Developers under contract to buy downtown YMCA properties

The creating at Franklin and Foushee streets has housed the downtown YMCA due to the fact 1942. (Jonathan Spiers images)

Following almost 80 decades in its downtown residence foundation, the YMCA of Larger Richmond is about to get some new roommates as the anchor of a prepared combined-use redevelopment.

The nonprofit is operating with builders George Emerson and Phil Roper on a job that would add sector-price apartments to its downtown building at 2 W. Franklin St., and to at minimum some of its adjoining parking large amount houses.

The builders are less than contract to invest in the houses, which fill the bulk of the city block that features the key branch. An supplemental Y-owned parking lot throughout Franklin is involved in the deal, which Emerson confirmed to BizSense this 7 days.

The downtown department would carry on to work in the making, with the Y’s corporate workplaces relocated to free up house for some of the flats. A locale for the offices has not been established, YMCA spokesman Barry Saunders mentioned.

“We’re enthusiastic that this historic building that has served the community so nicely for the earlier 80 many years is heading to get a main renovation as element of the general challenge,” Saunders reported, including that the department would stay the centerpiece of the setting up.

A parking good deal driving the developing would be element of a redevelopment undertaking introducing residences.

“We also assume that it is quite great how this requires the downtown Y back again to its group-serving roots in a very modern-day way, because the location’s heading to the moment again present residences together with the courses that we do,” Saunders claimed, referring to the Y’s background of offering rooms for lodging. He stated his business is in one particular of the building’s former dormitories.

Opened in 1942, the 4-story Franklin Street developing has served as property base for the nonprofit that dates back to 1854. The 98,000-square-foot composition residences many services such as a gym, pool and squash courts, which ended up converted from racquetball courts in a 2018 renovation.

A several many years earlier, the Y experienced been setting up a $20 million growth of the developing, but scrapped that idea in 2014. The expansion would have filled the parking lot at Foushee and Grace, wherever the Y experienced demolished 3 structures after shopping for that assets in 2008.

Emerson explained the venture continues to be in the style stage but would probably consist of new building in that parking lot, if not the Y’s other qualities. The nonprofit also owns the parking tons lining Adams Avenue on the block, in addition to the good deal throughout Franklin.

The metropolis most a short while ago assessed the Y’s constructing at $6.85 million, property documents clearly show. Nine other parcels that make up the Y’s 2.2-acre assemblage are assessed at $3.44 million collectively, bringing the whole property’s assessed worth to about $10.3 million.

A cornerstone notes the building replaced prior spots for the YMCA, which dates back to 1854.

“The YMCA’s going to preserve a presence there, but we’re heading to be rehabbing the building, and creating in the parking lots,” Emerson stated, incorporating that he’s aiming to finalize drawings in coming months.

“We’ve been functioning on this venture for a couple yrs, and it’s just now coming to fruition,” he said. “The Y was looking at undertaking some various options in excess of the previous several many years, and I assume the YMCA is just one of these organizations that we check out to get the job done with all we can. I imagine it is heading to be (a challenge) everybody’s likely to like.”

Emerson and Roper’s other latest developments alongside one another include things like Moore’s Lake in Chester and the Vue at Westchester Commons apartments. They are operating on the Y project with Richmond developer Tom Papa and KBS Vice Chairman Dennis Lynch, who Emerson explained are investors in the challenge. Emerson and Lynch labored alongside one another on a blended-use conversion of a previous business office making at 6 N. Sixth St.

“We’re enthusiastic about finding it heading,” Emerson said. “I consider Tom Papa will be a good addition to have with us. We have not ever performed a advancement together, so I believe it’ll be enjoyment undertaking that with him, also.”

The YMCA’s assemblage contains a parking ton throughout Franklin Road from the building.

Emerson stated it’s as well early to estimate a venture charge or a total selection or sizes of the residences.

Saunders mentioned the task would contain a renovation of some of the Y’s amenities, including new locker rooms and group training studios, and enhancements to wellness rooms and fat rooms. He claimed a dollar figure for those people advancements was not however out there.

“I think it’s likely to be genuinely a wonderful addition to the neighborhood here, and it’s likely to carry on a long custom of serving our local community very well from this area,” Saunders reported. “We really feel like we’re environment ourselves up here to evolve our choices to far better replicate and serve the desires of the group, hopefully, for yet another 80 many years.”

The venture comes as other moves are staying created in the neighborhood.

Instantly across Franklin, the century-previous Second Baptist Church setting up is becoming regarded as for demolition by the owner of the adjacent Jefferson Hotel. And throughout Foushee from the Y, a half-acre parking great deal was recently bought by a Philadelphia-primarily based organization for $2.87 million.