Pensacola considering demolishing Malcolm Yonge Gym, may become affordable housing site

Jim Little, Pensacola News Journal
·2 min read

The Malcolm Yonge Gym may soon be a thing of the past.

Last month, a city assessment of the old gymnasium at the corner of East Jackson Street and North 10th Avenue determined the building was structurally unsound with extensive rot throughout the building's distinctive arches.

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said while nothing has been officially decided, city officials are considering other uses for the land like affordable housing.

Speaking at his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Reeves said the city has a few options: repair the building at a high financial cost, sell it or tear it down to use the land for something else.

"We've got to see what the best decision would be," Reeves said. "I can't come up with a scenario where I would feel comfortable with us selling the property with the building,"

The city of Pensacola is debating whether to repair, demolish or sell the Malcolm Yonge Center after discovering rot and other structural concerns.
The city of Pensacola is debating whether to repair, demolish or sell the Malcolm Yonge Center after discovering rot and other structural concerns.

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Reeves said there's likely a significant financial cost to repair the building, but it's not clear if the building is worth repairing.

The option of demolishing the building will be considered, Reeves said.

Pensacola leased the Malcolm Yonge Gym to the Lighthouse Private Christian Academy in 2022, but after city officials discovered structural issues with the building earlier this year, the school had to move out.

No decisions have been made because the city was waiting to meet with Lighthouse Private Christian Academy to discuss whether the school would be willing to spend the funds on a $40,000-plus feasibility study for repairing the building.

Reeves said they met last week, and both the school and city agreed they would not move forward with a study.

The city of Pensacola is debating whether to repair, demolish or sell the Malcolm Yonge Center after discovering rot and other structural concerns.
The city of Pensacola is debating whether to repair, demolish or sell the Malcolm Yonge Center after discovering rot and other structural concerns.

Reeves said the city would work out an arrangement with the school to provide city facilities to the school for a one-year period to align with the one-year cancellation period of the school's lease for Malcolm Yonge Gym.

Reeves said what to do with the property is up for discussion, but it could be used for affordable housing.

"We are in an attainable housing crisis," Reeves said. "Is there something that the city can do in terms of partnership with that? We haven't had any substantive conversations around that yet, but those are the things that we'll start exploring."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola may demolish Malcolm Yonge Gym, explore affordable housing