JACKSONVILLE, Florida. — A proposed plan to demolish a YMCA campus in a Jacksonville neighborhood to make way for an affordable housing complex is facing some opposition from local residents.
Jacksonville City Councilman Joe Carlucci confirmed Monday that a developer wants to convert the YMCA Youth Development Campus on Old Kings Road South into affordable housing.
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Carlucci said the YMCA is basically closed to the public and has been for some time. In fact, the location is not listed as an active location on the YMCA website and the parking lot and swimming pool are usually empty.
The Jacksonville Daily Record reported in 2021 that the 13-acre campus was sold to Virginia-based Monday Properties Investments for an undisclosed sum, but according to Duval County land records, the property is still owned by the YMCA.
The campus is also home to the New American Welcome Center, a program that supports the integration of immigrants in Jacksonville by providing services such as English language instruction and citizenship applications.
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Penny Zuber, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of the First Coast YMCA, told News4JAX that the sale of the property is under contract and the First Coast YMCA will continue operations at the site until the sale is completed.
“The First Coast YMCA is actively seeking a new permanent location for the New American Welcome Center so that we can continue to provide important programs and services to newcomers to our community,” Zuber said in a statement.
The board and leadership of the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast have decided to sell the duPont YMCA to offset financial losses related to COVID-19 in 2020, according to the Daily Record.
Alex Sifakis, president of JWB Real Estate Companies, is now proposing to create affordable housing on the site, Carlucci said.
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Although many city leaders are pushing for more affordable housing in Jacksonville, some residents of nearby San Jose are trying to rally support against the project ahead of a town hall meeting hosted by Carlucci on Wednesday.
“I asked for this meeting because our area does not need another apartment complex,” reads a flyer distributed by a resident over the weekend. “Old Kings Road is too small to handle the traffic for so many people… Everyone needs to come and voice their opinion on this and the impact on our neighborhood. Please join me as we need to do everything possible to keep our neighborhood intact.”
The town hall meeting will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the duPont Family YMCA, 7373 Old Kings Road South.
Carlucci said the project is in its early stages and he does not believe a zoning rezoning bill has been filed yet.
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