Lake Zurich village board approves expansion at Foglia YMCA

Foglia YMCA in Lake Zurich has gained permission for construction of a gymnasium expansion that would include a basketball court and other uses.

Lake Zurich village board members this week voted 5-0 in favor of the YMCA's plan for the 8,940-square-foot addition to the structure at 1025 Old McHenry Road. Final approval for the project was recommended by the village's advisory plan commission and zoning board of appeals.

Plans presented to Lake Zurich indicate completion is targeted by year's end. Mayor Thomas Poynton said he expects construction to begin soon.

Foglia was built for roughly $9 million obtained from private donations, and it opened in May 2000. The YMCA in Lake Zurich had been limited to a small office in the village's chamber of commerce building for about five years before Foglia opened.

Before the village board granted approval for the new gym Monday, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago executive H. Jack Devedjian appeared at a plan commission meeting and relayed his excitement for the project to meet community programming needs.

"It (Foglia) has been an anchor of the community for well over a decade," said Devedjian, senior vice president of real estate development, facilities and capital projects.

When built, the multipurpose gymnasium expansion will have a basketball court and two classroom areas that could be used for temporary storage, according to the YMCA plan. YMCA officials said Foglia was built with the intent of gradually adding on to it.

YMCA of Chicago's project manager, Sam Rea, said at a village meeting the current 46,000-square-foot facility has just "one small gym."

Foglia received a major addition in 2003, when an aquatic center debuted. The 31,000-square-foot expansion included two swimming pools and locker rooms for men, women and families.

Other features at the facility include more than 100 pieces of fitness equipment, a massage room and 25-foot indoor rock-climbing wall.