The Abandoned Fisher YMCA: Detroit, Michigan

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

The old Fisher YMCA sits at 2051 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. It was constructed in a neo-Romanesque design by Albert Kahn, and the cornerstone was laid by one of the seven brothers who founded Fisher Body, Edward Fisher.

According to Abandoned Central, in 1925, Detroit was erecting numerous YMCAs throughout the city. The city was at its economic peak and the auto business was booming, bringing Detroit's economy even higher.

Among the various art deco details throughout the building, kids and adults could visit, play, swim, exercise, and create. There were dancing classes, crafts, various educational classes, and sports. This particular YMCA was also instrumental in helping the community with support and services.

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As the decades wore on, this YMCA gained a reputation for its interior décor. The standouts that impressed the most were the intricately-tiled swimming pool, the circular track above the gym, grand ballroom, and huge library.

By the 1970s, enrollment was down.....down far enough where the facility was forced to shut down in the 1980s. Once closed, it was re-invented as a mental illness center. The center lasted approximately thirty years, and then that, too, closed in 2018. From then on, it sat there abandoned. The old YMCA is for sale, but nothing is happening yet.

As of 2023, the YMCA still sits abandoned. Hopefully it can be saved instead of being unceremoniously torn down, like so many historic buildings.

The gallery below takes you on a little tour, showing what some of the rotting insides look like. Not all is decaying, though. The classic swimming pool still looks in good shape with (surprisingly) no junk or garbage thrown in. The circular second-floor gym track looks great, too – except for some plaster that has fallen from the ceiling onto the gym floor, the room looks good. You'll see the administrative office, cafeteria, locker room, and more.