New Elmont community center to be operated by YMCA, NYS says

A new community center in Elmont will be owned and operated by the YMCA of Long Island as part of a new agreement between the organization, the developer of the UBS Arena and New York State, the state announced Thursday.

The YMCA of Long Island purchased the vacant office building at 570 Elmont Road for the new facility, closing on the property Thursday, the organization’s chief executive, Anne Brigis, said in an interview.

"It allows the Y to expand our footprint in Nassau County," Brigis said. "It gives us a rare opportunity to bring this sort of state-of-the-art community center right into the hub of Nassau County."

Brigis said the new 18,000 square foot facility will cost about $30 million to build. The existing building will be demolished, she said. The YMCA is planning to do outreach with the community to determine what kind of programming people want but they expect to have programsfor youth and seniors including wellness, education, a half-gymnasium for sports and community events. The center will take "years" to complete, Brigis said.

The organization purchased the property for $4.8 million, with $2.5 million coming from a state grant and the remainder from UBS Arena and the NY Islanders, Empire State Development, the Empire State Development Corp. spokesman Patrick McGovern said in an email.

Assemb. Michaelle C. Solages (D-Elmont) said in an interview Thursday that she and Nassau County Leg. Carrie Solages had worked to make sure the community benefits agreement with the developer included a list of requirements.

"We needed a train station, we needed a community center, we needed a [local] job requirement, and we needed the parks to be redone to our parks in the community," Solages aid. "I'm happy to report all those community benefits have come into fruition."

Leg. Solages said in an interview the center was in the "heart of Elmont" and "is a wonderful opportunity for the community to have a space where we could focus on the youth, focus on services for our elderly, focus on recreational activities."

The original agreement between New York Arena Partners, a consortium of the New York Islander professional hockey team, Oak View Group and Jeff Wilpon, and Empire State Development, the Empire State Development Corp., the state economic development agency, required the developer to construct, maintain and operate a 10,000 community center on the site, or pay $5 million, according to ESD staff and documents.

“New Yorkers made a commitment to deliver a community space in Elmont as part of the Belmont Park redevelopment, and today we are taking an important step to fulfill that promise for its residents,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “By working closely with community members and local leaders, we identified a site that is more accessible and better suited to serve families, seniors and young people for generations to come.”

Brigis said the developer will provide support for operations for 12 years. 

A spokesman for the Islanders referred questions to ESD Thursday.

Agency records show that in 2024 the developer was in talks with an unnamed operator about acquiring property and coming up with a budget for the center.

Brigis said talks between the YMCA and the developer had begun before the pandemic.

McGovern said the ESD agreed to consider an off-site location following input from the community, elected officials and stakeholders that "that an off-site location would be more accessible and convenient for the community."

Brigis said the location, on the same block as Elmont Memorial High School, was ideal.

Children will "come home the way they do all across Long Island and find their home at the Y in the afternoon, and there’ll be programming there to help them reach their potential," Brigis said. "This location is outstanding. The proximity to high school is outstanding. There's a vibrant church community across the street. It's a great neighborhood with a lot of going on."