View source for Piedmont Family YMCA

'''Piedmont Family YMCA''' is the local chapter of the global organization YMCA. For years the organization planned to build an aquatic center in the western side of the city's [[McIntire Park]], a plan that withstood a legal challenge that went to the Virginia Supreme Court. 

The Piedmont Family YMCA association is a nonprofit with several different locations: the Brooks Family YMCA gym in McIntire Park, the Early Learning Center at the Jefferson School in Charlottesville (serving ages 0-5), and educational programs located in Greene County & Charlottesville City Schools.

{{wikipedia link|YMCA|whylink=outsidearea|about=YMCAs}}

==Brooks Family YMCA==

[[image:New-ymca.png|left|250px]]The '''Brooks Family YMCA''' fitness and aquatics center opened on [[June 30]], [[2017]] at [[McIntire Park]] after several years of planning. <ref name="open">{{cite web|title=Brooks Family YMCA Report to the Charlottesville City Council & Albemarle County Board of Supervisors June 20, 2017 |url=https://albemarle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=5288933&GUID=1074A225-9A82-4763-A692-89A7E15DBBC1|author=|work=|publisher=Piedmont Family YMCA|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref>

Planning for the $19 million facility was long in the making but the non-profit organization finally broke ground in November 2015. <ref>{{cite web|title=Charlottesville Breaks Ground on New YMCA|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029125611/http://www.nbc29.com/story/30445647/charlottesville-breaks-ground-on-new-ymca|author=Delia D'Ambra|work=|publisher=WVIR NBC29 (via archive.org)|location=|publishdate=November 9, 2015|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref>

{{clear}}

===Years in the making===
[[Charlottesville City Council]] discussed the idea at a work session on [[July 9]], [[2007]] about the overall direction of the [[Charlottesville Department of Parks and Recreation|city's parks and recreation department]]. <ref>{{cite web|title=City Council discusses YMCA, Boys and Girls Club partnerships|url=https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/city_partnershi/|author=|work=|publisher=|location=|publishdate=July 10, 2007|accessdate=July 13, 2024}}</ref>

The preliminary site plan called for a 77,000-square-foot facility on a 4.51-acre site. 158 surface parking spaces were to be added to the 110 spaces already in place. Under the plan YMCA will be responsible for all maintenance. The approved design also features a sustainable details and the facility will be built into the hillside to minimize massing. Todd Bullard of [[VMDO]] is the architect.<ref name=cvillesiteplan>{{cite web|url=https://www.c-ville.com/Charlottesville_Planning_Commission_approves_site_plan_for_YMCA/|publisher=[[C-ville Weekly]]|title=Charlottesville Planning Commission approves site plan for YMCA|author=Chiara Canzi|publishdate=November 11, 2009|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref>

Council voted 3-1-1 on [[September 17]], [[2007]] to advertise a lease. Councilors [[David Brown]], [[Kevin Lynch]], and [[Dave Norris]] supported the lease. Councilor [[Julian Taliaferro]] voted no, and [[Kendra Hamilton]] abstained. <ref>{{cite web|title=City to advertise lease agreement for McIntire Park YMCA|url=https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/articles/city-to-adverti|author=Sean Tubbs|work=|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=September 18, 2007|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref> In December 2007, Council voted 3-2 to move enter into the lease with the YMCA, as Hamilton switched her vote to a no. <ref>{{cite web|title=Council approves McIntire Park lease for YMCA|url=https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/articles/ymca_approved/|author=Sean Tubbs|work=News Article|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=December 18, 2007|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref>

In January 2008, the organization entered into a 40-year ground lease with the City of [[Charlottesville]] for $1 per year. {{fact}}

On [[November 10]], [[2009]] the [[Charlottesville Planning Commission]] approved the preliminary site plan<ref name=cvillesiteplan/>, followed by [[City Council]] January 4, 2010. <ref name=dpdesignapproval>{{cite-progress|title=YMCA preliminary design approval|author=Staff Reports|url=https://dailyprogress.com/news/ymca-preliminary-design-approval/article_0b0f88fd-ae0e-5312-ae7a-9de16555d55f.html|publishdate=January 5, 2010|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref>

