The Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA and its adjoining low-income housing are set to close, ending nearly 75 years of serving the Downtown Phoenix community.
The YMCA has been part of the Phoenix area since 1951 and was the only Valley of the Sun YMCA to offer low-income housing, according to Ryan Knack, associate vice president of marketing and communications for the Valley of the Sun YMCA.
The Transitional Housing Program and fitness facility of the downtown YMCA will close on Sept. 30.
The YMCA planned to close its Lincoln Family facility in Downtown Phoenix because the building had "reached the end of its useful life" and it "required significant repairs to critical building systems," Knack said.
The YMCA determined that "continuing to operate the
housing program in the facility is no longer a sustainable option," Knack said.
The building is still owned by the YMCA, and it does not plan to sell the property, according to Knack and Maricopa County Assessor public records.
"We are actively working on plans for the future of the YMCA at this location and expect to have some exciting news to share once we have more details," Knack said.
There were about 60 residents who lived in the YMCA's low-income housing at the time of the transition, Knack said.
"Our priority throughout this process has been supporting each resident as they transition into new housing," Knack said.
The YMCA housing team is working directly with residents and connecting them with available housing opportunities and resources, Knack said.
Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA members will have access to the fitness facility until Sept. 30, Knack said. After Sept. 30, memberships will automatically transfer to the Legacy Foundation Chris-Town YMCA. Members will have access to all Valley of the Sun YMCA locations, he said.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Historic downtown Phoenix YMCA to close its doors
