$16.5 million to YMCA of Greater Flint announced by Ridgway White

Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2023 on a new mixed-use facility in downtown Flint, Michigan that will feature a new home for the YMCA of Greater Flint and residential rental space.

The announcement was made by Ridgway White of The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation which granted $11 million to the YMCA and $5.5 million to the Foundation for the Uptown Reinvestment Corporation to support the project.

The new facility will help meet important needs by increasing health and wellness options, expanding youth education and family programming, and adding affordable apartment units to the rental market. Located at the corner of Harrison and East Third streets, the facility is expected to increase the vitality of downtown Flint while attracting new residents, visitors and businesses to the area.

“The Mott family and Foundation have a long history of supporting the Y,” said Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation. “Even before he established his foundation, C.S.

Mr. Mott served on a five-person fundraising committee to build a YMCA on Kearsley Street, and he was the first board president for that organization. Nearly five decades later, his son Harding led the building campaign for the Y’s current facility.

“I’m glad the Mott Foundation is still here to help the Y continue to grow and meet the community’s evolving needs,” White added. “We’re excited to see how this beautiful new facility will serve residents and add to the vibrancy of Flint’s Health and Wellness District.”

This rendering shows the façade of the new YMCA building with pedestrians walking on sidewalks in front of it. The perspective is from Harrison Street in Flint, Michigan.

The multi-use building will include the new YMCA, 50 apartments, a health partner, and other nonprofits focused on health and wellness in Flint.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be nearly $41 million. The building will include roughly 55,000 square feet for the YMCA, along with 50 apartments. The project aligns well with the city’s master plan, which calls for mixed-use buildings in downtown Flint.

“We are thankful for the generous support of the Mott Foundation for this community project,” said YMCA of Greater Flint CEO Shelly Hilton. “At the Y, it is our responsibility to provide opportunities for children, families and seniors to learn, grow and thrive. The programs and services we will be able to offer at the new Y will be a catalyst to transform lives. We are excited to continue to serve families in the greater Flint community for generations to come.”

Features of the new YMCA will include an aquatic center, gymnasium, cardio and weight room, common rooms for community partners and educational programs, and space for a health partner to co-locate onsite.

The project also will create quality housing options for individuals and families of different income levels. Of the 50 units, 19 will be offered at affordable rental rates based on area median income, while 31 will be offered at market rate. Options will include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, and residents also will be able to use the building’s community room.

“This new mixed-used building is an exciting addition to downtown Flint that will help anchor the city’s growing Health and Wellness District,” said Tim Herman, president of Uptown Reinvestment Corporation. “Not only will the building create 19 new jobs and provide more affordable housing options, it will also contribute to the city’s evolving physical landscape and encourage future investment in and around downtown.”

The YMCA aims to open the new facility to the public in January 2025. The apartments should be ready for residents to move in by fall of 2024.