YOU project construction on hold as county struggles to raise funds

The Dutchess County community center with an indoor pool, flexible learning spaces, daycare, theater, climbing walls, gym and a teaching kitchen planned for the city of Poughkeepsie is struggling to raise the funds, specifically those from the state and federal government, required to move the project forward.

The Youth Opportunity Union, known as the YOU and estimated to cost $72 million, was slated to start construction by this summer. However, without the necessary funding the project is on hold until the county can lock in commitments from "public partners."

"The construction document development is on hold, and that's really a function of trying to make sure we don't spend the money unless we're serious about pursuing the project further," said Deputy County Executive Rachel Kashimer during an update to the county legislature at its April 4 meeting.

The county initiated the project in 2021 when it purchased the former YMCA property from the city. Since then, the only public funds raised have been one million through Rep. Pat Ryan and a $25 million commitment from the county.

Last year, Ryan had asked for $3 million in federal funds through the Congressional Directed Spending program. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had requested $10 million in funding from the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Most of that funding did not materialize.

“Investing in our kids is one of my top priorities in Congress," said Ryan. "Working alongside Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, I was proud to secure over $1M for the Dutchess YOU earlier this year. Going forward, I’ll continue to leverage every tool at my disposal to deliver for the Dutchess YOU, the city of Poughkeepsie, and hard-working families across the Hudson Valley.”

The county hopes to secure more funding from state and federal sources this year, including applying for the NY SWIMS grant which would provide $60 million toward 10 municipal pools.

The county also said it continues to talk with possible "public education partners" such as local school districts, BOCES and Dutchess Community College. It is also hoping for a site visit later this year from a "major national foundation" for philanthropy, though it did not disclose its name.

"I will just say, very transparently, we're at a place with this project that the funding gap is so large, it's really not at a place where we can go to our local donors and ask them for the thing that would put the shovel in the ground," Kashimer told legislators.

'A soaring architectural structure'

The YMCA was demolished two summers ago to make way for what former Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro had described as "a soaring architectural structure that brings people from all across the county into one safe space."

The county had purchased the building from the city in 2021 for $10 and a commitment that the county would give $25 million to the project. The YOU did not have a cost estimate at the time and no additional donors were committed to the project yet. Construction was expected to start in a year.

MASS Design Group had originally designed the community center to have an Olympic-sized pool, learning space, a teaching kitchen and recreational facilities. At 100,000 square feet, the project was estimated to cost $154 million.

In 2023, the size of the building was reduced to 60,000 square feet, as was the cost, coming in a little over $70 million. The Olympic-sized pool was replaced with a short-course competitive pool, alongside a family pool. The auxiliary gymnasium was removed and the theater spaces shrunk. The team optimized classroom sizes and created flexible spaces.

"We've really cut down on the 'nice to haves' and we tried to make this facility achievable," Christopher Kroner, who heads the design team at MASS Design Group, told legislators. "We're very very proud that we've been able to squeeze the building down to not reduce program areas, but to try to reduce it to its minimum costs at this moment in time," he added.

More on the project: Dutchess County youth center to cost about $70M to build

There have not been any discussions at this time about further reducing the size and cost of the project, according to the county.

The county stated that securing funding is "critical to making the YOU building a reality" and they are looking at every option before making any "final decisions."

"It could become a reality if the funding came along. I mean, that's the big 'if' and I think everybody knows that, but that's what we're here to make clear," Kashimer told county legislators.

Saba Ali: Sali1@poughkeepsiejournal.com: 845-451-4518

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Dutchess youth center on hold: What it will take to build the YOU