Allegheny YMCA in Pittsburgh celebrates renovations with ribbon-cutting ceremony

– Chandi Chapman, WTAE, 6/5/26

"The Allegheny YMCA on Pittsburgh's North Side hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday afternoon to celebrate its extensive renovations and upgrades.

See inside the renovated YMCA: Watch the video here

Several community and state leaders attended the event on North Avenue, emphasizing the positive impact the improvements will have on the community, including those who use the YMCA for health and wellness and the men who live at the facility.

"Me living here is a transition, but the building itself is a transition because there are beautiful people here," said Melvin Canady, a YMCA resident.

The renovated health and wellness area is now open to the public, featuring new gym equipment, while the pool is expected to reopen next month.

"We'll have an updated pool. We have all state-of-the-art health equipment. Wherever you are in your health journey, we are here to help you," said Michele Chermello, executive director of the Allegheny YMCA.

"I would love to be able to say to our neighbors on the North Side that we're done. We are not," said Amy Kienle, president and CEO of YMCA Greater Pittsburgh. "We have a little bit of work to do, primarily on the single-occupancy units that are on the third, fourth and fifth floors. At the end of the project, we will have 89 units. But we are finished with most of the rest of it."

YMCA officials said about 90% of the work is complete, transforming the century-old, 38,000-square-foot landmark into a modernized, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant hub."