Construction Schedule and Design Drawings Released for New Jackson YMCA

(September 1, 2022 11:02 AM) The Jackson YMCA today announced site preparation work will begin in the coming weeks as they released design drawings and a construction schedule for a new Jackson YMCA. More than 40 Jackson community leaders received an update from Y leadership and its capital campaign volunteer team at a Wednesday presentation. The site work signals the beginning of a long- awaited process that will ultimately result in a new YMCA facility scheduled for completion at the end of 2024.

Site prep work includes the demolition of two long-standing, smaller buildings on W. Wesley and Mechanic streets, as well as other preliminary site work prior to the formal start of construction scheduled for spring 2023. In May this year, Y leadership and volunteers celebrated surpassing the original $25 million capital campaign goal, the largest ever for a YMCA in Michigan.

Throughout the summer, Jackson Y volunteer and staff leadership have worked closely with construction manager Granger Construction Co., architect/engineer Bergmann and Gro Development, a firm specializing in the development and design of YMCAs, on finetuning the schematics and timeline for a new Y that combines new construction with adaptive reuse of portions of the existing facility. As previously announced, co-located partners in the new Y include Henry Ford Jackson Hospital and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“A great deal of work has been happening behind the scenes this summer, and it’s exciting to now be able to share plans for the new Y,” said Jackson YMCA CEO Shawna Tello. “The facility will be accessible for those with limited mobility, feature open sightlines and enable us to not only provide our current programs and services but also to expand our offerings to better serve the community.”

Notable new design features include:

Natural light: The facility will be much brighter, from windows overlooking the parking lot in the wellness center to windows and a viewing area to the pools.
New kids’ area: The current climbing wall space will be doubled to include new play space and equipment for kids; in addition, plans call for an outdoor play structure.
A youth Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) lab and licensed childcare.
An enhanced Aquatics Center including updated equipment and improved lighting/accessibility.
The design is scalable, so space and equipment can be added in phases with additional funding.

“The project is not just designing and building a new facility; it’s about creating a space that fosters connection and support, providing necessary health and wellness and family services that will allow the people of Jackson to thrive in the decades to come,” said Bergmann Principal Buddy Huyler.

“This new facility will be designed to deliver programs and support that can be accessed by ALL.”

Construction timeline

In late 2021, the Jackson YMCA announced it was pivoting from all-new construction to a combination of a new build and redevelopment of the current facility.

“Over the past two years, the U.S. construction industry has been buffeted by unprecedented increases in material costs, supply-chain bottlenecks, and a tight labor market,” said Jeff Havranek, senior project manager for Granger. While the Jackson YMCA has had a similar experience, “it is resilience and adaptability that continues to keep the Jackson YMCA project moving forward.”

Working closely with Bergmann and with the design and planning proceeding as scheduled, the Granger team is targeting a few key milestones for the construction phase:

- Publishing bidding documents to trade partners in early 2023
- Beginning construction in spring 2023
- Completing work by the end of 2024

During construction, portions of the building will be required to be isolated from existing YMCA operations to provide safe access to the work areas and maintain a safe environment for ongoing use. of the facility. Granger Construction remains committed to “limiting the disruption of YMCA operations as much as practical while prioritizing the safety of all facility users, YMCA staff, and construction personnel,” Havranek said.

To share the Y’s vision for a better Jackson and to answer questions, CEO Shawna Tello will continue the “community coffee hours” she held this summer. The coffee hours enable attendees to ask questions about the YMCA’s capital campaign, Y membership, programming, or other topics. Coffee and conversation with Shawna Tello will be available at the Jackson YMCA: