The YMCA of Florida's First Coast is relocating the Arlington YMCA to the Boleros Cultural Arts Center at 10131 Atlantic Blvd.
Nikos Westmoreland, YMCA vice president of communications, said Monday the Y does not own the Boleros property but has entered into an agreement "through the generosity of the Barco Family to assume operations."
The Barco Family Foundation Inc. owns the property. Westmoreland said many of the dance and performing arts programs offered by Boleros will continue.
Westmoreland said the facility will become a YMCA to serve the Arlington community. The existing Arlington Y occupies a 12,000-square-foot storefront at 9119 Merrill Road. Westmoreland said that lease expires at end of the year.
"The new location on Atlantic will be four times the size and provide us with opportunities to offer new programming in the areas of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility that we may or may not be offering elsewhere on the First Coast," he said.
Westmoreland said the first phase of renovations will consist of about $150,000 in contracted construction work as well as some YMCA-performed work with the help of volunteers.
It will open in December as the Arlington YMCA. Naming opportunities are available.
The city approved two sign permits Friday for a ground sign for "Arlington YMCA" and a wall sign for the YMCA logo on the property. Harbinger is the sign contractor.
The Arlington YMCA's family program center remains based at 8301 Fort Caroline Road, while the wellness center will relocate from Merrill Road.
Westmoreland said the Fort Caroline Road location is used primarily for day camp and youth sports throughout the year and for other family programs. It includes a gymnasium, a recreation field, a swimming pool and a splash park.
The Boleros Ballroom Facebook page describes Boleros as a multifaceted 40,000-square-foot building including a 9,600-square-foot grand ballroom as well as a dance center and ballet center.
Boleros offered "an escape into a world of rhythm and music; professional dance, and theater education; entertainment for children and adults, relaxation, wellness and much more."
As The Florida Times-Union reported in October 2000, Boleros Dancesport, Health & Wellness Center Inc. opened at the address. Its dance floor, health and beauty spa facilities, separate instruction rooms and retail space bore no resemblance to the building's former use as a furniture store.
The center has been available for private functions, too.
The Barco Family has long supported the Y. The Barco-Newton Family YMCA branch operates in Fleming Island.
One change so far is that the Alhambra Theatre & Dining cast, which had been rehearsing at Boleros, rehearsed for its current show, South Pacific, at the Players by the Sea theater at Jacksonville Beach.
Chase plans Downtown branch
Chase Bank takes its plans for a Downtown branch to the Downtown Development Review Board meeting Thursday.
Chase proposes to open a branch at 100 W. Bay St. and modify the first-floor building façade, specifically the corner at Bay and Laura streets.
Chase proposes a new window, entrance and portico treatment.
The board is part of the Office of Economic Development and the meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday in the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall.
Other action items are conceptual review for the 220 Riverside Unity Plaza improvements and a request for final approval
for a deviation for off-street parking for Harmony Dental Laboratory.
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