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A ribbon cutting was held earlier this afternoon to mark the grand opening of The JAY Wellness Center, a collaborative $48 million project that integrates community wellness, advanced athletics, and youth development into a unified hub on the Jamestown Community College Jamestown Campus.
The Jamestown Area YMCA and JCC named the building by combining the identity of the YMCA and the college's Jayhawk mascot. To support the project, Governor Kathy Hochul provided $3 million in state funding through the Western New York Regional Council Pro-Housing Community Fund.
"Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York is making historic investments that transform regional economies and elevate the quality of life for local families," said Hope Knight, president, CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development. "The JAY represents a visionary approach to community infrastructure, blending education, childcare, and wellness into a dynamic hub on the JCC campus. By modernizing athletic assets, creating an early learning center, and expanding workforce wellness, this project drives significant economic benefits to Chautauqua County. It will act as a catalyst for talent retention, job creation, and long-term vitality in Jamestown."
With the completion of Phase One renovations to the existing JCC Physical Education Complex, YMCA's membership-based downtown wellness operations have successfully been shifted to the campus athletic facilities. This initial integration ensures that area residents continue to have uninterrupted access to premium cardio, strength-training, aquatic, and indoor track spaces while the partners move ahead with the next steps of full-scale development.
Future phases of the project will include:
New Health and Wellness Center: Encompasses approximately 58,000 square feet of new construction for expanded YMCA services.
New Early Learning Center: JCC was recently awarded a $2.89 million state grant by Governor Hochul to establish a state-of-the-art childcare facility on campus. Scheduled to open in September 2027, the center will feature infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms, along with secure outdoor playgrounds to serve more than 100 children in partnership with the YMCA.
Athletic Field Overhauls: Structural upgrades are progressing to transform current campus grounds into premium turf fields with custom overlays for varsity and community baseball and softball.