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The Haverhill YMCA is going back to the drawing board after the state recently rejected its plan to build a modern fitness and wellness center at Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill campus.
As early as 2023, the YMCA informally proposed a 60,000 square-foot health and fitness center; 10,000 square-foot early learning center; outdoor multi-sport turf fields and other amenities created in collaboration with Northern Essex and Central Catholic High School. Only the YMCA showed interest when the state formally opened bids a year later. Northern Essex Community College would have maintained shared access for its Police Academy and athletic programs.
Northern Essex President Lane A. Glenn recently told college staff there were too many obstacles in the way.
“We worked on a detailed process with the Massachusetts Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance that, unfortunately, due to rising costs and the complexities of navigating federal, state and local regulations, led to a decision not to proceed with the sole bidder on the project, the YMCA of the North Shore,” he said in a memorandum.
The college turned to the private sector two years ago as a mean of addressing $9 million in deferred maintenance at its 1971 gymnasium building.
Tracy Fuller, regional executive director for the Greater Haverhill Y, said she is confident the Y can find a suitable location in Haverhill to build a new facility.
“We were, initially, definitely disappointed. We were optimistic a bit initially when we were the only bidder. But at the end of the day, it just didn’t work out, so onward and upward as they say so that’s our plan. Our plan is to look for a great new location that will allow for the whole community to benefit on a great, modern YMCA facility,” Fuller said.
The Haverhill YMCA also planned to convert its aging 81 Winter St. property into affordable housing. The Winter Street building opened in 1955. In his statement regarding the change in plans, Glenn said the college remains committed to upgrading the fitness center.
“While our hoped-for public-private partnership to build new facilities and renovate existing ones is not happening as we had planned, we are continuing to look for other options to improve our health and wellness resources for our students, employees and community partners, and will share additional information as it becomes available,” Glenn wrote.
YMCA of the North Shore President and CEO Chris Lovasco told WHAV in an email he appreciated the process helped nurture a stronger relationship between the two institutions.
“We’re deeply grateful for the way in which this process strengthened the relationship between the YMCA and college leadership. I look forward to continuing to build collaborative programs, even as we focus on securing a new site for a YMCA facility that will deliver the state-of-the-art experiences and enhanced resources that the Haverhill community deserves,” Lovasco said.
In a related development the Y also must relocate its on-campus day care center due to construction and a lack of classroom space, Glenn said. The last day of the day care program at Northern Essex is Aug. 27.