Making Big Moves: The University YMCA Student Center is Getting an Upgrade!
REAL-TIME UPDATES
March 31, 2025
Celebrate the upgrades and check them out for yourself! From April 1–14, join the University YMCA Student Center with $0 down and no dues for April using the code UY10, either online or in person.
Parking information:
- UW-Tacoma’s Whitney Lot at the corner of S. 19th St. and Court D. is free for Y members Monday through Friday from 4:30-10:00pm. Request your pass at the front desk.
- Republic Parking on Court D. between S. 15th and 17th Streets is available for a discounted rate Monday through Friday.
- Coming soon, Y members will receive a full day of parking for just $2 plus tax before 9am and $4 plus tax if you park after 9am.
March 29, 2025
That’s it, folks, we’re DONE and officially back in business!
The front doors have reopened and we are BACK! Your upgraded Y has brand-new layouts, fresh equipment, and new spaces to explore! The second floor turf area is nearly there (just waiting on the glue to dry), and then it’s game on. We know it might take a minute to find your favorite pieces — but that’s part of the adventure! Go explore and make the most of it. And if you’re short on time or just want to get straight to it, we’ve put together a floor key to help you locate everything fast.
Heads-up to our strong squad — we know we’re a little light on plates right now. A delayed shipment is on the way, so thank you for your patience while we wait on reinforcements! The energy is high, the space is ready, and we can’t wait to welcome you back!
March 27, 2025
Big moves today! The first floor turf is being installed and will be fully finished tomorrow — the space is already looking next-level. Next up: second floor turf goes in tomorrow near the basketball courts, perfect for light workouts, stretching, and mobility. We’ll have cones, hurdles, and bands available in that space — just a heads-up: if anything disappears, we’ll relocate it to the front desk. Let’s keep it all in play and in place!
The second floor selectorized pin-loaded machines are fully installed but won’t be ready until Saturday — hang tight, it’s worth the wait. Meanwhile, the third floor is ready to roll! Racks, dumbbells, glute drive, and the adaptable tower are installed and available for use now — let’s get it!
Huge shoutout to Yuriy and Alsu for getting the grid system up where all our accessories will hang — it’s coming together beautifully. And no, we’re not showing off too much yet... because you’ll have to come down and see it for yourself. Trust us — you won’t want to miss this.
March 26, 2025
We’ve officially hit a major milestone — all 6 semi trucks have landed, and our space is filling up fast with the best of the best! Racks, benches, and machines are being assembled and coming to life one by one. And no, that’s not a thunderstorm you’re hearing — it’s the sound of new equipment being built and gains being made!
Brian, one of our rockstar installers, was fully in the zone today—and even took a moment to strike a pose (because when you're crushing it, you deserve the spotlight)! Our Team Turf crew also came by for a final check before they start tearing out flooring and installing brand new first floor turf tomorrow at 6AM sharp.
These are some long days for our Y staff and install teams, but every screw tightened and every piece lifted brings us one step closer to something truly special. Thank you to everyone pushing through and keeping the vision alive — this will be worth it!
March 25, 2025
It’s getting real! The transformation is in full swing! Today, 3 trucks of brand-new equipment rolled in, and setup has officially begun! We’ve got another 3 trucks arriving tomorrow — because only the latest and greatest will do for our Y community! Shoutout to Daniel and Shaneka for diving in and unpacking bars and accessories like pros. They’ll be assembling the two sleds for the first floor tomorrow — can you say gains incoming?! Chris HAD to be sure things were secure because as an MOD, it's safety first!
This is more than an upgrade — it’s a whole new level of possibility.
March 24, 2025
Clearing the Way!
Today was a HUGE step forward — every piece of equipment was disassembled and loaded onto two trucks! It’s wild to see the space completely cleared out… but it means we’re making room for something amazing. Some of the new bars and accessories made their grand entrance today (YES!), and the bulk of our new weights and machines will be arriving in the next two days. We’re getting closer! This is a full team effort, and we couldn’t do it without our incredible custodial crew — major shoutout to them for deep cleaning the space as we go! Rachel is having a blast with that giant vacuum — making cleanup a breeze!
March 23, 2025
What a weekend! We welcomed some serious energy with Big Chipper basketball tournament teams while making big moves in our space upgrade! All the plates and equipment we're keeping are now cozied up in the studio, and the gear we're trading up is prepped for disassembly or loading.
The last AMT and Expresso bikes made their way to the third floor and will be plugged in and ready to ride Monday morning — let’s GO! Huge shoutout to the rockstar crew who came through to prep the space AND enjoy a meal together — because let’s be real, food makes everything better!
We’re clearing the way for BIG things — and we’re just getting started! Stay tuned, stay strong, and stay hyped! The best is yet to come! Let’s GROW!
March 22, 2025
No big shakeups today, but we did say farewell to a few trusty machines heading to their new adventure at Tacoma Center YMCA! We’re clearing the way for next-level greatness to roll in. Change can be tough—but just like your strength, it’s powerful, necessary, and unstoppable!
March 21, 2025
Day two of our gym glow-up had a little bit of everything! While the elevator decided to take a break (equipment moves are on hold for now), the action didn’t stop!
- Paint & Sip brought the creativity
- Ringside Cardio Kickboxing was on fire
- Bootcamp kicked it into high gear
- 5v5 hoops brought the heat—nonstop action on the court!
- The rock wall was buzzing—our climbers were crushing it!
- School of the Arts students took over the gym for PE and showed up strong!
Don't forget, enter on Court D starting Monday!
March 20, 2025
Getting ready!
Big moves happening at your University Y! Yuriy and Daniel were hard at work shifting cardio equipment to make room for more strength training options. Here's the game plan:
- Thursday - Rearrange the third floor cardio space
- Friday - Move a few strength pieces to Tacoma Center YMCA
- Sunday - Move equipment we're keeping to Studio 1
- Monday - Extraction of all equipment we're trading up
- Tuesday/Wednesday - Install new equipment
- Thursday - Finish installing equipment and install turf on first floor
- Friday - Install turf on the second floor, staff training and final preparations
- Saturday - We're back open!
While things might look a little cozier, rest assured—everything is spaced according to industry standards for your safety and comfort. Stay tuned for more updates as we level up your workout experience!
New Year, New Gear at the University YMCA Student Center
Our gym is getting a major upgrade! From March 24-28, we’ll be renovating the space with new state-of-the-art equipment and added features to help you get the most out of your workouts. For our members who are fitness pros or just getting started, this enhancement will get you to your goals!
Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come:
Adjustable Weight Machines – Customizable resistance levels for a full- body workout, including shoulder press, leg extension, abdominal, and so much more.
Improved Lifting Area – New platforms and equipment for weightlifters to better train with proper form and meet your gain goals.
Heavy Duty Dumbbells and Kettlebells – Weights for every level of strength from beginner to advanced to help maximize your workouts.