Riverside YMCA Project Approved

[fsujax]

Construction set to begin today.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/construction-begins-on-new-riverside-ymca/-/475880/23283154/-/11m0217/-/index.html

[TheCat]

From Michelle Moore, Communication Director of YMCA:

"Just making sure you are aware of the new Winston Y groundbreaking event tonight. It begins at 4:30pm at Yates on the lawn by the river. Mayor Brown and Councilman Jones will be there, along with our leadership donors including Wayne and Delores Weaver and Florida Blue's CEO. Mr. Winston will also speak. We have more than 200 RSVPs that include members, donors and community leaders."

[thelakelander]

Hopefully, they can sell off the surface lot they'll be building along Riverside, sooner rather than later.  That corridor should look completely different in two years or so.

[Dapperdan]

I still don't like how the building seems to be facing the wrong way, but it is what it is.

[hightowerlover]

I think it's a good looking building from the front and back.  Do I think the building is more attractive from the side facing the water, sure.  But why would you want a wide sweeping view of the street when you have a waterfront view?

[Bativac]

My wife is a trainer at a local YMCA, and she swears up and down that the word from the regional director is that YMCA has failed to obtain financing for this project. I'm telling her she's nuts - I can pull up news articles showing how much money has been donated for the new facility - but word from her boss, and his boss (etc) is that they're stuck until they can get a loan to build the facility. Has anybody hear heard anything one way or the other? I'm at the Yates YMCA a couple times a week, and I can't say I've noticed anything going on over there. But I could be wrong.

[jcjohnpaint]

I was there the other day and asked one of the managers.  They said the project is stalled due to parking issues.  They have to issue so many permits because they are going to be losing a lot of spaces until the new building goes up.

[urbaknight]

Parking parking parking it's always about parking! Here's a solution, IMPROVE MASS TRANSIT!!!

[jaxjaguar]

Anyone know when construction will begin? I saw they moved the sign recently, but it doesn't look like construction will begin anytime soon based on activity...

[Badfinger]

My wife is a trainer at a local YMCA, and she swears up and down that the word from the regional director is that YMCA has failed to obtain financing for this project. I'm telling her she's nuts - I can pull up news articles showing how much money has been donated for the new facility - but word from her boss, and his boss (etc) is that they're stuck until they can get a loan to build the facility. Has anybody hear heard anything one way or the other? I'm at the Yates YMCA a couple times a week, and I can't say I've noticed anything going on over there. But I could be wrong.

Your wife is correct.

The project has stalled due to two primary donors pulling their support once they learned that the plan was not to fully fund the project through donations but to use raised funds to gain financing instead.

[Pottsburg]

I have heard the same from 2 different YMCA employees. One is on the administration/hr side of things. She said they missed the bank loan by 2 points. Whatever that means.

[jaxjaguar]

My wife is a trainer at a local YMCA, and she swears up and down that the word from the regional director is that YMCA has failed to obtain financing for this project. I'm telling her she's nuts - I can pull up news articles showing how much money has been donated for the new facility - but word from her boss, and his boss (etc) is that they're stuck until they can get a loan to build the facility. Has anybody hear heard anything one way or the other? I'm at the Yates YMCA a couple times a week, and I can't say I've noticed anything going on over there. But I could be wrong.

Your wife is correct.

The project has stalled due to two primary donors pulling their support once they learned that the plan was not to fully fund the project through donations but to use raised funds to gain financing instead.

I don't understand the logic behind pulling support if the Y needed financing as well... Not building will only negatively impact the area / the perception of that Y.

[Bativac]

My wife is a trainer at a local YMCA, and she swears up and down that the word from the regional director is that YMCA has failed to obtain financing for this project. I'm telling her she's nuts - I can pull up news articles showing how much money has been donated for the new facility - but word from her boss, and his boss (etc) is that they're stuck until they can get a loan to build the facility. Has anybody hear heard anything one way or the other? I'm at the Yates YMCA a couple times a week, and I can't say I've noticed anything going on over there. But I could be wrong.

Your wife is correct.

The project has stalled due to two primary donors pulling their support once they learned that the plan was not to fully fund the project through donations but to use raised funds to gain financing instead.

It's a shame this project is indefinitely stalled. It's a bigger shame that I have to tell my wife she's right about something.

[jaxinatl]

With them being a nonprofit and the outrageous monthly fees and fee they charge for a weekly membership there shouldnt be a financial issue.

[Buforddawg]

Yet another disappointment for Jacksonville.  So two "Big" donors pulled their donations because the Y was going for financing.  So what was the Y planning to do with the donations?

1. Use in combination with the financing to build the new facility, in which case makes it looks like the "big" donations weren't very big.
2. Use the money to fund operations?  I could see why the donors would pull out then, misuse of funds that were to be specifically used for building the facility.