Women Only Gym in Forest Hills: Lucille by NYSC Review

Lucille by NYSC at 70-20 Austin Street in Forest Hills stands as the premier dedicated women-only commercial fitness facility in Queens, operating continuously within the historic Austin Street shopping corridor just one block from the Forest Hills–71st Ave express subway hub. While traditional women-only fitness centers across Manhattan and neighboring boroughs have largely closed down or converted into crowded co-ed establishments, this expansive two-level Queens outpost actively preserves the all-female training space founded by fitness pioneer Lucille Roberts in 1969. Anyone searching for a women only gym near me in Queens discovers a comprehensive free-weight room, dedicated cardiovascular mezzanine, multi-discipline group exercise studio, and cedar dry saunas without navigating the intimidation, noise, or crowded lifting platforms of mixed-gender commercial mega-gyms.

The club occupies an expansive two-story layout along Austin Street, intentionally organized to prevent congestion across strength and conditioning sessions. On the ground level, members pass the front reception desk to enter a dedicated functional weight room equipped with multiple heavy-duty squat cages, adjustable flat-to-incline utility benches, rubber-coated Olympic barbell plates, and hex dumbbell racks ranging incrementally from 5 pounds up to 50 pounds. Selectorized pin-loaded resistance machines from Cybex and Life Fitness line the perimeter walls, allowing lifters to isolate hamstrings, quads, chest, and back safely.

Upstairs on the open mezzanine floor, cardiovascular conditioning equipment overlooks the central avenue through wide street-facing windows. The cardio deck features Matrix treadmills, low-impact elliptical trainers, stair climbers, and stationary upright bikes equipped with individual headphone jacks and heart-rate monitoring grips. Adjacent to the cardio zone, a private mirrored studio features sprung maple hardwood flooring, step platforms, lightweight pump bars, resistance loops, and plush yoga mats utilized during high-energy daily group classes.

The lower locker room facilities provide generous digital keyless lockers, private curtained dressing stalls, individual tiled hot showers, and vanity counters equipped with wall-mounted blow dryers. A central highlight of the facility is the authentic cedar wood dry sauna, heated daily between 170 and 185 degrees Fahrenheit, offering members deep muscular relaxation and heat therapy after strenuous lifting sessions.

Group classes are fully integrated into standard memberships, removing the costly per-class drop-in fees typical of Manhattan boutique studios. The weekly schedule offers morning and evening options across diverse movement styles, including Les Mills BodyPump barbell strength training, high-energy Zumba dance cardio, classical mat Pilates, Vinyasa yoga flows, and high-intensity interval conditioning designed to boost cardiovascular capacity and stamina.

Class sizes average between 15 and 25 attendees, fostering an uplifting, non-competitive community dynamic where female instructors offer real-time posture adjustments and scalable weight recommendations. Morning sessions typically start at 9:00 am to accommodate local parents and remote professionals, while evening strength circuits launch at 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm for commuters stepping off the subway from Midtown Manhattan.

Pricing at Lucille by NYSC remains remarkably reasonable when compared to boutique fitness studios across Queens and Brooklyn. The foundational Neighborhood single-club membership costs $45 per month when signing a standard 1-year annual agreement, granting unlimited facility access to the Forest Hills location, the entire strength floor, all scheduled group classes, and locker room dry saunas without hidden session fees.

For members seeking greater billing flexibility without a long-term commitment, the Neighborhood month-to-month plan is priced at $50 per month, allowing cancellation at any time with standard advance written notice. Commuters who also wish to utilize co-ed New York Sports Clubs locations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Westchester can choose the regional Passport membership, priced at $103 per month on an annual agreement or $114 per month for month-to-month access.

The facility maintains dependable, comprehensive operating hours all year round: Monday through Thursday from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Peak facility volume occurs on Monday through Thursday evenings between 5:30 pm and 7:15 pm, when local commuters arrive from the subway and group exercise classes fill the upper floor. If your workout routine requires unrestricted access to the free-weight squat cages and heavier dumbbells, schedule your training during the quiet midday lull between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, or arrive at 6:00 am when morning sunlight first hits Austin Street.

Skip arriving at 6:15 pm on Tuesday evenings expecting an open flat bench in the free-weight section without waiting, as that half-hour represents the single highest concentration of lifting traffic. If your routine calls for heavy barbell bench presses or deadlifts, complete your primary compound sets during morning hours or pivot to the selectorized dual-cable pulley system when the dumbbell racks are occupied.

If the locker room dry sauna is temporarily closed for its scheduled mid-afternoon sanitizing and wipe-down cycle, take advantage of the private shower stalls before walking down Austin Street for a soothing green tea rather than waiting idly in the locker lounge.

Reaching the gym is exceptionally convenient from anywhere in central Queens or Midtown Manhattan. The Forest Hills–71st Ave express subway station serving the E, F, M, and R subway lines is located just one short block north at Queens Boulevard and 71st Continental Avenue, allowing a quick 20-minute direct subway commute from Manhattan. The Long Island Rail Road Forest Hills station sits three blocks south on Austin Street, offering direct 15-minute train rides from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison.

After completing your training session, take time to explore the charming tree-lined retail avenue of Austin Street, home to independent juice bars, Mediterranean cafes, and boutique clothing shops. A pleasant four-block stroll south leads into the peaceful historic enclave of Forest Hills Gardens, with its iconic red-tile roofs and West Side Tennis Club, while historic Eddie's Sweet Shop at 105-29 Metropolitan Ave serves homemade sodas and ice cream sundaes.

New visitors should remember to pack a sturdy personal padlock for daily-use lockers, indoor training sneakers, and personal workout towels, as complimentary towel service is reserved for premium Passport members. Digital check-in is conducted at the front lobby turnstiles using the official New York Sports Clubs mobile member barcode.

Metered street parking is available along Austin Street, 70th Road, and 71st Avenue, though parking spots turn over slowly during afternoon shopping hours; convenient multi-level paid parking garages operate on 70th Road and 71st Avenue for visitors driving from Rego Park, Kew Gardens, or Elmhurst.