Alexander Family YMCA Renovation and Expansion
Raleigh, N.C.
Year in Showcase: 2009
Project Description
In the complete overhaul of an existing 1960s-era YMCA building — the city’s flagship YMCA — the design team responded to city planning requests for both a second street entrance and for positioning the new building at the sidewalk’s edge on one of central Raleigh’s main arteries that is being reconceived as a new-urbanist, pedestrian-oriented streetscape.
By incorporating windows and glass into the design, the facility is not only bright and cheerful on the inside, but it is also welcoming from the outside. Pedestrians walking by can see exercise studios, the track and basketball courts, and the light and activity now add to the vibrancy of Raleigh’s downtown.
Though the interior design is modern — it employs significant use of glass, vibrant colors and clean lines — it doesn’t ignore the building’s past, which is woven throughout the facility in finishes and graphics. Examples include the reuse of the YMCA’s old gymnasium floor as artwork in the new lobby, as well as the reintroduction of materials and textures such as wood paneling, slate-like flooring and glazed ceramic subway tile found in the original facility. The building’s existing exterior raised-aluminum YMCA signage was also reused, and this time backlit.
Project Details
Associate Architect: Triangle2 Partners; Marblehead, Mass.
Architect of Record: Quick Associates; Raleigh, N.C.
Construction Cost: $16 million
Square Feet: 94,000
Occupancy: November 2008
Vendors
Basketball Backboards/Supports:
Porter Athletic Inc.
Chemical Control Systems:
Chemtrol, Div. of Santa Barbara Control Systems
Dryers:
UniMac
Elliptical Equipment:
Precor Incorporated
Entertainment Systems:
Cardio Theater
Floor Finishes:
Action Floor Systems LLC
Flooring:
Dal-Tile Corp.
Flooring, Aerobics:
Action Floor Systems LLC
Flooring, Fitness Center:
Mondo
Free Weight Equipment:
Ivanko Barbell Co. Inc.
Free Weight Equipment:
Troy Barbell & Fitness
Handicapped Equipment:
Spectrum Aquatics
Lockers:
Lyon Workspace Products
Rowers:
Concept2 CTS Inc.
Scoreboards/Timing Systems:
Nevco Scoreboard Company
Shower/Toilet Partitions:
Scranton Products
Stair Climbers:
Life Fitness
Stair Climbers:
Precor Incorporated
Stationary Bikes:
Life Fitness
Strength Equipment:
Cybex International Inc.
Surface:
Action Floor Systems LLC
Surfaces, Basketball:
Action Floor Systems LLC
Surfaces, Track:
Mondo
Treadmills:
Life Fitness
Treadmills:
Precor Incorporated
Wall Padding:
Aalco Manufacturing Co.
Washers:
UniMac
