NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Gilbane Building Company today joined the YMCA of Greater New York and Bronx community members and elected officials to mark the opening of a new state-of-the-art branch located in the Northeast Bronx. The Northeast Bronx Y was designed by the award-winning architectural firm Marvel and was built by Gilbane Building Company.
The 50,000 square foot facility, built amid a three-acre "urban forest" of City-owned land, was developed in partnership with a broad coalition of community leaders and elected officials and in response to the critical need for a community hub and the wide array of educational, cultural, social, and health programs and services that the Y provides to New Yorkers of all ages.
The Northeast Bronx branch -- the first new YMCA in the Bronx in over 30 years – integrates its indoor and outdoor areas to form a campus that connects members to its natural surroundings. The environmentally-friendly building is built to LEED Gold standards. The facility features a unique urban agricultural roof and teaching kitchen for members to engage directly in the importance of nutrition and eating healthy.
The facility is home also to a contemporary aquatics center featuring two pools, a magnificent gymnasium for basketball and other sports, modern fitness center and wellness studios, and fully accessible recreational areas to promote community and belonging, as well as protected outdoor play and program spaces for enhanced camp and afterschool programs. An adjacent parking lot offers over 100 spaces, and later this Fall, will offer publicly accessible charging stations for electric vehicles. Activities will include social, recreational, cultural, educational and health programming for members across the age spectrum, from early childhood to adolescents, teens, young adults, adults, and seniors.
"Gilbane was proud to partner with the YMCA of Greater New York and Marvel to deliver this state-of-the-art facility for the Bronx community," said Grant W. Gagnier, Jr., Senior Vice President and New York City Business Unit Leader, Gilbane Building Company. "We're grateful to our trade partners for working through a very challenging year in order to complete this extraordinary, new Y and we're indebted to the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the many elected officials, and community members who supported the project's vision."
"The opening of the Northeast Bronx YMCA is a victory for this community and for New York City," said Sharon Greenberger, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York. "More than a decade ago, the Y made a commitment to the Bronx, and we're proud to fulfill that promise today. Not only will this Y provide opportunities for young people to learn and grow and for adults to improve their health and well-being; the branch was designed to serve as a critical hub for the neighborhood, supporting the efforts of Bronx residents to strengthen their community."
"This magnificent building and all that it offers would never have been possible without the vision, leadership, and persistence of Al de Castro, Shirley Fearon, and the entire Northeast Bronx Community Coalition, as well as countless elected officials including Carl Heastie, Jamaal Bailey, and Kevin Riley," continued Greenberger."
The Northeast Bronx branch is the result of an extraordinary partnership between community activists, dedicated elected officials, and the Y, and is a powerful reminder of what is possible when government, the nonprofit sector, and the community unite behind a great idea and work together to make it a reality.
As New York City's leading nonprofit community service and wellness organization, the Y will continue to work with community leaders to ensure that the branch is leveraging its resources and partnerships to best serve and support the families of the Bronx.
The Northeast Bronx YMCA will become the second branch in the Bronx, joining the Castle Hill YMCA, which has served the Bronx community since 1946. Later this Fall, a third branch, La Central YMCA, will open to the public.
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About the YMCA of Greater New York
For nearly 170 years, the YMCA of Greater New York has been helping all New Yorkers reach their full potential. As New York City's leading nonprofit community service and wellness organization, the Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they're from, by providing access and opportunities for all to learn, grow, and thrive. We provide a place to play, to be healthy, and to give back. We give parents childcare, young adults job training, seniors a way to connect, and children a safe place to go. By bringing people together from different backgrounds, perspectives, and generations, the Y improves overall health and well-being, ignites youth empowerment, and connects and supports diverse communities across New York City. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ymcanyc.
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.
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Media Contact
Lynn Rasic, Gilbane Building Company, 212-822-0319, [email protected]
SOURCE Gilbane Building Company
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