Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA

With 125 years of history in downtown, the Downtown YMCA entered a new era in October 2010 with the opening of an incredible new facility. Houston’s first Downtown YMCA was built in 1886. Fifty-five years later, in 1941, the YMCA building at 1600 Louisiana opened and served the downtown community for 69 years. The shiny facility, named Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA, offers an Art Deco–inspired lobby complete with chrome and neon. While the facility offers a multitude of 21st-century amenities, it maintains many of its predecessors’ building blocks. Fans of the previous building will recognize the old cornerstone and sconces, which were incorporated into the new LEED Gold–certified structure. A climate-controlled elevated track loop overlooks the wellness center so walkers and joggers can observe their fellow fitness enthusiasts as they log their laps. The new facility is being named after the Tellepsens because the construction family is the lead donor for the project, and the Tellepsens have been involved with the YMCA since 1910, with four generations serving on the board.

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