The brand new YMCA planned for the corner of Griggs Rd. and Martin Luther King Blvd. will be the first ever named after a professional sports team: The Houston Texans. Construction is expected to begin later this year. The new Third Ward facility is meant to be a permanent replacement for the old South Central YMCA between UH and TSU at 3531 Wheeler, which was abandoned for temporary digs in a storefront on Scott St. several years ago.
At a press conference yesterday, officials from the YMCA and the Texans described the new complex as just part of a larger partnership between the two organizations.
Hey, isn’t Palm Center the planned location for the start of the Southeast Metrorail line? So the Y will mark the beginning of athletic training for a lot of kids . . . plus the start of train riding for a larger group. Cute.
After the jump: A tiny picture of the new facility, plus . . . that light rail map!
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Here’s a view of the new YMCA, from Channel 2’s report.
And a closeup of the southeast portion of the planned Metrorail route for 2012:
Only 16 stops and two transfers from the new YMCA at Palm Center to Reliant Stadium!
- Texans announce Houston Texans YMCA [Houston Texans]
- Houston Texans Team With YMCA To Open Facility [Click2Houston]
- Texans, YMCA collaborate on Third Ward facility [Houston Business Journal]
- Southeast Corridor Updates [Metro]
Drawing of future Southeast Corridor light rail line on MLK near Madalyn Ln.: Metro; Metro map: Christof Spieler
Where did the Headlining picture come from? I’m assuming that’s where The Y will be located?
It’s from the Metro Southeast Corridor Updates page (the fourth link below the article above). It’s not a drawing of the YMCA site, but it shows what the rail line will look like just north of it (on MLK near Madalyn, as the photo credit says). You’ll find a photo or two of the Y site (mostly of just the sign) if you follow the first two links at the bottom of the article.