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Building History

Former Pomona architect Robert Hall Orr (1873-1964), who later moved his practice to Los Angeles, designed this brick-faced, Georgian Revival building for the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in 1919. Orr apparently offered the YMCA's backers two choices, one a more stripped-down solution costing $75,000, and the one that was actually built, a more elegant, $110,000 design with more decorative flourishes. Construction began on 06/15/1920, and was finished for dedication on 04/18/1922. (See Monica Rodriguez, Pomona Daily Bulletin.com, "Former Pomona Valley YMCA building’s new owner has big plans for historic structure," published 08/15/2017, accessed 01/24/2021.)

The building served the community's YMCA from 1922 until about 2012. Along the way, women were allowed to use the pool on a restricted basis a year later and admitted as members in 1949. (See Monica Rodriguez, Pomona Daily Bulletin.com, "Former Pomona Valley YMCA building’s new owner has big plans for historic structure," published 08/15/2017, accessed 01/24/2021.)

Raymond Adamyk, President of Spectra Company, a firm specializing in historic renovations, purchased the former YMCA for $2.65 million from Sheng Ma LLC, a company that had planned to reuse the building as an art school. In 2017, Adamyk expected to spend an additional $7.5 million to transform the former YMCA into a multi-purpose building, including as an headquarters for Spectra.

Alteration

As detailed in 2017, Adamyk planned to install a new cafe in the YMCA’s southwest corner. Other first-floor spaces such as gymnasia would be repurposed as conference rooms or assembly spaces, while the former handball courts were intended to become art studios. Adamyk ear-marked the second floor for office use by up to 30 non-profit organizations. One of the non-profits he planned to house was House of Promise, a group he ran, that funded faith-based recovery centers in La Verne and Ontario, CA. He hoped to utilize 50 rooms on the third floor as spaces for affordable, SRO-housing for men.

The former Y’s day-lit basement was to be remodeled into space for Spectra’s 160 employees. A basement pool was to be covered over and reconfigured into open-plan office space for his staff. Adamyk planned to remove mosaics in the pool for re-use in other public spaces in the building. (See Monica Rodriguez, Pomona Daily Bulletin.com, "Former Pomona Valley YMCA building’s new owner has big plans for historic structure," published 08/15/2017, accessed 01/24/2021.)