On September 30, 2026 it will close forever without your help. It's up to us to find another way.
7,830 people have signed the petition·updated 25 September
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Write a real comment! The "reason for signing" box is public, and it's the first thing a reporter reads. Share how long you've climbed here, what it costs you to lose it, or a story about how it has impacted your life.
Sign the petitionRelated is planning to replace the MPHC climbing gym with an expensive "tennis simulator" not available to members, while at the same time raising monthly fees by $40. We are calling for a boycott of the Manhattan Plaza Health Club and the Racquet Club to protest these changes.
A pledge, not a cancellation. Nothing happens automatically, and you can withdraw your name any time.
Sign the boycott pledgeStart with Jason Bachonski, the general manager of Manhattan Plaza — he's the person closest to this decision. Then the elected officials below. One paragraph in your own words beats a form letter, and staff count constituents.
Please cc savemphc@gmail.com so we can see what's gone out and follow up on replies.
Preserving MPHC is a win for all climbers from all backgrounds.
Send this to someone who cheered you on the wall. Or someone who is passionate about community and accessibility. Or someone who overcame a challenge with you. Or someone who believed in you.
Copy the postOutside MPHC · 482 West 43rd Street · RAIN OR SHINE!!!
We are rallying to demand that the building management, Related Companies, respect the voices of the residents and members who make Manhattan Plaza the inclusive community that it is. From replacing the city's oldest climbing gym with a luxury tennis simulator to increasing membership fees and neglecting long-overdue facility repairs like the women's sauna, Related has shown that it prioritizes profits over people.
As a collective community, we demand that Related Companies and ARCH Management:
True power lies in the community!
Everything below is what we know, with the one thing we don't know marked as such.
We urge MPHC to stay true to its own stated mission.
MPHC's own About page states MPHC "has built its reputation on being an affordable place in the community where people from all walks of life can go to maintain their health & wellness."
The MPHC climbing gym is a vital service to the community. It not only supports climbers from all walks of life, but also hosts two high school programs and a summer camp for the youth living in Manhattan Plaza.
Two options.
If the wall doesn't earn enough, the price hasn't been revisited in years. And if MPHC can't run it, someone else can: the wall, the anchors, the holds and the members are already here, and New York has several climbing gym companies. Leasing the space to one of them means Related collects rent instead of running a gym, and the wall stays.
Push the date to December 31 so a handover can actually be explored. This costs almost nothing to grant.
Start at the top. Jason Bachonski runs Manhattan Plaza for Related, the owner. Scott Salmon runs MPHC itself. Between them they are closest to this decision and best placed to answer why. The four elected officials below all represent Hell's Kitchen; they are how we make sure the question gets answered. Keep it short: say where you live, why this gym matters to you, and urge for the climbing gym to remain open or at least a delay in favor of finding another solution.
Cc savemphc@gmail.com on whatever you send so we can keep track.
Please be civil.