Downtown YMCA

The Downtown YMCA is a historic YMCA building in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. It is the largest YMCA resident facility in the United States.[2] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. The seven-story building was designed in the Jacobethan Revival and Late Gothic Revival styles by Walter F. Shattuck.[3]

Central Building of the Columbus Young Men's Christian Association
Interactive map highlighting the building's location
Location40 W. Long St., Columbus, Ohio
Coordinates39.965000°N 83.002500°W / 39.965000; -83.002500
Built1924
ArchitectWalter F. Shattuck
Architectural styleJacobethan Revival, Late Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.93000402[1]
Added to NRHPMay 6, 1993

History
The Front St. or Trades School, formerly on the site

The YMCA was first established in Columbus in 1855, reorganized in 1875, and moved locations numerous times.[3] One of these locations was at 34 S. 3rd St., a Yost & Packard building, now the site of the Columbus Dispatch Building.[4]

The organization purchased the lot for the current YMCA in 1916, with delayed construction due to World War I. The building was constructed in 1923 and dedicated in 1924.[1][3] The building hosted the first evening high school which evolved to include post-secondary and professional programs to become Franklin University.[5]

In 1995, the building's title was transferred to the Columbus City Council to help a $19 million restoration of the building qualify for a 30-year exemption on real estate taxes. The project included adding 50 units and renovating the existing 350 apartments and mechanicals.[6] The renovations began in 1997.[7]

In 2019, after years of studying potential renovations, the 403-unit building is set to close in three to seven years, as the YMCA moves its residents to newer facilities. The 235,118-square-foot (21,843.2 m2) building has a market value of $5.6 million, and would require $50–60 million in renovation, not affordable as it is close to the Columbus YMCA's entire annual budget. The organization plans to lease out a facility and redistribute residents to existing facilities, and to build a new full-service downtown facility for its 3,400 YMCA members in the next five to ten years. The YMCA is confident the building can be repurposed, having talked to 8-10 developers, with none who have toured having proposed demolishing it.[8][2][9]

In August 2022, YMCA of Central Ohio and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) began working on a deal for the CDDC to take over ownership of the building by January 2023.[10] Several dozen current residents of the building will be moved to new housing for low-income seniors operated by the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority in Franklinton.[11]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. Jim Weiker. "YMCA officials confident new use can be found for old Downtown building - News - The Columbus Dispatch - Columbus, OH". Dispatch.com. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  3. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Ohio, 1964 - 2013. National Park Service. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  4. "Downtown Columbus YMCA Stands Tall, Serves All". 5 March 2013.
  5. "Downtown YMCA set for closing". The Columbus Dispatch. October 10, 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  6. "Vote on YMCA Tax Break Set". The Columbus Dispatch. June 19, 1995. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  7. "Downtown YMCA Project Ready to Roll - $17 Million Renovation Set for Historic Building". The Columbus Dispatch. August 13, 1995. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  8. "Downtown YMCA to shutter, more modern facilities planned". www.bizjournals.com. Oct 8, 2019. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  9. "Hundreds Of Downtown YMCA Residents To Be Moved Over Next Few Years". WOSU News. 2019-10-09. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  10. Colombo, Hayleigh (Aug 25, 2022). "Downtown YMCA: Columbus Downtown Development Corp. in talks to buy historic building". Columbus Business First. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  11. Meibers, Bonnie (Aug 25, 2022). "Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority building apartments to house residents of the soon-to-be-sold YMCA". Columbus Business First. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
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