Charlotte YMCA to close Morrison branch, redevelop NoDa location
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The YMCA of Greater Charlotte will sell its Morrison branch in south Charlotte and upgrade several branches, including the Johnston YMCA in NoDa, the nonprofit announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: This marks a pivotal moment for the YMCA as it seeks to modernize both from a facilities perspective and financially in a post-pandemic world.
Driving the news: The organization is selling the Morrison YMCA for $42.5 million to Moments of Hope Church. The site will become the church's new home and potentially a school.
- The deal is expected to close by summer 2027. The Morrison YMCA, which serves 4,200 households, will stay open throughout that period.
- Programming at the Morrison YMCA will ultimately shift to other nearby branches. Branch members will continue to have access to all YMCA locations, with more details coming in the coming months.
Zoom in: The beloved NoDa location will be redeveloped in phases, and the YMCA of Greater Charlotte will continue to own and operate Johnston Y's main facility, a YMCA spokesperson tells Axios.
- Redevelopment will include the smaller building on the site. This will be a mixed use project on part of the property and a developer will lead this part of the project. Construction is expected to begin in the next 12 to 18 months.
- The main building will remain open throughout redevelopment, which will include modernization and expansion, plus making sure the entire campus is activated.
By the numbers: The total cost of the NoDa project is TBD. It will include $5 million in federal funding.
The big picture: This is part of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte's $100 million vision to transform its facilities into community gathering spaces, CBJ reported.
- Selling the Morrison site means the organization has funds for other projects, including the Johnston YMCA, Stratford Richardson YMCA, Harris YMCA and Hemby Program Center.
Catch up quick: The Johnston YMCA — a longstanding community institution that opened in the 1950s — was expected to be sold to a developer, but the deal fell through.
What they're saying: "To scale our impact, we need strong centers, strong teams and strong financial stewardship," YMCA of Greater Charlotte President and CEO Sue Glass said in a statement. "This work is about building a YMCA that is ready for the next generation of Charlotte."