1 Dowd YMCA Renovation & Addition
A
s a nonprofit committed to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, the local Y serves as a cornerstone of many communities. Swimming lessons, day camps, structured classes, individual workouts, community meetings, and basketball games all build fitness–and build relationships. People may join for the exercise, but soon come to realize that the Y offers something special: true diversity. People of all ages, races, backgrounds, and income levels use and enjoy the Y together. It’s a place of authentic overlap, a chance to get to know people outside of your neighborhood or your office bubble. The Y is for everybody.
A new circula tion spine unifies old and new; visual connections abound.
NG I RK K A C P DE
LEXI
NGT ON
L EL
DW L A
C
D EX OWD IS TIN
GB
GA
YM C
UIL
A
DIN
G
LLE
MO
RE
AD
RY
HE
DIT
AD
ION MOREHEAD ENTRY PLAZA
UP TO W
E.
LEX ENT INGT O RY PLA N ZA
SO
4
PRITCHARD BAPTIST CHURCH
ND
UT HE
SO
OU
TH
WN
BL VD
Charlotte’s iconic Central Y was one such storied place. Located on Morehead Street adjacent to Uptown in the booming South End neighborhood near historic Dilworth, the Central Y had served as Charlotte’s flagship Y since its construction in 1964. Over the years, a series of ad hoc additions and renovations had addressed pressing needs, but created a jumble of spaces. A long, thin sevenstory residential tower and other buildings with pools, fitness areas, racquetball and basketball courts, and locker rooms needed to be unified and updated for a new era of use. When it came time to undertake a major renovation, the client wanted to take advantage of the site’s highly desirable location along the pedestrian-oriented light rail system. Over the years, suburban Y’s had out paced metro Y’s in terms of facilities and amenities; however, with its proximity to Uptown and the diverse and growing population of South End, this project presented the opportunity to attract a broader membership and restore the branch to its former preeminence.
B E FO R E
The 50,000 SF addition was constructed in the former parking lot in front of the existing to wer, and a new entr y plaza welcomes members and guests.
7
Rather than demolishing the iconic buildings and starting from scratch, the client wanted to reimagine the existing facilities with a new look. The renovation started with developing strategies to address the key issue: how could the new design unify the buildings and make the
sprawling existing circulation legible? The assemblage of buildings also came with significant code issues to be unraveled, and solutions evolved over the course of a multi-year design process beginning in 2012. RENOVATED FIRST FLOOR PLUS GALLERY / STUDIOS FITNESS 600 SF
STOR.
SAUNA
MEN'S HEALTH CENTER
SERVICE
AREAWAY
160 SF STEAM
SHOWERS
ELEC
ELEC
SERVICE 1,960 SF
BOILER ROOM
MECH TOILET LAV
MEN'S LOCKERS 11,000 SF JAN.
SERVICE
STEAM
YOGA
200 SF
3,230 SF
STORAGE
UP
STOR
SAUNA
MECH
FUTURE SOCIAL INNOVATION
SERVICE 840 SF
CONFERENCE
SERVICE
1,790 SF
SERVICE
BARRE
610 SF
920 SF
NEW MEP WHIRLPOOL
2,150 SF
ELEC
LOBBY
EQUIP
SERVICE
7,750 SF
1,090 SF
AIR TR.
STOR.
CORRIDOR
LOBBY 720 SF CYCLING/FITNESS PRE-FUNCTION
FITNESS
GROUP EX DIR. / PERSONAL TRAINING
3,640 SF +8"
PILATES
FITNESS
+4"
820 SF
STOR.
OFFICE
SPORTS PERFORMANCE
420 SF
FITNESS
4,630 SF
1,720 SF
STOR.
RACQUETBALL
GYM
GYM
2,610 SF
840 SF
RACQUETBALL
RACQUETBALL
ELEC
STOR.
NEW RACQUETBALL CYCLING 70 BIKES
STOR. FIRE PUMP
SERVICE 890 SF
8
UP
UP
ELEC
UP
SERVICE LAUNDRY
290 SF UP
CORRIDOR
DUMPSTERS
RENOVATED SECOND FLOOR PLUS GALLERY / ATRIUM
DN
WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTER
ENTRY PAVILION
FITNESS
LOBBY
1,450 SF
DN
280 SF
Morehead Plaza
TLT STOR.
Primary Stair
SHOWERS
547 LOCKER FRAMES
WOMEN'S LOCKERS
LAV.
CONFERENCE 1,590 SF
WOMEN'S LOCKERS
VANITY
7,350 SF
TOILET
VANITY
STEAM
VANITY
SAUNA
POOLS
CHS UP
6,010 SF
LOBBY 520 SF STAIR DN
OFFICE 530 SF
STOR
FAMILY LOCKERS
POOL
1,320 SF
8,220 SF
LOBBY 820 SF
RESOURCE ROOM
INFANTS
STOR. STROLLER PARKING
TODDLERS
CHILD ENRICHMENT CENTER
OFFICE
CHAPEL
100 SF
130 SF
WOMEN
MEN
LOBBY
ELEV
1,070 SF ACCESS CONTROL
2,460 SF KIOSK CHECK-IN
ELEV
SERVICE 860 SF
LOBBY
ENTRY PAVILION
5,510 SF
DN
Connecting Gallery
PRO SHOP 345 SF
Lexington Plaza
C0-WORKING LOBBY
OPEN TO BELOW
2,950 SF
OPEN TO BELOW
DRY CLEANER 180 SF STOR.
