HOBOKEN — After closing suddenly more than a year ago, the Hoboken/North Hudson YMCA on upper Washington Street said last week that they finally received financing to renovate the facility and eventually reopen to the public.
According to a press release, “On November 7, 2011, after years of intense planning and perseverance, the Hoboken North Hudson YMCA successfully completed a complex financing transaction resulting in grants from the State of New Jersey and Hudson County as well as Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits in excess of $14 million in the aggregate. The critical funds, extremely difficult to obtain given sharp declines in government revenue and the depressed economic environment, are being used to renovate and expand residential units at the Y’s historic 1927 building.”
The Y plans to renovate their existing 96 units of low-income housing. Right now, approximately 20 men are living in the units. Paul Somerville, president of the board of directors, said that the other low-income units were never re-rented when the men left, so that they could be renovated.
The Y suddenly suspended most services in March of 2010 when they couldn’t get financing to keep it open. This set off criticism in the community because staff and patrons of the health club said they received no warning. Some did not know where to turn to get membership refunds.
Somerville said the facility is still functioning in one respect.
“While most people think we are closed, we never abandoned one of our core missions—that of providing housing to low-income men who continue to live there,” he said.
The first phase of work is to be completed by December 2012.
Somerville said that the facility hopes to raise more funds so they can return to providing recreational services.
“Through fundraising efforts, we intend to segue into the second phase of our renovation including the pool and fitness spaces so that this community center can be placed back in service for all of Hoboken and Hudson County,” said Suzy Walsh, CEO of the Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA.