East Shore YMCA
You can exercise, swim and take your kids to the East Shore YMCA, but in the coming years, you might be able to do a lot more there.
Local Y officials announced recently that the organization is considering significant renovations and changes to its historic facility, which would increase its role as a community hub.
“We hope to end up with a modern YMCA with services Harrisburg can enjoy,” said Harrisburg Area YMCA President and CEO David Ozmore.
Ozmore, who began in his position in June 2022, painted a picture of an aging East Shore Y that also faces significant financial challenges due to the pandemic. The remodel would aim to boost its economic situation and bring the building up to date.
The Y, located along N. Front Street downtown, dates back to 1930s when it was built and opened to the public. More recently, the wellness center was added onto the building in 2003. In total, the Y owns 2.3 acres of land, making up almost an entire city block.
Possible renovations may include changes to the current wellness center, which is elevated over the parking lot, and the Y’s administration building adjacent to the main recreational center.
The main building is considered historical and therefore will not undergo significant changes, Ozmore explained.
The Y is working with national firm Gro Development, which provides services to nonprofits, especially YMCA’s around the country.
While Ozmore explained that the Y is still in the brainstorming stage of the process, he shared that they are interested in building out space for local businesses and organizations to lease. They have proposed bringing in medical providers and banks and offering housing to seniors or low-income tenants. The Y would also seek to renovate existing gyms and create additional multipurpose rooms and spaces for group fitness classes.
The Y has put together a task force of around 20 community members to help advise the organization on development.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about what the Y wants, but what the residents need,” Ozmore said.
However, a motivating factor in the decision to renovate comes out of the facility’s unfavorable economic situation, Ozmore said.
According to Ozmore, between February 2020 and the summer of 2021, the East Shore Y lost 56% of its members. While it has since recovered some of that loss, membership is still only at about 85% of what it was pre-COVID.
A proposed model of making space for tenants in the building would allow them to share costs, as well as hopefully bring in more traffic to the facility, Ozmore said.
The next step for the Y will be to issue a request for proposals from developers. However, it may be over a year before the project begins. In total, Ozmore estimates it will be a three- to-four-year-long project.
Ozmore said that the goal is to keep the facility open throughout the majority of the construction process, although parking may be limited at times.
At the project’s completion, he said that there will likely be more parking included.
Overall, Ozmore’s goal is to make sure the East Shore Y better serves Harrisburg residents.
“It’s for the common good—to make our community stronger,” he said.
For more information about the East Shore YMCA, visit their website.
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