New Hanover Regional Medical Center is expanding its employee fitness center on Shipyard Boulevard, according to a Thursday news release.

The hospital also extended its lease at the location, the announcement from Hill Rogers, broker-in-charge at Cameron Management Inc., said.

“NHRMC originally signed a lease at 2250 Shipyard in 2010 and opened the facility in early 2011. With this latest lease transaction – which includes a third expansion – NHRMC Employee Fitness Center will occupy in excess of 25,000 square feet,” Rogers, who handled the transaction, said in the release.

Currently, the fitness center is 19,600 square feet.

“When this space became available several years ago, after the closing of the Spa Health Club, this was an easy decisoin for us to make to implement an important component of our employee wellness programs, given the location's proximity to the NHRMC campus,” said Jack Barto, president and CEO of NHRMC, in the announcement.

The more than 6,000 employees of NHRMC and their family members are provided membership to the facility for a small monthly fee, the release said.

“The existing facility is tremendous, and I have no doubt the expansion will be first-class as well,” Rogers said.