Details Emerge About Plans For Former Smith Family YMCA

JOLIET, IL —Katy Leclair, who became president and CEO of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA last month, provided an update last week about the site of the Smith Family YMCA, which closed permanently this past March.

Leclair told The Times Weekly.com on July 29 that the sale of the facility, located at at 1350 S. Briggs St., could take place in early fall. The deadline to submit bids for the facility was May 21, and The Times Weekly.com reported that multiple bids had been submitted.

"We are currently completing our due diligence and working through the (bidding) process set out by our Board of Directors," said Leclair, who replaced former president and CEO Jim Watts, who retired.

Leclair explained what the organization's leaders are looking for in a buyer:

"(A buyer that) brings the highest value for the YMCA, so we can reinvest those funds into our community and who is committed to serving the community, especially residents in the areas surrounding the Smith Family YMCA," Leclair said.

LeClair said the Board of Directors would be discussing developments in the sale process at its August meeting, as it looks to finalize the sale in the coming months.

According to The Times Weekly.com, two of the organizations known to have submitted a letter of intent about purchasing the Smith Family YMCA facility are the Morning Star Mission, a homeless shelter in Joliet, and The Will County Board.

While the Morning Star Mission would not offer details about its plans for the 26.5-acre site and 28,000-square-foot building, Will County said its plans include food, farming and housing for veterans.

The county said it would transform the site into a food hub, which would include a processing and packaging facility for food that is grown on-site and brought in by Will County famers A commercial kitchen/commissary, would be used for food preparation training programs and to create products for sale and distribution.

Additionally, the site would include space for traditional farming and exterior and interior hydroponic growing, and training programs would be offered in food growing. Plus, there would be a grocery store, full-service daycare and a place to host senior activities and summer programs, according to Will County.

The rest of the property would be used to aid veterans, with housing provided for homeless and housing insecure veterans. There also would be programs to assist veterans with job skills training and education.

Will County indicated it would enlist the help of several local organizations to help manage the programs at the facility, including: the National Hook-up of Black Women, Inc. Joliet Chapter, Illinois Partners in Hope, the Veterans Community Project and the Veterans Assistance Commission.

The Smith Family YMCA has served residents for nearly 40 years, but last February, the now former Greater Joliet Area YMCA CEO explained to Patch why the facility was closing.

"The challenges of the past 12 months have provided our YMCA with an opportunity to take a long, hard look at the programs we offer in the Joliet community," Watts said. "The Smith Family YMCA has proudly served residents of Joliet since 1978, but in recent years, its most impactful programs have operated outside of our YMCA walls and in the community."