Zumba, a Latin-inspired fitness craze, bills itself as a "fitness party."

But that nightclub party atmosphere often is hard to replicate in small fitness rooms, where, an hour later, there might be a yoga or a spin class.

And, at the few area nightclubs with dance floors, the dancing seems secondary to the drinking and socializing, Dave Burdge said.

So Burdge and his wife, Jill, are planning an alternative.

The Burdges are proposing to establish a business called The Bolero in the former city fire bureau space at 202 N. Duke St.

Its open garage bay, where fire trucks once were parked, would become a dance-fitness studio space during the day.

Jill Burdge, a licensed Zumba instructor, would hold classes, including Zumba, step aerobics and kickboxing, her husband said.

In the evening, The Bolero would become a dance club, and the focus would be on dancing, he said.

The style of dance and music would change nightly between Latin salsa and meringue, country two-step, swing and other styles.

Before their plans for The Bolero become a reality, the Burdges need Lancaster city zoning approval and a completed agreement with the building's owner.

On Monday afternoon, the Strasburg couple will ask the city Zoning Hearing Board for a special exception to operate a dance hall/nightclub in the downtown central business district. That meeting at Southern Market Center will begin at 4 p.m.

Negotiations are ongoing with Bill Roberts, of IBS Development, who purchased the building from the city in 2004. The sale followed the move by city police to their new building a block away at 39 W. Chestnut St.

The fire bureau administration moved to Southern Market Center in late 2003. Firefighters had stopped using the building as a station in 1996 after it was determined the building floor could not safely support the weight of fire engines.

Roberts said he has done extensive renovations to the building. Most of the 38,500 square feet of usable space is now occupied with office tenants. The 3,500 square feet formerly used by the fire bureau, however, has not been reused.

Roberts had planned a high-end restaurant in the space but abandoned those plans after the chef he had hired took another position. He also determined that Lancaster was not ready to support his farm-to-table concept.

Since then, Roberts said he has spoken with seven to eight potential tenants; most also planned restaurants. He held out, waiting for the right one, he said.

"We're hoping to have a special place that will enhance downtown," he said.

The developer said he likes the Burdges, has been impressed with their enthusiasm and is hopeful a lease will be finalized.

With the lease comes the use of a liquor license Roberts had secured for his planned restaurant.

Because it is a restaurant license, Dave Burdge said food will be served at The Bolero. The focus will be on healthy foods, such as fruit smoothies during the day and light sandwiches in the evenings.

The liquor sales will complement the atmosphere of the dance club, but not supplant the dancing, he said.

Burdge said he has moonlighted as a country music disc jockey for about 15 years. He said the people he usually plays music for are interested in socializing and dancing; alcohol is not the focus, he said.

Burdge said he recently received a business degree from Millersville University. With the club, he and his wife hope to combine that education with his disc jockey experience and her fitness instructor experience.

"We thought this would be a good opportunity to bring all those worlds together," he said.

And the former fire station is a good place to do that, he said.

The Burdges had looked elsewhere before settling on the former Kendig C. Bare building. They were drawn to the location because of its high ceilings, open floor space, proximity to the center of downtown and ample parking.

The Duke Street parking garage is across the street, and Red Rose Transit Authority's new Queen Street parking garage is around the corner.

There are plenty of eating and drinking establishments in the city, but nothing quite like what they plan to offer, Burdge said.

He said preliminary plans call for mostly recorded music in the evenings. They plan to offer dancing to live bands on a monthly basis, likely on First Fridays, he said. Bands will be a mix of music offered on different nights.

Roberts replaced the former garage bay doors with glass. The electrical, heating-ventilation and air conditioning systems were replaced, and there are bathrooms.

Renovations to create the club would likely take three months. In addition to getting the needed approvals, the project might take five months, he said.

Burdge said a new year opening is possible.

bharris@lnpnews.com