Family YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties Salem, Oregon

The YMCA has a long, storied history of impact in communities across the globe. For The Family YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties, that history would be ushered into the future from it’s new community center in Salem, Oregon.

A Efficient Facility for Community Programs

With 128 years of of service, The Family YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties had been operating out of their 92-year-old building with limited efficiency. The outdated facility cost more than $550,000 a year to maintain and lacked the accommodations necessary to fully meet the needs of the community. In order to advance it’s daily goals of strengthening a diverse array of family units and furthering other social issues, the organization expanded it’s program service model and now has a community center with the capacity to support it’s broader mission. The ability to provide youth development, healthy living and social responsibility is enhanced with the expansion of a number of facility features including a rooftop running track, heated indoor swimming pool, three-court gymnasium, and expanded community spaces. From sourcing regional materials to a natural lighting infrastructure and glazing that maximizes daylight harvesting, there are a number of elements designed (primarily with the HVAC system) to exceed code minimums with a sustainability-focused design. As owner’s representative on the project, Otak has guided the three-story, 51,000 square foot community center into development while maintaining it’s place in downtown Salem, Oregon.