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YMCA breaks ground on conversion of Lyric Theater

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After a 37-year absence from downtown Kansas City, the YMCA is moving in at 1029 Central Street.

The work began on Friday as donors, volunteer, officials and members of the community gathered for a ground breaking ceremony.

The 92-year-old building housed the Lyric Theater until is closed down years ago.

The project costs around $35 million, with $16.9 million from the 11th Street Corridor Tax Increment Financing District.

The 62,000 square foot YMCA will include a kids zone, indoor family pool and lap pool, indoor wood floor gymnasium, multiple studios for group exercise and much more.

"We think this will continue to revitalize this part of the community, downtown as you know continues to transform itself and we just want to be a great neighbor to continue that as people continue to live downtown," said David Byrd, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. 

The Y has also partnered with Truman Medical Center to offer a medical clinic inside.

Officials at the ceremony stress that this renovation isn’t just about bringing a new gym to downtown KC, but make it a place for the community to hang out and come together. 

"To come back, people are coming back downtown, families are moving back downtown , just services and programs are starting to explode downtown Kansas City and have been for a while and we're blessed to be a part of that," said Mark Hulet, Senior VP of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City.

The renovation is expected to be completed by Spring of 2021.