Historic Downtown YMCA to Close in 2025 as Building Converts to Affordable Housing
DENVER, CO – The Downtown Denver YMCA, located at 25 E. 16th Avenue, will close on December 30, 2025, as the organization completes the sale of its remaining portion of the building to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. The transition marks the end of 150 years of YMCA operations in downtown Denver and opens the door for a full conversion of the property into affordable and supportive housing.
For more than two decades, the YMCA and the Coalition have shared the building. In 2001, the YMCA sold most of the property to the Coalition while retaining roughly 45,000 square feet for fitness, wellness, camp programs, and community activities. The Coalition has operated permanent supportive housing on the upper floors, while the YMCA continued running its traditional programs on the lower levels.
According to the YMCA, the decision to close stems from two intersecting realities. First, Denver’s affordable housing crisis has intensified, creating increasing pressure for organizations to repurpose underused spaces for housing. Second, the downtown branch experienced significant membership declines following the pandemic, and usage never returned to pre-2020 levels. The YMCA describes the closure as part of its responsibility to optimize resources in ways that meet the city’s evolving needs.
With the sale, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will assume full ownership of the landmark property and expand its existing operations. Plans include renovating the current housing units, which today consist of 216 income restricted studios and single-room occupancy units, and reconfiguring the remaining YMCA space to add additional affordable apartments. The project will also incorporate expanded community spaces, supportive service offices, and a social enterprise component intended to serve both residents and the surrounding neighborhood.
YMCA staff will be redeployed to other branches throughout the metro area, and current members will be provided alternative downtown fitness options along with full access to the YMCA’s other locations.
Once renovations are complete, the entire building will transition into a consolidated affordable housing campus, continuing its long history of serving Denver residents facing financial and housing insecurity. The YMCA notes that while the closure is difficult, the organization sees the partnership with the Coalition as a meaningful opportunity to address one of the region’s most pressing challenges.
All project information was sourced from publicly available site plans, renderings, and permitting documents.
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All project information was sourced from publicly available site plans, renderings, and permitting documents.
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