YMCA proposed for Armory; Town Board votes ‘yes’ on moving ahead

The YMCA of Long Island is interested in Riverhead — and the Town Board appears to be interested in the YMCA.

The possibilities that presents were discussed briefly at the board’s work session last Thursday.

“The YMCA is ecstatic,” Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said of the proposal. 

The YMCA’s board of directors voted last week to approve the Riverhead Armory on Route 58 as a potential location for a YMCA and is asking the town to do the same, according to Ms. Aguiar. 

The Town Board did so Tuesday, voting 4-0 in support of the Armory location, with Councilman Frank Beyrodt absent. 

The resolution read: “The Riverhead Town Board supports the development of a YMCA recreation facility at the former New York State Armory and approves the Community Development Agency to enter into negotiations with the YMCA of Long Island.”

Since the formerly state-owned property was given to the town, state action will be needed for it to become a YMCA, officials said. 

The issue was raised last week when Councilman Bob Kern mentioned that the YMCA’s board of directors had passed a resolution in support of establishing a YMCA at the Route 58 Armory, which has been vacant for years. The state transferred ownership of the Armory to the town in 2001 and initially intended it to be used as a police department and justice court. But officials said the cost of that conversion was too high, approaching more than $20 million.

“This resolution is just to start the process, because they will have to raise a tremendous amount of funds.” Ms. Aguiar said. “We don’t have a lot of resources for our youth or elderly, and they will be able to use this as well.”

Mr. Kern said he’s been discussing the issue with builder Joe Petrocelli, who is on the YMCA’s advisory council for Long Island. 

Mr. Kern said the estimated cost of creating a YMCA at the Armory is between $20 million and $40 million — and noted that the town would not be responsible to pay for any of it. The cost, he said, should be divided equally between the YMCA and a group of wealthy entrepreneurs who support the initiative. He said the money was available the last time a YMCA was proposed, but the there was disagreement on the location. 

A written statement from Anne Brigis, president and CEO of YMCA of Long Island, said: “We are committed to serving all youth and families, especially those who need us most in Riverhead, and all of our Long Island communities. Every community deserves a YMCA.”

“We are working closely with the Town of Riverhead, said Mary-Beth Cousen, YMCA of Long Island’s director of marketing and communications, in an interview. 

The idea of a YMCA in Riverhead has been floated in the past, with the late Joe Van de Wetering of Baiting Hollow leading the push, which he deemed “Peconic YMCA.”

A number of locations were considered, but several encountered community opposition and none was ever seriously pursued. 

The Town Board ended its support for the plan in late 2012 after the YMCA changed much of its leadership. 

The proposal before the town now is merely seeking support for the proposal.