Downtown Edmonton YMCA opens 90 affordable units by late fall after nearly nine years

The historic downtown YMCA building is nearly ready to welcome residents again. Williams Hall, the $35 million renovation of the structure at 10030 102A Ave., will open 90 one-bedroom residential units by late fall, marking the end of a nearly nine-year journey from planning to first occupants.

Each unit spans 300 to 450 square feet and rents for $1,028 per month, designated as affordable housing and targeted at students and young people working downtown. The building will also include commercial retail and office spaces across two lower levels and the main floor.

"The idea is to live, work, sleep, study here, and support the core as a whole," said Leah Kinsella, development manager at Beljan Developments, which acquired the property around 2018 to prevent it from being demolished.

The YMCA of Northern Alberta operated housing at the location for more than six decades before closing in approximately 2017, displacing around 120 residents. The organization cited the building as being at the end of its life and reported yearly losses of around $150,000. When Beljan took over, the site required major demolitions and removal of hazardous materials. Work halted during the COVID-19 pandemic before resuming in 2023.

The building is a patchwork of additions built across different eras. The original YMCA opened in Edmonton in 1908 near the 102A Avenue location; the main structure was constructed in the early 1950s; pools, gymnasiums, offices, and housing units were added over subsequent decades. "It's like four or five buildings in one here," said Roger Lamontagne, project manager at Pagnotta construction company. "And we added two more floors."

Plotting utilities through sections built in different decades posed significant challenges. In the basement, the form of the original pool remains visible, complete with original tiles.

The project received government funding from the City of Edmonton, the Province of Alberta, and the Government of Canada. Construction on retail spaces continues; the residential area is nearly finished.

As HighOnCity reported in May, downtown Edmonton has been the focus of a summer campaign featuring over 1,000 free events, part of a broader effort to activate the core.