For generations of Pomona residents, the building on Garey Avenue was simply known as the YMCA. It was where children learned to swim, neighbors gathered for events, and community life unfolded.

Opened in 1922, the building was designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style by Pomona architect Robert Orr. Its cornerstone, laid in 1920, reflects the strong civic spirit behind its creation. After World War I, local builder D. C. Crookshank rallied residents, business leaders, and public officials to fund a new YMCA building as a memorial to local veterans. When the architect offered a choice between a simple building or a more ambitious design, the community chose the latter. They raised additional funds so the YMCA could stand as a lasting civic landmark.

The building quickly became a center of community life. Classes and activities served children, adults, and seniors. Concerts, sports programs, and civic meetings filled its assembly rooms. The auditorium even hosted famed explorer Richard E. Byrd, who spoke about his Antarctic expeditions. During World War II, soldiers stationed at the nearby Los Angeles County Fairgrounds used the YMCA for recreation.

For decades, the building thrived. Many Pomona residents still remember learning to swim in its pool or attending events there as children. Over time, however, the YMCA struggled with rising maintenance costs and eventually moved out. After years of troubled housing uses, the building closed and sat vacant for more than a decade. Once a symbol of civic pride, it gradually fell into serious disrepair.

A local businessman and preservation advocate saw something different. He purchased the building with the goal of restoring the landmark and returning it to community use. Working with a design and preservation team, he led a careful rehabilitation that respected the building’s historic character while adapting it for modern needs.

Now called The Union on Garey, the building once again welcomes the public. Assembly halls and gathering spaces host concerts, weddings, meetings, and community events. Former dormitory rooms have been converted into offices for nonprofit organizations and small businesses. Many tenants serve the surrounding community, continuing the building’s long tradition of civic engagement.

Preservation guided the entire project. Much of the work involved removing decades of alterations that had hidden the building’s original design. In the 1960s, the main lobby was divided into offices that concealed its historic scale. Removing those additions restored the open volume of the space. The process also revealed long-hidden details, including original mosaic tile floors and a staircase with marble treads and a newel post bearing the YMCA insignia.

Years of vacancy had taken a toll on the structure. The rehabilitation included repairing damaged areas and installing new electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems while preserving historic materials and spaces. Accessibility improvements, including a new elevator and entrance ramp, were carefully integrated.

The project also faced major challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including rising construction costs and financing delays.

Today, The Union on Garey is once again filled with activity. Nonprofits, small businesses, and community groups share the building, and events regularly bring people together. The project shows how preservation can restore both a historic building and the role it has long played in the life of a community. The project received a Preservation Award from the Los Angeles Conservancy, honoring outstanding work in historic preservation in Los Angeles County.