YOUNGSTOWN YWCA Face-lift project

Major components of the 18-month, $8.6 million renovation and expansion project include:

Replacing 36 single bedrooms, which now have common bathrooms, living rooms and kitchens, with 30 self-contained apartments for disabled or low-income single women and women with one child on the top three floors and a portion of the second floor of the five-story building.

A new child-care center will be located in a state-of-the-art expansion on the south side of the building and will include an outdoor playground.

The first floor of the building will be renovated to provide space for retail operations, start-up space for women and minority-owned businesses, and areas for job training programs. Office space or other specialty retail space will line each side of the remaining hallway. A curio and arts/crafts shop with items featuring local artists and crafters will also be part of the first-floor plan.

The two-story gymnasium space will be historically restored and used as an all-purpose community room. Space adjacent to the gym will be redeveloped for YWCA administrative offices.

The swimming pool will be demolished and replaced with an indoor garden at the corner of Rayen and Phelps.

Infrastructure work will include new electrical, plumbing and heating and a new elevator and windows will be replaced. There will be a new entrance on the west side of the building with a new elevator to serve all floors.

Source: Youngstown YWCA