HAGERSTOWN – The Hagerstown City Council has announced plans to acquire the long-vacant YMCA building at 149 North Potomac St. in a $2.5 million purchase intended to unlock redevelopment in the city’s core.
A property stalled for decades
The building, once a centerpiece of community life, has been empty for more than 20 years. Generations of local families recall using the facility for swimming, basketball, fitness and youth programs. For many, it was a gathering place that anchored downtown activity.
Its decline began in the late 1990s when aging infrastructure and shifting demographics led to the YMCA relocating to a modern facility on Eastern Boulevard. Since then, the original downtown site has cycled through ownership changes with little progress toward reuse.
Private developers have largely stayed away, citing the building’s large size, dated layout and the cost of renovation. As a result, the structure has become one of the city’s most visible symbols of stalled redevelopment — a massive brick shell occupying a central block but contributing nothing to downtown vitality.
City steps in
Mayor William McIntyre said the city’s decision to intervene reflects both urgency and opportunity.
“This building has been sitting too long,” McIntyre said. “We know taxpayers will have questions, but this is about breaking the stalemate and creating an opportunity for redevelopment that benefits the entire community.”
The purchase agreement includes a 60-day inspection and study period. During that time, city staff will evaluate structural integrity, mechanical systems and possible redevelopment costs.
City officials emphasized that they do not intend to keep or operate the building long term. Instead, the goal is to stabilize it and prepare it for sale under the city’s competitive negotiated sale process, which invites developers to submit proposals.
Redevelopment goals
Council members said the most likely outcome will be a mixed-use redevelopment combining residential units with retail or office space. By returning the property to productive use, the city hopes to restore activity to North Potomac Street while also expanding the tax base.
Officials acknowledged that the city may eventually sell the property for less than it pays. However, they argued that the larger payoff comes if a developer invests millions into a full renovation.
Councilman Kristin Alshshier, who grew up nearby, described the purchase as an investment in long-term stability: “If the city steps in now and a developer later puts $15 million into this site, then we’ve succeeded in putting a cornerstone property back into productive use.”
Why it matters
For many residents, the YMCA building is more than a vacant structure. It is tied to memories of childhood sports leagues, swim lessons and community gatherings. Its closure left a gap downtown that has never been fully filled.
Bringing the property back into use, city leaders say, is about more than bricks and mortar. It is about restoring vitality to a block that once bustled with activity and signaling to investors that Hagerstown is serious about tackling its most difficult redevelopment challenges.
“This isn’t about the city owning another building,” McIntyre said. “It’s about taking action when no one else can and making sure this property has a future instead of being left behind.”
