In a place where aircraft once waited for war, Peloton bikes and barbells now sit in their place. Nestled in Highland Park, The Hangar, an aircraft hangar-turned-gym, takes exercise to new heights.
When Chattanooga native and architect Heidi Hefferlin decided to purchase the aircraft hangar in 2017, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. But after a late-night conversation with her business partner, Matt Killebrew, they began to envision what the old aircraft hangar would look like as a gym. They named it The Hangar for its unique history.
Hefferlin wanted to ensure that the hangar, as a place that has called Chattanooga home for over 70 years, would be protected and shared with others. “We’re using something that exists, so I care about that,” she says. “I like to save things in the city.”
The end of World War II left many abandoned military storage buildings known as Quonset huts — prefabricated structures made of corrugated steel and used during the war — scattered across the United States, four of which ended up in Chattanooga’s Highland Park. These semicircular huts were meant to be disassembled and shipped to wherever they were needed, which made it possible for the hut that now holds The Hangar to travel from Arizona to Tennessee in 1950.
Inside, The Hangar’s white walls arch over a large, open floor space lined with exercise equipment, giving members room to spread out and make the space their own during a workout. Despite the changes Hefferlin and Killebrew have made to the hut, they ensure that the building’s historical significance remains intact. As an architect, Hefferlin has worked on projects such as Warehouse Row and the Chattanooga Visitor’s Center. Bringing her artistic eye to The Hangar, she chose sustainable cooling and heating practices to reduce the building’s carbon footprint with industrial fans and insulated walls while also utilizing the original garage doors and large windows.
Located off of Highland Park Avenue, the now seven-year-old business has become a welcoming part of the Highland Park community. With its unique architectural design and rich history, The Hangar serves as a creative space for those looking to bulk up, get in shape or relax through exercise. As Killebrew says, “Who has a gym in an old Quonset hut? Nobody, right?”
Beyond The Hangar’s history, Hefferlin and Killebrew value the idea of a distraction-free gym. Upholding this idea, they are selective of their members, ensuring that they meet with everyone who requests to join before approving their membership. Additionally, The Hangar has security cameras to ensure that members are using the space in a responsible and friendly manner. “We don’t want people having to come here and feel uncomfortable for any reason,” Killebrew says. “There’s a myriad of reasons why people don’t go to the gym, and a lot of them [involve] discomfort with the communities at the gym, and it’s usually not the gym itself. It’s usually just a handful of individuals.”
Members of The Hangar may access the facilities any time of the day and participate in classes hosted by trainers each week. Hefferlin and Killebrew have full-time careers, so they knew that The Hangar would have to be run as a side project. Therefore, unlike most gyms, The Hangar is operated as a nonprofit, with monthly memberships at $75 per month. “We worked it out so that if we made any profit, we would just lower the rates on the members or buy equipment, which is really what we’ve done with it over the years now,” Killebrew says.
As the Highland Park area continues to grow, Hefferlin and Killebrew look forward to seeing what the future holds for The Hangar. In a neighborhood of history, they proudly welcome people into its semicircular space with the promise of comfort, freedom and community while honoring the past.
To learn more about The Hangar or to become a member, visit thehangar2107.com.