Kraus-Anderson Picked to Build New Bemidji YMCA

A rendering of the $35 million downtown Bemidji YMCA facility. (Credit: Kraus-Anderson/Shore to Shore Communications)

The Bemidji office of Kraus-Anderson has been selected to build the new YMCA located on the 100 block of Minnesota Avenue in the downtown Bemidji rail corridor.

A press release says the new 60,000-square-foot facility, designed by JLG Architects, will include an indoor track, aquatics center indoor playground, party rooms, and a fitness center with a weight room, exercise studios, and education classrooms. The building will also include a drop-in childcare center for use while parents and guardians are using the Y.

Funding for the new $35 million YMCA includes raising $25 million through community donations and $10 million in YMCA financing. The project is an initiative of Greater Bemidji’s “Building Our Future,” which aims to drive development and promote prosperity in the region.

Cleanup, site prep, and infrastructure work will begin this summer. Groundbreaking is planned for the spring of 2026, and construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2027.