YMCA to move from North Toledo to downtown location

1/28/2011

The YMCA has a plan to move out of its Summit Street location in North Toledo and into a new facility in the heart of downtown alongside the vacant Fiberglas Tower, officials announced Friday.

Todd Tibbits, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA and JCC, said the deal is contingent upon securing a new tenant for the Summit YMCA at 306 Bush St. — most likely a social service agency that could serve that neighborhood.

Mr. Tibbits said a market study showed a YMCA next to the vacant skyscraper, which is now called the Tower on the Maumee, at Jefferson Avenue and St. Clair Street, would do better than the current facility about a mile to the north.

Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken said the Eyde Co. of Lansing, which owns the Fiberglas Tower, would tear down the existing parking garage next to the vacant building and construct a new parking structure with space for the YMCA as well as office space for the Lucas County Improvement Corp., which is the county's economic development agency.

Mr. Gerken said the company is awaiting approval of a $3 million loan to help pay for the demolition.

The YMCA would sell its current location to the Eyde Co. and then lease space in the new downtown location.

Mr. Gerken in June, 2010, said the commissioners and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority had a plan to raze the tower's garage for $3 million and build one for $9 million.

The port board in October, 2009 agreed to purchase the parking garage for the vacant 28-story Fiberglas Tower building for $10 and then lease it back to the owners of the building. However, that sale was never completed.