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YMCA History


Ashikaga

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Now I remember something else from 1963, when I was five years old. I remember my mother taking me to a YMCA on Interstate 610 near Gulfgate Shopping Center/Mall for swimming lessons. I remember that the building was at least five stories high. It that place still there?

Chet Cuccia

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Guest danax

It's also still has the workout facilities. One of the directors came to our civic club meeting promoting it as a health club alternative.

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  • 5 months later...
Chet i used to work around this area, I now work near 610 and kirby. You can see the YMCA in the picture i took. IM000434.JPG

Yes, the part that can be seen does look like the one that I remember back from the early 1960s. I remember that it was on Interstate 610 just down from then-Gulfgate Shopping City. It has withstood the test of time. When did you take that photo? Thanks.

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Yes, the part that can be seen does look like the one that I remember back from the early 1960s. I remember that it was on Interstate 610 just down from then-Gulfgate Shopping City. It has withstood the test of time. When did you take that photo? Thanks.

about two years ago, It looks the same, 'cept the gas station changed name to Valero.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I too used to go here as a kid. I remember sleep overs at the Ymca. watching movies in the gym in sleeping bags. I remember swimming lessons they had an indoor and outdoor pool. I must have been in daycare there as I remember an arts and crafts time, I might have even played soccer or something I was pretty young. I'll have to ask my mother if she put me in daycare there.

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I too used to go here as a kid. I remember sleep overs at the Ymca. watching movies in the gym in sleeping bags. I remember swimming lessons they had an indoor and outdoor pool. I must have been in daycare there as I remember an arts and crafts time, I might have even played soccer or something I was pretty young. I'll have to ask my mother if she put me in daycare there.

I lived in Houston from 1962-64. It was sometime during those years that I went to that YMCA on Interstate 610 for swimming lessons. I'm now 48. I don't know if you also went there during that time or not.

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  • 1 year later...

Time to resurrect another old topic!

Has any one discussed the old YMCA downtown? It has been there for eons it seems.

My mom said she used to take my big sister for swimming classes there a very long time ago. So it was way before my time. Miracle it hasnt been imploded and maybe thats not a bad idea. They could build a state of the art new YMCA. I am all for that! :)

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  • 3 months later...

I went there for summer programs around '74 thru '76. It was called East End back then. I remember getting lost on our YMCA trip to Astroworld, and just hanging around the building doing nothing. I used to go upstairs someplace there and shoot pool, and remeber some shady looking types playing pool in there. I also shot BB gun tournaments there in the yard.

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I went there for summer programs around '74 thru '76. It was called East End back then. I remember getting lost on our YMCA trip to Astroworld, and just hanging around the building doing nothing. I used to go upstairs someplace there and shoot pool, and remeber some shady looking types playing pool in there. I also shot BB gun tournaments there in the yard.

Since we are on the subject of YMCA, etc. I wanted to ask a few questions. My family went to free swimming lessons at several schools thoughout Houston. This practice may not exist any more? I mean the FREE part.

Around 1968 we took summer classes where I got my "Beginner's" badge. Next summer 69 got the "Intermediate Swimmer" badge. 70 got "Advanced Swimmer then finally "Lifeguard" badge. Not bad for a 10 year old I guess.

The Lifeguard lessons and tests were the most grueling.

Stephen F Austin High School offered classes at the pool underneath the huge gym. This was our summer hangout. Another big community attraction and was next to the East End Ball park on Dumble. The city must have had a deal going to give free to the public then. Has that ended?

All I can say was that our teacher Ms Hawburger was one tough lady and she made sure we all learned the right way! It was like boot camp, no joke! I can still hear her shouting "breath! breath! as you swam you had to make sure you kept the rhythm going as you did the "crawl" or "butterfly stroke". Funny thing is even after all these years any time I dive off a diving board or jump in a pool, all those memories come back. The sounds and the whole swimming pool atmosphere/experience are as if I'm still in 1969-71ish.

Kind of cool actually. Going to Glenbrook Pool was the highlight of the summer. It featured one of Houston's 1st Professional Olympic sized diving platforms. The equivalent of jumping off a 2nd story building. No kidding! It is still there too. Memories...

Sounds silly but our swim teacher was determined we learn right. Sure would like to express my thanks to that woman one day. Forever grateful. :blush:

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  • 4 weeks later...
about two years ago, It looks the same, 'cept the gas station changed name to Valero.

I found this photo dated May 1964. It was a swimming class that I was in at that YMCA. On the back in faded ink is stamped (I think): "Work of Art Studio, 5701 Edgemoor, Houston 36, Texas, MOhawk 5-4793." Maybe someone has a phone book from back then to check and see if this number is right. I wonder if that place is still in operation after over 40 years ago?

Who knows? Maybe someone out there knows one or more of these guys in the photo.

post-3393-1186419265.jpg

post-3393-1186419403.jpg

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I found this photo dated May 1964. It was a swimming class that I was in at that YMCA. On the back in faded ink is stamped (I think): "Work of Art Studio, 5701 Edgemoor, Houston 36, Texas, MOhawk 5-4793." Maybe someone has a phone book from back then to check and see if this number is right. I wonder if that place is still in operation after over 40 years ago?

Who knows? Maybe someone out there knows one or more of these guys in the photo.

Great photos! It's too bad the kids names were not written on the back somewhere. I was only lucky that we could recall the name of our swim teacher, Mrs Haburger, taught swimmig lessons at Stephen F Austin Sr High during summers and had a partner named Marilyn around 1969-72.

As far as the studio, that's my dilemma. This weekend I found many good old photos with the studio names printed on edges. You will be real lucky to find in existance and especially if they "archived" the pics. I understand most would toss out if public didnt buy them. :angry2: Don't let that slow you down in finding. Search for old negatives, I did and was stunned to find the old Galveston pics from 1956. Negatives are 100% better. The pics look as if taken last week. Luckily were in color too!

One of my best finds was... well, I'll surprise later in other topic. Oh well, it is Houston history!

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  • 10 years later...

Not to necropost, but this was the only thread I could find referring to this specific YMCA...

 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Deal-of-the-week-Cossaboom-Family-YMCA-to-get-12994522.php

 

Quote

 

Deal of the week: Cossaboom Family YMCA to get new use as gym and self-storage project

 

By Katherine Feser

June 14, 2018

 

Friendswood attorney Jerome Karam has purchased the shuttered 1950s-era Cossaboom Family YMCA on the South Loop for his next project.

 

Karam, who is behind redevelopments such as Texas City’s Mall of the Mainland and Galveston’s Falstaff brewery, plans to repurpose the property into a five-story gym and a separate 45,000-square-foot self-storage facility. The gym, Maxx Fitness, will contain up to 38,000 square feet with a focus on cardio equipment. Opening is targeted by November, Karim said.

 

The YMCA cited future flood risks as a reason for selling the facility, which has flooded multiple times and was damaged in Hurricane Harvey. The building is at 7903 South Loop East near Interstate 45

 

Craig Guidry of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties represented Karam, who purchased the building through JMK5. Mark Nicholas of JLL represented the YMCA in the sale. The price was not disclosed.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...
  • The title was changed to YMCA History

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