Editor鈥檚 note: This story was originally published by the , a news partner of 漏 2024 外网天堂.
Granite City was already dealing with vacant buildings and other downtown deterioration in 2004, when the YMCA moved out of a landmark four-story brick building on Edison Avenue.
Since that time, government officials, business people and community leaders have been working to turn things around.
Their efforts got a big boost this summer.
A nonprofit development organization has completed a $11 million renovation on the old YMCA building, turning it into an apartment complex for artists, veterans and others with incomes at or below 60 percent of the region鈥檚 median. Tenants are now moving into its 37 units.
鈥淲hen it was a YMCA, I came here swimming,鈥� said Randy Carter, 66, a retired warehouse employee who鈥檚 renting a one-bedroom apartment. 鈥淚 used to stay in Madison. I鈥檓 getting out of a great big house.鈥�
The new Edison Avenue Art Lofts are part of a larger into a thriving arts-and-entertainment district. Plans call for the complex to eventually include an art gallery and studio space for visiting artists.
Renovations were made possible in part by nearly $3 million in federal and state historic tax-credit equity, requiring contractors to save many original features. The 1924 building had been four years ago.
The city essentially . The organization is based in St. Louis, but it also works on neighborhood-revitalization projects in the metro-east.
The city had owned the YMCA building since 2005, according to the Madison County assessor鈥檚 office.
鈥淭he city held onto it, waiting for the right development,鈥� said Brenda Whitaker, director of art, entertainment and tourism. 鈥淪o this has been a long time in the making.鈥�
Whitaker also owns three restaurants and serves as executive director of .
Interior had 鈥榮een better days鈥�
Rise started renovations on the old YMCA building in early 2020, working with Altman Charter Co.
While in used for United Service Organizations (USO) housing, Halloween haunted houses and police tactical training. It also had sat vacant for long periods.
People sneaked into the building and painted graffiti on walls and caused other damage. Trash and debris included shell casings from police-fired blanks and coffins and other props from haunted houses.
鈥淪tructurally, it was in good shape, but the interior had seen better days,鈥� said Mark Stroker, director of real estate development for Rise.
Altman Charter coordinated with architects at to create 25 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom apartments, all with different floor plans.
The complex has an industrial feel, embracing its past as a health and fitness center. Wooden bleachers line a hallway leading to five loft-style apartments carved out of the old gymnasium. They showcase original brick walls and maple floors and reproduction lighting reminiscent of the 鈥淗oosiers鈥� basketball era.
Other historic features include the lobby鈥檚 black-and-white tile floor and oak woodwork and reception desk; a stained-glass window over the entrance; and a brick fireplace with the triangular YMCA logo.
鈥淲e redid all this,鈥� said Mark Ehlert, project superintendent for Altman Charter. 鈥淚t was in shambles when we got here.鈥�
Also saved were the wooden doors lining hallways on upper levels. They once led to dormitory-style rooms, where the YMCA allowed down-on-their-luck men to stay in the 1920s and 鈥�30s.
The dance studio and racquetball courts have been converted into apartments. The complex also offers a computer lab, exercise room and laundry.
The non-functional, glazed-brick swimming pool on the lower level will be left alone for now. Officials hope someone will open a coffee shop or other business in an unfinished commercial space.
Focus on artists and veterans
by a private limited partnership, including Associated Bank as principal investor. The complex is overseen by a Rise affiliate, Stroker said.
All 37 apartments are rented. They range from 500 to 991 square feet and cost $525 to $750 a month.
Rents were required to be 鈥渁ffordable鈥� since the project received more than $6 million in federal low-income housing tax-credit equity, as well as loans from Madison County and the state of Illinois.
Tenants can be any age as long as they meet income requirements.
鈥淭he development is who are interested in living downtown, (where) amenities such as City Hall, restaurants and coffee shops, a movie theater and parks are within walking distance,鈥� according to a blog post by Larry Perlmutter, communications and development director for Rise.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned soon. People interested in renting apartments can put their names on a waiting list by contacting McCormack Baron Management at 618-271-6970 or edisonavelofts@mccormackbaron.com.
One person excited about the downtown project is longtime , 89, a retired schoolteacher and coach who worked at the YMCA from 1949 to 1956.
Champion was still in high school when he started in the 鈥渂oy鈥檚 area,鈥� where men and boys checked in their clothes before going swimming in their 鈥渂irthday suits鈥� (nude). The YMCA even had a boxing ring, helping to produce multiple Golden Gloves competitors.
Champion eventually earned $4,200 a year. He and his late wife, Sue, didn鈥檛 have much to spend on their wedding reception in 1953, so the YMCA management allowed them to use a small room for free.
鈥淭he YMCA was the center of everything in Granite City in the 1930s, 鈥�40s and 鈥�50s,鈥� Champion said.
In 2004, the Granite City YMCA moved to the former Tri-City Regional Port District, now America鈥檚 Central Port, and became that they were ending health and fitness programs due to COVID-related losses and transitioning to a youth-development center.
Teri Maddox is a reporter with the , a news partner of 漏 2024 外网天堂.
