but the Marina does need a nice gym. I am a member of LA Fitness and I like it, but Equinox is needed. A nice area like MDR needs a nice gym. So while I am sad to see Souplantation go, I am glad that a high end gym is on it's way. Souplantation in Howard Hughes is not that far away.

NO this was when I use to live on the westside of LA, is what I meant, I use to go to that souplantation alot, way before this new GYM was even thought of, but now I no longer live in LA, now IM now a resident of Mission viejo now, so I now go to the souplantation in foothill ranch which is in OC, and half an hour away from where IM living now, so thats all what I meant was that I use to go to that souplantation when I was a resident of LA, which I am no longer, IM a resident now of OC, so IM very sorry for the confusion, and yes your right its going to be sad to not have souplantation there, but hey who knows the Gym might be a good replacement, and again who know they might deside to open another souplantation across the street from there who knows we'll see........

Love it!!! Can't wait for the re-development to be completed. Souplantation was an eyesore, and pizza Antiqua had seen better days...Can't wait to see the finished project, I can walk there. My new gym, YAY!!!!!

Yeh IM sure you cant wait for the new redevelopment, but how can you say that Souplantation there in the villa marina market was an eyesore, I didnt think it was, because ILL surely you have know that when I use to live in LA, I use to go to that souplantation there, and I didnt think that it was an eyesore, at all, and yes I mean that pizza place there next to it was seeing better days of course, but com'on souplantation, I guess its obvious that you didnt eat there very much, so what makes you say that souplantation there was an eyesore, just give me some kind of reason that makes you think that it was an eyesore, and yes IM glad too that the villa marina market place is getting a facelift, in that including a new GYM, IM glad that you are exsited about that, but again give me some sort of reason why souplantation was an eyesore,??

This area is way past due for renovation. More upscale stores and restaurants are greatly needed. This area gas been an eye sore for far too long. I'm thrilled to see equinox coming to this location. I'm currently a member of Sports club la and have been interested in switching over to Equinox. I will most certainly become a member at equinox as it's so close to my residence in Playa Vista. Finally the type of club that I prefer in my neighborhood! Thank you. Gigi

Yay, its about time. Soup plant is disgusting. They need to throw out nasty gelsons as well and put in a whole foods! Hello people, organic food and gym!

I wouldn't count on a Whole Foods coming in any time soon, not with one up at Rose Ave and another down in El Segundo, but there's been talk of a Trader Joe's which would be nice (not necessarily here, but somewhere in the marina). I can't take anyone seriously though, who thinks Gelson's is "nasty". Way too expensive yes, but nasty, no.

This is wonderful, I am an Equinox member and can't wait! I'm hoping that the parking is not a nightmare, because the structure and the spaces are not well designed. Maybe an attendant during the opening might be helpful, or maybe there will be ample parking offered across the street. In any event, I can't wait! Hope this location will have upgraded, state of the art machines too!

I used to work at Koo Koo Roos back in 2001 and at Vons in 2002 when I was in high school and starting college. The Villa Marina Marketplace holds a special place in my heart to this day. I used to do my homework at Barnes and Noble, eat at Souplantation. I think an upgrade for the shopping center would be great because with Fox Hills, the Santa Monica malls getting upgraded and also with The Bridge even getting remodeled, its time for the Marina to rise again. But I hope the developers dont forget about the middle class people like me who love the marina.