Good news for those of you who enjoy the athletic side of demolition: At the moment, crews from Cherry Demolition are hard at work taking apart not just the Downtown Y, but this iconic vacant Y on Willia St. off Waugh Dr. as well, just north of Spotts Park. It’s the former Masterson Branch YWCA, designed by Houston’s own Taft Architects in a blaze of postmodern glory back in 1979, opened in 1982, but left to collect mold spores since its closing in 2005. The property was purchased a few years ago by the Greater Houston YMCA, with plans to open a new Wortham YMCA on that location.
Swamplot reader Jason Ezer was on the spot yesterday and captured these views of the formal decommissioning ceremonies:
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- YWCA Masterson Branch [Taft Architects]
- YMCA of Greater Houston to purchase YWCA facility [Houston Business Journal]
- Early icons suffer the great collapse [Houston Chronicle]
- Previously on Swamplot: Daily Demolition Report: Y Willia
Photos: Jason Ezer (demo); Taft Architects (building)
I hope the new YMCA facility takes advantage of the prime views of the immediate Spotts Park, Buffalo Bayou and scenery. If I lived in that area I’d get a membership to run or cycle on a stationary machine with a view of green instead of a TV. Note: only cycle/run when weather was totally inclement.
Great pics Jason…I wondered what was to become of the site…many investors that were offered the deal 4 years ago could not get over the $75-85psf for the land asking price and then pony-up the demo costs, which would be enormous because of the huge pool inside, thus the mold.
PLEASE don’t let that place become more condos and ruin my enjoyment of Spotts Park.