Building Community, Strengthening Futures: The Hammond Family YMCA Transformation
Tonn and Blank Construction led the development of the new Hammond Family YMCA, a modern 120,000-squarefoot facility that became a premier community destination for health, wellness, and recreation. Located at 6532 Indianapolis Blvd in Hammond, Indiana, this $45 million project was a collaboration between the City of Hammond and the Dean & Barbara White Family Foundation, with construction successfully completed in December 2024.
This transformative facility provides year-round access to a range of amenities, including three pools, a wellness center, gymnasium, indoor track, multi-purpose studios, a juice bar, and a community meeting space with a teaching kitchen. The new YMCA serves up to 50,000 people annually and has created approximately 200 new jobs, contributing to Hammond’s economic growth.
Tonn and Blank’s team successfully executed major construction milestones, self-performing critical concrete work for both the building and pools. Key achievements included the completion of concrete pool tanks, structural steel erection, roofing, interior framing, and utilities installation. The final stages of the project involved flooring, casework, lighting, exterior paving, and landscaping, ensuring a polished and high-quality finish.
Now fully operational, the Hammond Family YMCA stands as a cornerstone of community engagement, offering inclusive programs and top-tier amenities to residents of all ages. Situated on a site that was once a blighted former mall property that sat vacant for decades, this transformation is not only revitalizing the YMCA but also breathing new life into the surrounding neighborhoods. Tonn and Blank takes great pride in delivering this landmark project, reinforcing our commitment to quality, innovation, and community impact.
Project Challenges
The construction of the Hammond Family YMCA faced a variety of challenges typical of complex, community-centered developments:
- Construction Logistics: Building on a downtown site presented constraints related to access, staging, and safety.
- Transition & Continuity: Ensuring a smooth transition from the old South Hammond YMCA to the new facility without disrupting critical services required detailed planning.
- Community Expectations: With deep community roots, the YMCA had to deliver a space that honored its legacy while embracing innovation.
- Safety Amid Complexity: Coordinating work in a tight urban site while ensuring top-tier safety standards demanded consistent vigilance and leadership.
Solutions and Execution
Tonn and Blank Construction, with deep expertise in community-focused projects, addressed each challenge with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset:
- Collaborative Planning: Early coordination with Crossroads YMCA leadership ensured all stakeholder needs were integrated from design through construction.
- Safety-First Culture: Tonn and Blank was recognized by CCS for outstanding project safety on the Hammond YMCA site, a reflection of meticulous planning and field leadership.
- Innovative Phasing: The team developed an efficient phasing strategy to enable key parts of the building to be completed on time and within budget while accommodating changes and refinements.
- Transparency and Communication: Regular progress updates and community engagement helped manage expectations and generate excitement as construction progressed.
The Hammond Family YMCA project stands as a testament to our proactive safety culture, with zero injuries despite an accelerated timeline and complex challenges. Our team implemented strategic safety measures to ensure every phase was executed with precision and care.
