• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Health / Medicine / Old building in downtown Des Moines new home to YMCA

Old building in downtown Des Moines new home to YMCA

January 1, 2015 By Matt Kelley

YMCAA new facility that opened in Des Moines today is being billed as the largest downtown YMCA in the country. The 180-thousand square foot, 30-million dollar facility fills what once was the Polk County Convention Center.

The CEO and President of the YMCA of Greater Des Moines, Vernon Delpesce, calls it was a “perfect fit” for the Y. “It was a great repurposing of this building,” Delpesce said. “Our architect described it as ‘this building was a YMCA and it just didn’t know it.'”

There is one missing piece to the new Y — fundraising continues to complete an Olympic size swimming pool. “It will be an eight-lane, 50-meter pool, so we’ll be able to host major regional and national aquatic events here,” Delpesce said.

The old downtown YMCA building, which now sits empty, is located along the Des Moines River. It was opened in 1960. A Texas-based development company is reportedly interested in purchasing the property, but there’s no word what plans they have for the site.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Human Interest, News, Recreation / Entertainment

Featured Stories

Governor signs child care expansion into law

Iowa seniors have until July 1 to apply for new property tax break

Smoke from distant fires creates colorful sunrise in Iowa

DOT’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division to merge into State Patrol

Iowa’s governor approves liability limits for trucking industry

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa AD Gary Barta announces retirement

Iowa to visit Creighton in Gavitt Tipoff Games

Iowa and Indiana collide Thursday at B1G baseball tournament

Former Hawkeye joins Lisa Bluder’s staff at Iowa

Iowa rolls in B1G Tournament opener

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC