The Ymca That Time Forgot: An Abandoned Detroit Landmark
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- Опубликовано: 22 апр 2023
- In todays video we will be exploring an abandoned YMCA in Detroit, Michigan. The historic YMCA dates back to 1925 when it was one of several other YMCA’s built throughout the city of Detroit at the height of the city’s economic boom. This part ular YMCA was designed by noted architect Albert Kahn in a beautiful brick Neo Romanesque architectural style with gorgeous moorish art deco details throughout, which eventually became part of Kahn’s signature and sought after architectural style.
The YMCA branch offered a wide range of activities and programs, including swimming, gym, dancing, arts and crafts, and also educational classes. The branch also had a strong focus on community service, providing support and resources to local schools, hospitals, and other community organizations.
Throughout the 1940s and 50s the YMCA branch continue to grow and expand. It soon became recognized for its state of the art facilities, including its Pewabic-tiled swimming pool, its gymnasium with the Detroit staple circular track around the top, its large library, and it’s grand ballroom.
During the 1970s the YMCA branch started to face many challenges as enrollment began to decline and in 1980 the cash strapped YMCA was forced to close their doors for good.
Shortly after closing, the massive building was transformed into a community mental health center for people dealing with severe and persistent mental illness.
It remained such until 2018 when that eventually closed down as well, leaving the historic YMCA completely abandoned.
As of 2023, the YMCA still sits abandoned, but it is for sale.
With Detroits focus on redevelopment in every corner of the city, we hope it will only be a matter of time before someone can save another part of Detroits history.
And that’s going to wrap it up as we end yet another video from abandoned central. we want to remind everyone that you can check out more photos from the historic Ymca and our other locations at abandonedcentral.com And y’all know the deal, please subscribe to our Abandoned Central channel on RUclips so that you don’t miss any of the latest videos. Thank you everyone for all the continued support. 
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I can’t believe how good everything still looks!!! Thank you for sharing such a beautiful gem of Detroit with us!!!
FYI: The safest place in the "hood" is the public library. Just say'n...
You would think that but here in Tulsa a dude in north Tulsa which is the hood walked into a library shot a random person in the back of the head killed him walked to a nearby QT gas station and shot another man in the back of head
I use to 🏊 swimm in the place every day. I was on the swim team or trying too I was scared of the deep end but we played pool ran track. Between the years 81until 84 me and my friends caught the grand river bus every day. Outstanding job Blogger I enjoy the memories of the YMCA on Dexter ave.💯👌👏👏👏👏👏
The thing I like about Detroit is all the beautiful 20th century architecture in buildings especially downtown
A true gem of a bygone era. Architectural design schools could just hold class inside. Thank you so much for sharing. BTW, the running track in the gym would be BOSS for skateboarding!
Thanks for watching our video John!
Those "offices" on the upper floors were rooms that were rented to YMCA members, much like a hotel. IIRC there was a song in the 1970's about this. I can't remember the name of the song though. 🤷♂️
I used to go there for an after school program in 1978. I remember running laps on the elevated track.
Thanks for watching our video Dan. Hope it brought back some good memories for you.
Another great explore, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching Amanda!
Coooolest Pool ever... Nice.
It really was! Thanks for checking out our video!
Your love and respect for the old YMCA is evident! Thank you for taking us on the tour.
Your urban explores are excellent. Gives a great overview of the building.
Thanks for the support Mark!
Love the architecture.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This building is beautiful. I love the ornate detail of old architecture
Thank you for sharing beautiful Architectural Designs
Our pleasure! Thanks for watching.
Wow. I played ball against Tony Smith from Saginaw in that gym. I was just 16 and he was at UNLV .
So this was an institution? Sweet ! I would bet that it is active at night with Paranormal Activity !!!!!! Their machines would probably be beeping and lighting up constantly!!!! So many restless souls wandering the halls , I would love to go there at night!!!!!
Our towns Y.M.C.A. in Waukegan opened it's doors in 1925, it closed in 1987. People used to live there until 1979. The pool was in the basement, the gym also had the same track on the second floor. It was redeveloped,, but to my knowledge nothing has been done to it since.
Thanks for your hard work.❤
Wow so very cool hey guys!!!!❤❤❤😊😊😊
Glad you like it Jeanae! Thanks for watching.
Awesome job on this exploration.
Thanks for the support Mike!
Another great video guys!🙌🙌
Thanks Alison!
I remember playing in this gym. You couldn't shoot the ball deep in the corners the ball. Will hit the bottom of the track
Where is this YMCA, it's not the Western Branch one by Clark Park.
Man someone needs to reopen this place it would do this community some good I learned how to swim in that building 50 cent a day we all went the whole community went there back in the day my first time Yolanda Bullard pushed me in deep and I fought back to the edge 🤣🤣🤣and as crazy as it might sound that's how I learned we had wonderful times as a kid in that building
They say it's fun to stay at the YMCA...
Wow……nice job!
The chandeliers in the ballroom are modern. The canopies are shallow. Deeper canopies would have been still the style in the 1920s. The sconces are also modern. The "faces" on the fireplace ironwork are DRAGONS. Dragons/fire Get it?!? Oh, and the book at the center of the YMCA logo is the Bible. "YMCA" is the Young Men's Christian Association. Hell, I'm a JEW and I know THAT much. 🤷♂️
That's what I said Dragon's, go to Europe there's 1000s of year's of history
Beautiful building I went to Denby from 98 to 01 I ran on those signature tracks hanging from the ceiling and walls
The song YMCA comes to mind village people did that song
It's a good song
Very good thank you!
God this world is in such decay and waste
Thanks to drug addicts and no ethics in this country on historic places. Go to Europe they restore everything of their history we let rich people tear everything down and drug addicts tear it all up for crack and heroin
Great video!!
Thanks for watching!
Your voice is Asmr ❤
Thank you so much 😚
That gym was so cool
Such a shame that they can't use this to help house some homeless to help them get on their feet, same with abandon schools
Has everything in Detroit been abandoned at least one time?
Damn someone needs to skate that track in the gym 🤙
I always think that whenever I explore gyms with these.
@@abandonedcentral I'm surprised it hasn't been done yet least not that I've seen
Thanks for sharing🏚
Thanks for watching Brenda!
@@abandonedcentral You're welcome😊
Late 80s cell phones
@@abandonedcentral Hey bro this building isn't as bad as you say, it's still very restorable, however if the hoods get two more year's this place will be completely stripped and burned up! Someone has to save this place
News flash ALL YMCA ARE BUILT THE SAME BASKETBALL COURT WOTH ROUND TRACK UP TOP...THE BUILDING PLAN SEEM TO HAVE ALL THE SPECTS....WITH A POOL AND WEIGHT ROOM DOWNSTAIRS.. and back to the basketball court and the round track above it kinda makes it hard to shoot a deep jump shot from the corners...lol and some ymcA have rooms to rent or live in..
I need to get those phones !
The building is an easy fix
The people Not so much
You're right about that.
Oh go to Europe like Pompeii or Herculaneum in Italy it's everywhere from 2k years ago, lot's of history there in Europe, 1000s of years. Here in America we don't have much and when we do rich people tear it down or zombies like in Detroit tear it all up. That tile is all over Pompeii and Herculaneum etc etc, oh that television isn't "old school" it's only from the 90s not the 50s
Sad to think someone will scrap the place out
re-use / recycle.
This the old ymca in downtown across from the Fox theater??
😢 when did the Historic YMCA close?😂
do we know which mental health hospital was there?
😌😌😌❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for watching!
Why has this building been abandoned? I remember a song that I currently have on my playlist, "YMCA". Is it related to this place??
either detroit starts to restore there older building or there wont be a detroit shameful?
No jobs no people no people no tax money
The only way it could happen is if MANY people from the surrounding suburbs move back into the city....and that probably ain't gonna happen. Then again, who knows?!
I wonder if that tile is radiated?
What street is this and what’s your obsession with Pewabic tile it makes the place look insanely institutional ?
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
Sorta ironic, any guesses at how many "unhoused" individuals could benefit from this place? Why not get a TV channel interested in it before it's stripped!
It's still beautiful the ball room etc, those zombies at night will destroy that place in one year like they did to everything else! Do something to save this place tell the city or someone or the Ngly bear crack heads will rip that place apart! 😡
#replaycrew
We truly appreciate the support!
Is this the YMCA on Jefferson?
I thought that they torn that building down
Nope this is currently still sitting abandoned.
The decay is not a good thing.
Didn’t ymca use to mean young men’s Christian association? Seems like I heard that somewhere.
Was the mental health place there before or after the YMCA moved into the building?😂
YMCA first then mental health facility.
What a cool explore and it’s not even rotten out yet. Killer job Guys keep up the good work. I enjoy the channel very much !
🫵😎💯
Glad you enjoy our videos. Thanks for the support!
The zombies will destroy this place in two years tops, very frickin sad.