About the renovation project

Downtown Nashville is building for the future, and so is its YMCA with a multi-million dollar renovation. The eventual result: a 90,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that will continue to meet the growing needs of downtown Nashville for decades to come.

What is happening

The YMCA of Middle Tennessee is embarking on a multi-million-dollar renovation of its Downtown YMCA as part of a major redevelopment of the property. When completed, the project will result in a 90,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that will continue to meet the growing needs of downtown Nashville for decades to come.

Renovation Highlights

Will the Downtown YMCA be closed during construction?

No. The newer portion of the Downtown YMCA building will remain open throughout the construction process. You can read about the latest construction updates here.

What will happen to the racquetball courts, indoor pool, gym and other facility amenities currently in the older part of the Y?

The rebuilt portion of the Downtown YMCA will include a variety of upgraded amenities for our members and community. This newly renovated space will feature a new basketball gymnasium, expanded wellness and functional fitness spaces, a new indoor aquatics area and pool, community meeting spaces, rooftop recreation deck, and more.

What does this mean for the Downtown YMCA?

The project includes demolishing the oldest section of the Downtown YMCA (the part built in 1973 & currently closed) and rebuilding a new and vastly improved facility that will re-connect with the newer portion of the Downtown YMCA (the part built in 2008 & still open).

Why is the Y doing this? How are you paying for this?

Opened in 1973, the oldest part of our facility was at an age and condition that necessitated significant improvements in order to maintain its relevancy and meet the needs of a growing downtown community, presenting us with the question of whether or not to renovate or rebuild the oldest part of the structure. By leveraging the value of a portion of the land on which it sits, we are able to reimagine and reinvigorate our Downtown YMCA with a multi-story structure on a smaller footprint. A reinvestment of this magnitude might otherwise be cost prohibitive and out of reach for our Y.

What else will be built on the property?

Giarratana Development will eventually construct a 60-story residential tower on the south parcel of the YMCA property he purchased in November 2022. The two projects--the new Y and the residential tower--will be completed by the same general contractor, but the residential tower is not a part of or being funded by the YMCA of Middle Tennessee. It will be a separate structure with separate ownership, but we look forward to having the new residents as neighbors.