YMCA announces new location in proposed Assemble Chicago building

The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago has announced its plan to open a new 14,000-square-foot center. It will serve as the anchor tenant for the proposed 20-story Assemble Chicago residential building in the Loop.

This project aims to bring vibrancy and foot traffic to the area while promoting accessibility and livability for people with various income levels. The mixed-income building will have 207 apartments and is expected to cost $102 million, according to Crains.

Assemble Chicago is planned for the corner of Van Buren Street and Plymouth Court, with Community Builders/Studio Gang as the nonprofit developer. In 2021, the group won a city-sponsored green-building competition to redevelop the site and improve the adjacent Pritzker Park. 

The initial timeline was to begin construction by the end of 2021, but difficulties in obtaining low-income housing tax credits and other funding have delayed the project. Higher interest rates and limited bank lending have made financing difficult for developers.

Will Woodley, Midwest director of development for Community Builders, anticipates securing construction financing by next summer, with work commencing on the project in 2025. Woodley hopes that having the YMCA as the building's anchor tenant will help secure financial backing, telling Crain's, "It strengthens the overall project, and it's the right anchor tenant. That will help with financing."

The YMCA center will provide a range of amenities for Loop residents, including a half-gymnasium, fitness equipment, a drop-in child care center, and space for youth programming. 

The addition of the YMCA to Assemble Chicago will contribute to the project's broader vision of holistically supporting the Loop community. However, the exact timeline for the project remains uncertain as financing challenges persist.