The West Essex YMCA is preparing to leave its 50-year-old building for a new, 54,000-square-foot facility in Livingston, with a targeted opening in December 2026. The approximately $32 million project sits on roughly 6 acres at 304 S. Livingston Ave., the former site of Grace Lutheran Church, a short walk from the Y's existing home at 321 S. Livingston Ave.
According to NJ.com, the new center is planned as a replacement for the aging facility. The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges acquired the church property, according to the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges. The project cost is reported differently by the two sources: the YMCA materials describe it as approximately $32 million, while NJ.com reports $34 million.
A Much Bigger Footprint, Inside and Out
The new building is described by the Y as spanning between 54,000 and 56,000 square feet, more than twice the size of the original facility, with parking capacity expanding to 250 spaces. NJ.com reported that construction was about 65% complete and linked the larger site to demand for services the aging building could not accommodate.
The centerpiece is a 12,000-square-foot wellness center, which the Y says is three times the size of the existing fitness area and replaces a 3,500-square-foot space at the old site. The wellness center will include an indoor walking and running track. The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges adds that the wellness center will feature the indoor track.
New Pools, a Teaching Kitchen, and Inclusive Locker Rooms
The expanded aquatics center will feature a lap pool, a recreational pool, and a splash pad, per NJ.com's reporting. The facility will also house a community kitchen, intended to support nutrition education and healthy living programs, alongside additional gathering spaces and activities tailored to older adults.
On the design front, the new building plan includes three separate locker room configurations — Men's, Women's, and a Universal locker room with private changing stalls — according to the organization's own materials. The goal, per that account, is to bring wellness, recreation, education, and social services together under one roof while fostering social connections and community engagement.
Who's Paying For It
The approximately $32 million project has support from Valley National Bank and government funding.
On the fundraising side, the West Essex YMCA's capital campaign offered permanent donor wall recognition for pledges made by August 31, 2026, according to the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges.
Early Sign-Ups and What Comes Next
The YMCA's “Legacy Membership” initiative is closed.
The West Essex YMCA already runs the Peanut Shell Early Childhood Learning Center at the Regent Street office complex in Livingston and operates summer day camps, per the organization. The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges, founded in 1885, operates seven regional branches across New Jersey serving roughly 35,000 members and distributes more than $2.8 million annually in direct and indirect financial assistance, the organization says.
What Livingston records and YMCA data show
Livingston Township Planning Board records show the project received preliminary and final site approval after an April 5, 2022, hearing, with the decision memorialized May 17, 2022, according to the board's resolution. A 2022 Livingston redevelopment-area assessment described the existing West Essex YMCA building as structurally sound but affected by deterioration and inefficient interior layouts.
Recent YMCA figures also document demand for local programming. According to the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges' 2024 impact report, the West Essex YMCA's Peanut Shell Early Childhood Learning Center was serving 75 children through subsidized preschool programming, while the organization reported more than 19,309 summer-camp camper-week registrations in 2024, a post-pandemic record.