===Lawsuits===
The project was long delayed by a pair of lawsuits filed against Charlottesville and Albemarle County claiming the two jurisdictions broke Virginia's procurement laws by not allowing private companies to submit a request for proposals to operate an aquatic facility on city-owned land. <ref>{{cite web|title=Fitness group sues Albemarle and Charlottesville over YMCA|url=https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/articles/ymca-lawsuit-2/|author=Sean Tubbs|work=News Article|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=May 13, 2010|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|title=VA Supreme Court to hear YMCA case of fitness clubs vs. Albemarle|url=https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/articles/supreme_court_to_hear_ymca_case/|author=Brian Wheeler|work=|publisher=Charlottesvillee Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=August 22, 2011|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref> 

The court heard the case in June 2012 and dismissed the lawsuits in January 2013. <ref>{{cite web|title=Virginia Supreme Court dismisses case against YMCA|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/13826-ymca-lawsuit-dismissed/|author=Sean Tubbs|work=|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=January 10, 2013|accessdate=January 14, 2013}}</ref> Construction is expected to begin sometime in 2013. 

The terms of the ground lease required construction to have begun within five years of it being executed. That deadline is January 15, 2008. The Charlottesville City Council voted to grant the extension in December 2012. <ref>{{cite web|title=New YMCA further delayed by Virginia Supreme Court|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/13464-ymca-delay/|author=Sean Tubbs|work=|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=November 11, 2012|accessdate=November 12, 2012}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|title=Lease extension for planned YMCA OK’d|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/13694-ymca-extension/|author=Sean Tubbs|work=|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=December 18, 2012|accessdate=January 14, 2013}}</ref> The YMCA expected to break ground after the 2013 [[Dogwood Festival]]. <ref>{{cite web|title=YMCA working out construction details for spring groundbreaking|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/14096-ymca-working-out-construction-details-for-spring-g/|author=Sean Tubbs|work=|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=February 18, 2013|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref>

===Final stretch===
A capital campaign was announced in May 2015. <ref>{{cite web|title=YMCA Launches Capital Campaign for Charlottesville Project|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029122517/http://www.nbc29.com/story/28955294/ymca-launches-capital-campaign-for-charlottesville-project|author=Rachel Menitoff|work=|publisher=WVIR NBC29 (via archive.org)|location=|publishdate=May 1, 2015|accessdate=January 4, 2022}}</ref> A certificate of occupancy was granted on [[June 13]], [[2017]]. <ref name="open" />

===Bird strikes===
Shortly after the building opened, a Charlottesville High School student brought attention to birds striking the large glass and dying. <ref>{{cite web|title=Crying fowl: New YMCA threatens birds, says teen advocate|url=https://www.c-ville.com/crying-fowl/|author=|work=|publisher=|location=|publishdate=December 27, 2017|accessdate=January 13, 2023}}</ref> 

==Jefferson School==

The YMCA has also operated an office in the [[Jefferson School City Center]]. <ref name="dp20101212">{{cite-progress|title=Jefferson School may get local historic designation|url=http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2010/dec/12/jefferson-school-may-get-local-historic-designatio-ar-711352/|author=Rachana Dixit|pageno=|printdate=December 12, 2010|publishdate=December 12, 2010|accessdate=December 13, 2010|cturl=}}</ref>

==After-school programs==
In 2019, the Piedmont Family YMCA took over the after-school programs in [[Greene County]]. In 2020, they were in negotiations to run the CLASS program in the city of [[Charlottesville]]. <ref>{{cite-progress|title=City schools in talks with YMCA to partner on after-school program|url=https://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/city-schools-in-talks-with-ymca-to-partner-on-after/article_25f8c612-b029-530c-b8f7-6ba4cb4369a2.html|author=Katherine Knott|pageno=A1|printdate=February 3, 2020|publishdate=February 3, 2020|accessdate=February 10, 2020}}</ref>

==Personnel==
===Board of Directors===
====2009====
{|class="wikitable" border="0" width="40%"
|+ '''2009 YMCA Board of Directors'''<ref name="website" />
|[[Kurt Krueger]], Chairman||Lee F. Hicks
|-
|William G. Wardle, Vice-Chairman||Kristin O. Landis
|-
|Suzanne Jessup Brooks||Kathy Marshall
|-
|Gordon C. Burris||[[Stephen McLean]]
|-
|Rip Cathcart||Timothy Redden
|-
|David B. Ern||Stephen F. Smith
|-
|Lawrence W. Gimple, MD||
|}

===Staff===
*[[Jessica Maslaney]], Chief Executive Officer

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External Links==
*[http://www.piedmontymca.org website]
*[http://www.Yitmatters.com website about planned McIntire Park facility]

{{DEFAULTSORT:YMCA, Piedmont Family}}
[[Category:Non-profit organizations]]