January 2025
At Next, we are excited about the future!
Next is a thriving 50 plus community center with 2,300 members who come to Next to find enrichment and quality programs in a welcoming and safe environment while also serving thousands of non-member residents by providing essential support services necessary to remain healthy and independent.
With a growing membership and an aging community, we have long outgrown our facility, the Midvale Center owned by Birmingham Public Schools. Unable to secure a long-term lease as the schools plan to expand their Early Childhood Program, Next has been looking for a new home for quite some time.
In July 2023, The city of Birmingham bought the YMCA building at 400 E. Lincoln Street to be the new home for Next, with Next contributing half a million dollars to the purchase. We are already busy thinking about the possibilities a building with new amenities can offer the community, and now properly serve seniors well into the future.
You may have heard the project has changed from the original plans. Back in 2023, we believed the YMCA building would require a modest renovation of three to five million dollars to accommodate senior activities. But after a very thorough feasibility study, the Birmingham City Commission deemed the building unworthy of renovating, and instead, voted to build new.
With a blank slate, the city commission spent quite a bit of time contemplating many different scenarios for the new facility. Originally, the YMCA planned for a small presence in the building as their focused shifted to Royal Oak. However, those plans changed. The YMCA wanted to reestablish their commitment to the area at the same time that many YMCA swimmers and residents expressed the strong desire to keep the pool.
With that in mind, the city commission concluded the community would be better served from a combined space for senior services provided by Next, the YMCA offering recreational programs for younger groups, and plenty of opportunities for the general public.
In order to make this project a reality, there is a lot to accomplish. Over the next several months, the newly hired architectural firm Neumann Smith will be working with all the tenants to design the perfect layout. It is anticipated that Next, the YMCA and community residents will have the space necessary to run the programs important to each group, while sharing much of the expanded areas such as the gym, fitness studios and workout facilities.
As the building is being designed, it is important that the city commission hear directly from seniors that represent a rapidly growing demographic. Special considerations for barrier free entries, lighting, sound and ease of navigation should all be studied as well as universal design standards for an aging population.
Please consider sharing your thoughts with the city commission and/or the Senior/Rec Ad Hoc Committee charged with oversight of the project. Both committees can be reached by email or in person. Please check the Birmingham city website for exact dates/times at www.bhamgov.org.
This new city asset will be enjoyed by community members of all ages for decades to come. Input from seniors will help shape the project and have a very tangible impact on the outcome. We encourage you to get involved.
Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next
