Historic YMCA Settles Suit with YMCA, Announces Concert

Historic YMCA, the group looking to save and turn the historic YMCA building into a rock and roll museum and concert venue, has changed its name after settling a lawsuit with the YMCA. 

Now known as Historic St. Pete, the group is still looking to save the historic structure located on the corner of 2nd Avenue South and 5th Street. 

Y-USA sued the organization in May saying Historic YMCA's name would cause confusion that it was affiliated with the YMCA organization. 

By changing its name to Historic St. Pete, Y-USA dropped its lawsuit. 

"After much debate on what we could have changed out name to, we opted for one that reflected not only our current mission to save/restore and maintain the Historic YMCA building, but also brought in the community for which this amazing architectural masterpiece was originally created for and funded by," the group said in a statement.

Along the way to saving the building, the group has been searching for community contributions and business partners to help pay the building's lease until the group can buy and renovate the vacant building. 

In May Historic St. Pete got a big boost when Doctor Robert J. Wallace joined their team and donated $360,000 to help save the building.

Tom Nestor, the man leading the charge to save and renovate the building, said the next deadline for its lease is July 25. 

"For those that live or visit downtown St. Petersburg, you know first hand how much new development is taking place (downtown) and how little land is left," the group wrote in its newsletter. "The time could not be more ripe for closing now on this one-of-a-kind cornerstone building for her value is only going to continue to increase - as will the snakes/sharks circling our feet that want to tear her down for a new tower, drive thru-bank or other non-community building business."

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