Deadline Looms for Historic YMCA

UPDATE, Mon. Jan. 21: On Monday, the Historic YMCA received good news — and a check for $8,000. Tom Nestor confirmed the news to Patch. 

"Angels do exist. And it seems Tampa Bay has more than a couple that are willing to help the cause in a big way to Save The Historic YMCA!," Nestor wrote on the Historic YMCA Facebook page. "... Transparency will be a common theme for our dedicated team as we continue to climb the mountain for this beloved building." 

Earlier: Tom Nestor, the man leading the charge to save the Historic YMCA and turn it into the St. Petersburg Rock and Roll Museum, needs your help. 

"I need to find an angel in the next three days," Nestor told Patch. 

Should Nestor not be able to raise $8,000 by the end of the day Monday, his dreams to turn the building into a museum/concert venue and the building itself could be gone. 

"We have until Monday, Jan. 21, to pay $8000 or lose our contract to a bank demo," Nestor said. 

While the deadline and large dollar figure are negative signs, it is not all bad news for the Historic YMCA. On Jan. 11 the state of Florida certified the Historic YMCA as a charitable organization, which means Nestor and co. can accept unlimited donations without constraints.  

Nestor told Patch that so far $28,000 has been invested into the project. The first as a down payment. 

A closing date is set for June 2013. The group's aim is to raise $1.4 million by that date. 

The historic 1926 downtown YMCA building, located on the corner of 5th Street South and 2nd Avenue South, has sat vacant since 1999. 

On Christmas Eve, lights were turned on at the building for the first time in nearly a decade. Throughout the rest of the holiday season, Nestor gave daily tours of the building in hopes of gaining local support for his plan and hoping to find an investor to help his dream become reality. 

Between 700-800 toured the building during the holidays, Nestor said. 

"We feel that if in 1926 the public rallied to contribute $550,000 to build (the YMCA), the public can rally behind it again," Nestor said. "It’s worth saving."

Should Nestor raise the $8,000 by Monday, he is planning to start a fundraising campaign on Tuesday with scheduled media/radio appearances. 

"I’m in negotiations with a lot of people," Nestor said. "I just keep working on it." 

Want to Help?

You can contact Nestor at 727-686-2163 or Donate@HistoricYMCA.com. You can donate online at the Historic YMCA's website by clicking here.