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A New Beginning for Schenectady

The Capital District YMCA is undertaking an ambitious plan of building a new Schenectady YMCA on the site of a Nott Street brownfield where a decaying, vacant shopping center recently stood. The new YMCA will serve the community as Schenectady County's vibrant epicenter of health, recreation and family activities.

We envision the new Schenectady YMCA as a community magnet of health, recreation and social programs that will benefit Schenectady and the surrounding communities well into the future. Although ultra-modern in design, the new facility will be a warm, welcoming place where people will feel right at home.

The new YMCA will be a cornerstone of our plans to reach the longstanding goal of a seamless service delivery system, making similar services available to every person who wants and needs them - in urban and suburban areas throughout the Capital Region.

We're building it around you.

To ensure the success of our plans to build a new Schenectady YMCA, the Capital District YMCA leadership has worked closely with a 24-member community advisory task force. Our task force solicited extensive local input to help with the planning process, taking into consideration the needs of current and future members of the community so we could create a well-conceived plan for the new facility.

What's in it for you.

The new YMCA will be a centrally located, 60,000-square-foot facility on two floors that resembles similar facilities in our suburban branches, and includes a dedicated child care center. This will enable us to provide comprehensive programs and services to people of all ages, and respond to the changing needs of the community with respect to our health, education and recreation offerings.

The new branch will feature a wealth of facilites and amenities including:

To meet the needs of busy parents and caregivers, the new branch will include a dedicated child care center for young people aged 12 weeks to five years. The new facility will also incorporate separate areas for youth and teen programming, and space for intergenerational programming.

It's everybody's Y

Located in the central corridor of the city the new branch is easily accessible to the surrounding communities of Niskayuna, Scotia, Rotterdam and Glenville, as well as all neighborhoods in Schenectady. This new facility will become an important center of community life, providing a unique gathering place for people of all ages, unlike any other in Schenectady.

Improving Schenectady's economy. Enhancing its environment.

The new YMCA will anchor a $20 million, state-of-the-art office park being developed by the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority, a regional urban renewal agency. Since this new facility aims to revitalize the community, it is being designed with a special sensitivity with respect to the physical environment in which it is built.

The synergy of developing the office park and the YMCA will promote workforce development and expand Schenectady's tax base, while placing children in affordable, quality childcare programs that will enhance parents' and caregivers' ability to return to work.

We can't do it without you.

With an estimated construction cost of $8 million, the Capital District YMCA is making a significant investment in the community. We have launched an $8 million capital campaign to fully cover the construction costs. Funding the construction through a dedicated fundraising campaign is our only option for financing this project. To offer the comprehensive programs and services our community wants and needs, the new Schenectady branch must operate under a budget that does not include a mortgage commitment.