Back home in downtown South Bend, YMCA to open new location

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- Thursday, the South Bend Redevelopment Commission voted unanimously to move the YMCA of Greater Michiana into Leighton Plaza and accept the donation of the former Northside site.

South Bend’s first YMCA came in 1906, at the corner of Wayne and Main Streets. The CEO of the YMCA of Greater Michiana, Mark Weber, said coming back downtown is like coming home.

"Strategically, this is an important milestone for the YMCA," he said. "We need to be downtown in the heart of this community. The YMCA is about community. We are more than a fitness center; we are a community center."

The location of "The Y" will take up floors three through five of the complex on the corner of Jefferson and Main come June this year.

The space is currently occupied by Beacon Health and Fitness, whose lease expires at the end of May. Anyone who works out there can keep their gym by joining the YMCA.

The former site of "The Y", southeast of the farmers market is to be donated to the redevelopment commission. They are calling the eight parcels of land, 7.3 acres, with an assessed value of $718,500, “prime” property to be redeveloped.

The YMCA is staying at the O'Brien Center, just expanding its services in Michiana.

"We are about family, we are about community, so you're probably going to see a lot more youth and family activities coming out of the YMCA downtown than maybe what was provided in the past," Weber said.