LOBBY 180 SF OPEN TO BELOW
OPEN TO BELOW
OPEN TO BELOW
LOBBY DINING 1,130 SF
OPEN TO BELOW
CONFERENCE CONFERENCE 160 SF
140 SF
PATIO LOBBY 750 SF
KITCHEN DN
PATIO
1,030 SF SERVICE 350 SF
BRANCH STORAGE
DRY STORAGE
SERVICE 350 SF
ELEC
EXISTING Multi-disciplinary teamwork and coordination with a number of entities was critical to addressing these challenges. The general contractor joined the team early in the process to provide expertise on constructability and cost-conscious solutions, while a code consultant helped to determine the construction type and strategies for code compliance. The
ADDITION
design team worked closely with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Building Standards department to determine mutually agreeable life safety strategies including sprinklering the entire existing building. These productive working relationships proved invaluable as work progressed and various site conditions were uncovered, allowing for smooth communication and win-win solutions.
The new design created a 50,000 SF addition, renovated the existing 145,000 SF, and created a double-height central spine to clarify the circulation. This spine, a gallery space that runs between the existing tower and the addition, created visual connections into all the major activity spaces above and below it. A secondary circulation spine converges with the main gallery at the central controlled access point.
A two-stor y circula tion spine intersects the existing building and addition.
11
The refreshed Lexington Street entr y also provides a new plaza for early morning joggers to meet before a workout.
12
An entr y galler y overlooks the n ew Johnson Fitness Center which was reclaimed from underutilized racquetball courts .
New glass fronts for the racquetball courts add visibility and improve the player experience.
13
An independent clinic offers onsite health ser vices for member co nvenience.
15
The addition holds a new fitness center on the upper level and spaces for functional fitness, hot and cold yoga, and barre on the lower level. These spaces were designed as boutique highend facilities comparable to those in private studios, with an eye toward attracting women and millennials. The existing buildings house the pools, basketball and racquetball courts, a cycle studio, locker rooms, and a child watch area.
The child wa tch center is enga ging, cheerful, and visually connected to the fitness spaces.
Built-in amenities such as sea ting, ga thering spaces, and lockers keep the circula tion spine active.
17
The rooftop terrace with its views of the Upto wn Charlotte skyline has become a popular venue for outdoor training and classes, as well as social events in the evenings.
The yoga and barre studios off the first-floor spine crea tes a boutique experience tha t aligns with the YMCA’s goal of reaching a larger audience of women and younger members. The yoga studio was engineered to provide both hot and cool yoga within 30-minutes of class turnover.
Both formal and informal meeting spaces are a vailable for member and community use.
20
The double-height third floor fitness center provides ample space for multiple types of workouts. The eastfacing windo w wall provides a panoramic view of Upto wn Charlotte. The windo w wall includes shading devices tied to a sun-tracking sensor to ensure proper 21 solar control as required throughout the day.
This former basketball g ym was converted into a flexible space housing large-group exercise classes during the week and worship ser vices on Sunday mornings.
The overall aesthetic is simple, clean, and modernist, with references to the neighborhood’s historic brick mills and industrial buildings. The design retains exposed brick, wood, and concrete structural elements wherever possible, and the spaces are voluminous and flexible to accommodate evolving needs as fitness trends change over time.
22
As with any renovation, new design challenges were uncovered as construction progressed. The 12’ floor-to-floor heights in some spaces required creative problem solving in collaboration with the Mecklenburg County Building Standards Department and a code consultant on the design team. The cycling studio proved particularly complex, and the planned parking structure needed to be relocated when a water main running underneath the footprint was identified. (The parking deck ultimately landed on a separate adjacent site, and this Y branch is the first in the region to have structured parking.)
Former back-of-house space with typical lo w floor-to-floor heights was converted into a large tiered cycling studio.
24
The Morehead Street eleva tion ser ves as a “billboard” allo wing commuters to se e the activity within fitness spaces into the evening. A large stair to wer se r ves the rooftop outdoor fitness and running track, combining egress with ca rdio workouts.
The seven-year process, from initial proposals in 2012 to conceptual drawings to fundraising to construction, was completed in the summer of 2019. The resulting design restored one of Charlotte’s major beloved civic institutions to its former preeminence to serve another generation of community members. The addition is designed to expand vertically to accommodate future growth as needed, and the design concepts were so successful that the Y is hoping to replicate strategies from this project in other regional projects. As in a fitness journey, success in a multi-year project requires patience, motivation, consistency, planning, and hard work. The process itself is part of the experience, and the return on investment is, ultimately, immense.
PROJECT TIMELINE
Preliminary Studies & Proposals
2016
2015
2013
2014
Contractor Selection
On-site Parking Studies
Site Rezoning, including Parking Deck on South Blvd.
5th - 7th Floor Renovation
Pritchard Site Rezoning
Demo & Construction Begins
Renovations Complete
Addition & Renovation Drawings
2019
2017
2018
Pritchard Parking Deck construction
Addition Opens
28
.COM