Baker Youth Club is in talks to buy the soon-to-be-unoccupied Kosciusko County YMCA building in what Y CEO Chad Zaucha calls a win-win-win. Zaucha said Monday he’s hopeful the deal works out for BYC to buy the YMCA’s Smith Street location after it moves to its new Mariner Drive spot. BYC will have to first sell its own West Market Street building, said Executive Director Tracy Furnivall, who announced the plan during Friday’s BYC Madness fundraiser. “Our desire is for this to happen. It would be a win-win-win for Baker, the Y and our community,” said Zaucha, though nothing is solidified yet and the building is still on the market. “We’ve been looking for an answer for what to do with our facility to make sure it can continue to serve and impact our community.” The youth club would be trading a newer but smaller building for one originally built in the 1960s but with three times the space, at 45,000 square feet. The problem is that BYC is landlocked, Furnivall said, with little room to expand to accommodate the growing number of kids who attend activities there. “We’re seeing 120 to 130 kids a night. It’s a little chaotic most nights,” he said. “It’s a shame, this building is only eight years old and it’s brand new on the inside (but) this option was best for us, rather than trying to raise $500,000 to $700,000 for a small addition.” He said Baker’s asking price for its own building would cover purchase and renovation of the Y’s facility, without having to raise funds. Renovations would include filling in the pool to save insurance and maintenance costs, and turning it into a sports and banquet space, he said. They’re wrapping up a feasibility study to determine what other renovations might be needed. BYC would be the only tenant of the building for the first year. He said if they find they have extra space they may lease it out after that, but noted they might need the space back later. The YMCA expects to move to its new facility by December, so Furnivall said his goal is to move in by March or April 2015.
