YMCA Plans Child Care Center and Gym for Westminster Inn

Written By Kimberly Liddick-Byrnes

The YMCA has big plans for the former Westminster Inn, which it now owns.

Built as a school around the end of the 19th century, the Westminster Inn sits in the heart of the city between Main and Green Streets. Over the years it gained popularity as a bed and breakfast that offered fine dining and a bar and nightlife scene. Part of the building also houses the East End Athletic Club.

The YMCA plans to make a large portion of the facility, the inn and restaurant portions, into a premier childcare facility, according to Jeffrey Sprinkle, YMCA’s chief philanthropy officer.

“At this point we’re planning for a preschool program, but we’re exploring opportunities for school-age programs as well. It all depends on what the community needs,” Sprinkle said.

Frederick Mark Gross, owner of the Westminster Inn, gave the building to The Maryland School for the Blind (MSB) in 2005. The MSB intended to use the Westminster Inn as a student training facility, but sold it to the YMCA this past August for $1 million.

Taiisha Pinkney, public relations manager for the MSB, said that owning and operating the inn took more effort than expected. She added that, “some of that money will go towards technology to support the 800 students served by the Maryland School for the Blind, 20 of which reside in Carroll County.”

According to the Maryland Department of Assessment and Taxation, the building was assessed at $3,292,200 in 2005. Steve Koren, a board member at MSB Enterprises LLC, said that the appraisal value and market value are not related.

“If we could have sold it for $3 million, then we would have. We marketed the building but could not find a buyer for the appraised value, we sold it at the highest offer received, which was $1 million,” Koren explained.
Sprinkle said that YMCA administrators and the board of directors are still deciding about plans and renovations. However, they hope to have the childcare portion of the facility open in time for the 2008 school year.

The second phase of the project will involve what is currently the East End Athletic Club.

Sprinkle said that the lease for the club expires in March, 2008. At that time, he said, the Y will convert the existing facilities into a state of the art health and wellness center that will include the latest technologies and exercise systems. He added that programs will be offered for everyone, including children, adults and seniors.

“One of the things that is so compelling about the Westminster Inn is that it will allow us to combine all of our services in one location. Currently we have health and wellness services in one facility on Washington Road and childcare services on Sykesville Road. At this facility, we can house all of our services under one roof,” Sprinkle explained.

Currently, there are no plans to close or sell the existing Y facilities. However, Sprinkle said that they will be making decisions as they continue to explore the needs of the community and how the new location will serve them.

Although no general contractor has yet been hired, Sprinkle explained that they have hired a consultant to oversee the management of the renovation process. Because the project is still early in the planning stage, Sprinkle could not guess at an estimated cost of the renovations.

“This is a complex process on which we’re embarking. We’ve started to apply for permits with the county, but we’re still making plans and looking at the best way to convert existing facilities,” Sprinkle said. “Our goal is to modernize the facilities and bring state-of-the-art equipment to the community, while still maintaining the character of the building.”

Currently the Y in Carroll County serves approximately 1,200 children annually in childcare, camps and sports programs.

Sprinkle, who served as the Director of the Carroll County Y for several years before taking on the position as chief philanthropy officer, said that he is thrilled with this project because he actually went to school at the East End (now known as the Westminster Inn) from 1st through 4th grade.

“Every time we walk through the building to discuss plans or permits, I get a kick because I remember where classrooms were and the principal’s office. It makes it that much more interesting to return it to its original intended use,” he said.