Boston YMCA files plan for Huntington Ave. project
By Greg Turner
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The YMCA of Greater Boston filed plans with the city to renovate its 316 Huntington Ave. facility.
The Y’s $25 million project involves demolishing the pool building and constructing a 23,000-square-foot addition housing an aquatics center, gymnasium and racquetball courts, according to plans released today by the Boston Redevelopment Authority.
“These are much needed improvements that are going to benefit the ymca members,” said Michael Connelly, a senior vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle, the Y’s project manager
The real estate company will try to time the construction with the adjacent Northeastern University dormitory project. The Y sold part of its property to make way for the 17-story Grandmarc dorm facing St. Botolph Street.
“We’re trying to catch up to that project so both projects can be built concurrently,” Connelly said. “It’s just better for everybody.”
The separate dorm project — which involves demolishing a century-old gymnasium — won BRA approval a year ago, but the project has been held up by a review by the Massachusetts Historical Commission and subsequent appeals.
The Y project has already received a go-ahead from the Boston Landmarks Commission but must undergo a state historic review.
“We feel that because our project is much smaller in size and scope ... that our review process will be more reasonable,” Connelly said.
