YMCA of Metropolitan Denver officials are selling the organization’s North Capitol Hill location to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless in what leaders say is an effort to address the city’s growing affordable housing crisis.
The YMCA and Coalition have shared the space at 25 E. 16th Ave. since 2001, when the YMCA sold a majority of the space to the homeless nonprofit while continuing to operate wellness programs, adult sports and summer camps in the remaining 45,000 square feet.
Those programs will come to an end when doors close Dec. 30, allowing Colorado Coalition for the Homeless to convert the space into “affordable rental and supportive housing units, ensuring lasting solutions for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity,” YMCA and CCH officials said in a news release Monday.
The national YMCA organization opened the downtown Denver location in 1906, and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, according to nonprofit.
Renovations are expected to begin in 2027 and will include “preserving the building’s historic character,” officials said in the news release.
The last day of operations also coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Denver YMCA’s founding.
The one full-time and 15 part-time YMCA staff who work at the downtown location will be offered jobs at other metro Denver campuses or programs, President and CEO Breezy Bolden said in an announcement video posted on Facebook.
“For 150 years, the YMCA has evolved to meet our community’s changing needs,” Bolden said in a statement. “We’ll continue to do what we do best — providing quality early childhood education, helping youth build confidence through camp and out of school time programs, swim lessons and sports, and supporting the physical and mental well-being of adults through our wellness programs.”
Downtown Denver YMCA members can transfer their memberships to one of the other five locations in the metro, officials said.
“These affordable homes in downtown Denver are precious and desperately needed. We are proud to partner with the Denver YMCA to further both long-time Colorado-serving missions while honoring the legacy of this historic building.” Coalition President Britta Fisher said in a statement.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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