Empire State Development announced the opening of The JAY Wellness Center on the SUNY Jamestown Community College (JCC) campus in Jamestown. The facility is a collaborative project between SUNY JCC and the Jamestown Area YMCA that combines community wellness, athletics and youth development under one roof.
The overall project is a $48 million development, and the state awarded $3 million through the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council to support the work. Phase One renovations of the existing JCC Physical Education Complex are complete, and the YMCA has moved its downtown membership operations into the campus athletic facilities. That shift maintains local access to cardio, strength-training, aquatic and indoor track spaces while partners continue full-scale development.
Planned next phases
Planned future work described by project leaders includes:
- Construction of a new Health and Wellness Center comprising roughly 58,000 square feet to expand YMCA services.
- A new Early Learning Center funded in part by a $2.89 million state grant awarded to JCC. The childcare facility is scheduled to open in September 2027 and will include infant, toddler and preschool classrooms and outdoor play areas, with capacity for more than 100 children in partnership with the YMCA.
- Athletic field overhauls to convert campus grounds into premium turf fields with custom overlays for varsity and community baseball and softball.
Officials highlighted both community benefits and regional economic impacts. Hope Knight, president and CEO of Empire State Development, said the project modernizes athletic assets, creates childcare capacity and expands workforce wellness, calling The JAY a catalyst for talent retention and job creation in Chautauqua County. SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and Jamestown Area YMCA interim CEO John Barber also praised the partnership as a model for blending campus resources with community programs.
The historic downtown YMCA on East Fourth Street remains open and continues to run programs including a Teen Center, youth camps and community basketball leagues while the campus site develops.
Project updates and further details are available from the Jamestown Area YMCA website and SUNY JCC News and Notes.
