Urban Ninja Project faces eviction from North Limestone gym

Urban Ninja has a simple premise: for $5 a visit, students get gym time and instruction in a variety of physical disciplines.

Because of its no-frills premise and seven-day availability, the place has become popular with youths, who come to North Limestone near New Circle Road, for a workout that doesn’t break the bank.

Urban Ninja’s website said the business “believes in the physical capabilities of kids” and seeks “to provide opportunities for them to thrive and excel at obstacles we create for them.” It says it draws 200 visitors a week through its obstacle courses and classes. It also offers private parties.

But Urban Ninja has a problem: It’s being evicted from 1532 North Limestone, where it has been since September 2014.

The company had sub-leased its property on a five-year lease from Tiffany Folk’s XTreme Elements.

Clay Waller, who manages the buildings for Waller Properties, said he had worked with Folk to keep her in the property, but he never got the money order Folk said she sent for July’s rent.

In addition, Waller said, parking has been a problem, with neighbors unable to get to their properties because of the gym’s popularity.

“We’ve done everything, we feel, to try to help them out,” Waller said of XTreme Elements. “And they have not done their part.”

Darek Hendrych, director of Urban Ninja, said the business never received a notice by mail that it was late on rent.

“We never get mail to that address,” he said. “The addresses are so screwed up.”

Urban Ninja hired an attorney, Jason Cubert, to fight the eviction. Cubert could not be reached on Monday.

An online petition of support for Urban Ninja had gathered more than 300 signatures by Monday afternoon. Urban Ninja acknowledges in its petition that despite what it calls an “unlawful eviction,” it may have to move in November, but promises to continue to operate its events elsewhere.

David Franklin, who is Waller’s attorney, said that District Judge Julie Goodman made the initial ruling granting the eviction. The ruling was later reviewed and affirmed by Circuit Judge James Ishmael.

Besides, Franklin said, Waller Properties did not grant XTreme Fitness the ability to bring in an additional tenant.

This story was originally published October 24, 2016 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Urban Ninja Project faces eviction from North Limestone gym."