Illinois Business Journal - New design, functionality spurs YMCA membership

With three new award-winning facilities built and three more in the planning stages, the YMCA Southwest Illinois is stepping up to the plate with a marked increase in membership, sporting buildings that show the "fun" side of the largest nonprofit community service organization in the United States.

The O'Fallon YMCA and Rec Center facility, which opened in February 2001, recently won a national YMCA design award. The recognition included design as well as a successful partnership between architect, general contractor, the YMCA and the community.

Bill Reichert, president of EWR Associates Inc., said one way the design of YMCA clubhouses differs from private clubs is durability.

"With a private club, membership is in the hundreds, whereas a YMCA can have thousands of members," Reichert said. "There's also more of a control aspect in the YMCA, so that the front desk has a view of the building to help monitor what's going on."

Heavier physical activity of YMCA occupants plays a role in choice of materials, Reichert said, calling for specialized air conditioning, particularly in the pool area.

O'Fallon's YMCA is the third facility that YMCA Southwest Illinois has built in the last few years. The first one, in Belleville, was also a national award winner.

Swansea-based Holland Construction Services Inc. served as general contractor for the Belleville YMCA; EWR Associates was the project architect.

"The Belleville YMCA was really a prototype and was the first newly built YMCA in a long time," Holland said. "It was challenging because it was built through the winter months. Since it was a prototype, there were many things to work out and coordinate with the architect."

EWR also designed the recreational centers in Collinsville, Maryville and Troy.

"When we designed these buildings, we wanted them to be pleasing to look at and a 'fun' place to be," Reichert said. "The O'Fallon YMCA has a second floor running track that passes several different areas so the scenery changes for the runners and walkers. It's not a traditional circle track, where you see the same thing. It overlooks the lobby and utilizes the spaces to advantage, melding everything together. It borrows light from some spaces and brings it to others."

Reichert said traditionally YMCA buildings have been squarer in design. EWR altered the scale of the buildings by how each exterior is designed so the facilities are more playful. The more modern YMCA design has an almost sculptural aspect to the building; as guests approach, they have a real desire to find out what's going on inside.

"Because these YMCAs are such active buildings, we try to portray that in the exterior designs," Reichert said. "The O'Fallon building is markedly different than the other two."

The transition of the O'Fallon YMCA - from its previous home in a small, leased building to the new facility - has had a dramatic effect on membership. Since doors of the new building opened some 20 months ago, membership has increased from about 800 to 7,600.

Holland Construction Services and EWR Associates also teamed to complete the new St. Clair Country Club, a $5 million project. Along the same lines, EWR Associates also recently completed a $5 million project just outside Belleville.

Bruce Holland, president of Holland Construction Services - the firm that built St. Clair Country Club - said the country club's combined needs of golf, food and athletic services called for careful planning.

"In replacing the old building, we added some space and a lot of functionality."

Country club project manager Joe Dusek said that the project was particularly challenging due to site constraints.

"The rooflines of the old and new buildings were about a foot apart," he said. "We ultimately tore down the old building. But in order to continue club operations, the old structure remained standing until the new one was complete. There were golf paths within eight to 10 feet of the building, and we had to make sure they were kept in operation during the construction."

Reichert said research showed renovation of the old club would cost 80 percent of the dollars needed to build a new one; the new club seemed to be a logical decision.

Holland said some of the points that were addressed to give the club a more contemporary feeling included the positioning of the restaurants, which offer a better view of the golf course; a smaller dining area, meeting rooms and a large fitness room with saunas and massage space.

St. Clair Country Club also accommodates a swim team, so the addition of a 3,000-square-foot bathhouse and wading pool - along with the refurbishment of the swimming pool - were important to its members.