92nd Street Y or YMCA for Downtown? CB1 Committee Can’t Decide By Ronald Drenger Torn between the 92nd Street Y and the YMCA of Greater New York, a Community Board 1 committee has postponed a vote on which institution to support in an effort to create a Downtown community and cultural center. At its Oct. 10 meeting, CB1’s Executive Committee was leaning toward the 92nd Street Y for its track record in putting together top-notch cultural programs, but feared the organization may not be completely committed to coming Downtown. “They seem to be a little more circumspect about going forward,” Paul Goldstein, CB1’s district manager, said after both Y’s made one-hour presentations to the committee. Friends of Community Board 1, the board’s fundraising arm, which had solicited proposals for a Downtown branch from both organizations, intends to seek a firmer commitment from the 92nd Street Y. The group will also further question the YMCA about how it would organize its cultural programming, something that the YMCA has little experience doing and that the committee felt was the organization’s main weakness. The two Y’s had submitted final proposals to Friends of CB1 on Oct. 4. An evaluation committee, made up of representatives of CB1 and the Alliance for Downtown New York as well as other community leaders, met with both institutions and visited their facilities. But it was divided over whom to choose and rather than make a recommendation to CB1’s Executive Committee, it presented a list of perceived strengths and weaknesses for each institution. The Executive Committee, in turn, which was scheduled to make its own recommendation to the full community board, which holds its monthly meeting on Oct. 15, put off its vote. The committee was impressed with both Y’s. Responding to guidelines laid out by Friends of CB1, the two organizations proposed facilities with recreational and cultural programs and a wide range of activities for children and adults, from basketball and swimming to art classes, childcare and seniors programs. Both Y’s also pledged to work cooperatively with existing Downtown businesses and groups that cater to children and families. Both institutions said they were “excited” by the prospect of coming Downtown. Paula Gavin, president of the YMCA of Greater New York, which was exploring a Lower Manhattan branch for more than a year before it was approached by CB1, and Paul Custer, the YMCA’s vice president of operations, said their organization was 100 percent committed to the project. But Sol Adler, the 92nd Street Y’s executive director, left open the slim possibility that after a nine- to 12-month feasibility study the Y could decide that opening a large Downtown facility was not the right move. If that happened, Adler said, the Y would help CB1 coordinate with another operator to make sure a community center was built. But some board members wanted more of a commitment. “If we really want to focus on a cultural center, I think there’s no question the 92nd Street Y has the experience and a leg up,” said CB1 member Anthony Notaro. “The problem is that I’m not convinced they will follow through.” Board member Mark Donnenfeld was less concerned. “I think the 92nd Street Y just has a certain way of doing things,” he said, referring to its cautious approach. “I don’t think they’re saying they’re not interested. I don’t think they will abandon us.” CB1 chair Madelyn Wils suggested that the 92nd Street Y may have more fundraising clout, and that the YMCA appeared to be counting more heavily on money from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the agency overseeing the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site and surrounding areas. Once CB1 chooses a partner, it intends to seek partial funding from the LMDC. The board and the chosen operator will also raise money from foundations, corporations and other sources. The 92nd Street Y estimated in its proposal that building and endowing the Downtown center would cost $100 million to $200 million. CB1 member Linda Roché suggested that the two Y’s cooperate to run the center or create separate cultural and recreational facilities, options the board may still pursue. The 92nd Street Y had said early in the planning process that it would run limited programs on the Jewish Sabbath and on Jewish holidays, as it does uptown, raising concerns among some members of the evaluation committee. But Adler said during his presentation to the CB1 committee that “in building the facility Downtown, if were going to be true to our feasibility study, we would have to be open the hours that the community needs us to be open.” In a straw poll at the end of the meeting, five of the seven Executive Committee members said they would favor the 92nd street Y if it made a stronger commitment, one favored the YMCA and one said he couldn’t decide.