Residents looking for new ways to get in exercise around the University of Michigan campus can now add ‘Hot Vinyasa Yoga’ to the list, thanks to a U-M alum.

Jonny Kest, a 1989 U-M graduate, officially opened his fourth Center for Yoga studio on 621 E. William St., located between Jimmy Johns and Pita Kabob Grill, on Sept. 13.

Kest, who studied yoga as a teenager in India with his father, said he has wanted to open a studio location in Ann Arbor ever since he opened his first studio in Metro Detroit in 1993.

“I wanted to bring this practice back to my alumni,” Kest said. “The students have a lot of stress because it’s very competitive there. It’s really amazing how yoga helps students get through stressful times of college.”

Even though Kest opened a Center for Yoga studio on 2450 W. Stadium Blvd. last November, he said that location was not ideal for the student population and started thinking about opening a second Ann Arbor studio, in addition to his other locations in Birmingham and West Bloomfield.

“A lot of the students were having trouble getting to that location and [the students] said the campus needed a studio where they could walk,” he said.

After finding the East William property, Kest said he signed a two-year lease in August and opened the studio a month later. He said he has plans for more renovations that will take place over Christmas break, and he thinks the Center for Yoga will get plenty of business by offering ‘Hot Vinyasa Yoga’ and making prices “really affordable.”

“I think eventually this studio is going to be packed and we’re going to have to move to a bigger space,” Kest said.

Brendan Cavender of Colliers International brokered the deal and said the new studio, which is about 1,300 square feet, was previously used for general offices.

Cavender said the property is a great utilization of the upper level space and shows how downtown Ann Arbor tenants wanting to be close to campus have to “be creative and go to second floor spaces.”

With the third floor space of the building occupied by lululemon athletica—a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company—Center for Yoga employee Sharron Wodka said she thinks the studio is in the perfect downtown location.

“I can see how this would be a great place for students to be able to squeeze in a yoga class in the middle of the day,” she said. “I can’t think of a better thing to balance out your brain activity in your day.”

Lizzy Alfs is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.