Greater Long Beach YMCA Unveils Renovated Lakewood Plans

The Weingart-Lakewood Family YMCA has unveiled its plans for the renovation of its location on Woodruff and Carson Boulevard in Lakewood, just north of Long Beach.

The project, set to break ground in early 2014, will add an additional 10,000 sq. ft. of space to the already existing 25,000 sq. ft., including two additional group exercise rooms, a Family Adventure Center geared towards activities for families and children, and a space that has doubled in size for kids' activities. The expanded space is essential for not just those in Lakewood, but East Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens residents as well.

It follows the recent renovation of the Los Cerritos YMCA and ultimately expands on the rather large Greater Long Beach YMCA, which serves 30,000 visitors in 11 cities across the southern Los Angeles County area every year.

The design, helmed by Michael Bohn of Studio One Eleven (the guys behind the current Parc Broadway development unveiled earlier this year), mixes mid-modern post-and-beam style with contemporary natural accents like wood paneling, large amounts of glass and windows, and sustainable greenery and foliage.

The nine-month project is set to be complete by fall of 2014; the organization says that funding will be provided primarily through "individuals, corporations and foundations interested in investing in the project with room naming opportunities, and a community campaign to raise the needed funds to complete the project."