Mayor Long convened a public workshop Aug. 11 to re-open discussion about a proposed senior and community center at 400 East Lincoln and whether the city should submit a $36,640,000 bond proposal for the November ballot.

The meeting revisited three options developed over two years: (1) a new 47,260-square-foot facility with a pool and gym, (2) a substantial renovation of the existing YMCA building, and (3) a limited-first-floor renovation to honor a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Next that would let Next occupy part of 400 East Lincoln while leaving other floors closed or mothballed.

Why it matters: Next, a long‑standing nonprofit providing senior services, must vacate its current space at Midvale School by May 31, 2027. The commission said public input and clearer funding assumptions were needed before taking the multimillion‑dollar step of asking taxpayers to finance a new facility.

City staff presented updated cost estimates and designs. Staff said the original plan had assumed a federal earmark that did not materialize; that loss, alongside higher construction prices and other city capital needs, pushed projected costs well above earlier estimates. The three options presented carried very different price tags and operating implications: option 1 (new building) was shown in the packet as about $36.1–$36.64 million; option 2 (rehabilitation led by the YMCA team) was presented with an estimate near $27.5 million but had not been independently vetted by the city; option 3 (first‑floor renovation under the MOU) would be limited to the funding available from the senior millage and would not provide full access to the upper and lower floors.

Commissioners and community members debated trade‑offs. Commissioner Long and several others said they supported Next’s mission and wanted a long‑term solution, but expressed concern that a $36 million bond without additional grants, earmarks or private capital would saddle the city at a precarious economic moment. Commissioners called for more vetting, clearer funding partners and options that reduced operating risk.

Speakers at the workshop included Next leaders and members of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit. Parrish Underwood, YMCA president and CEO, said the YMCA wanted to continue serving Birmingham and had offered to cover annual operating expenses in a partnership scenario and had prepared an alternative renovation concept to lower capital costs. Next’s director and board leaders said Next has no debt, an endowment and had already contributed funds toward purchase and renovation; Next’s leadership urged the commission to honor the MOU so Next would have a place to operate when it must vacate its school space.

Public testimony ran long: dozens of Birmingham residents, many of them Next members, asked the commission to preserve senior services, pools and social programs; others said the city should not take on a large new bond while other infrastructure needs exist. Several former commissioners and members of the ad hoc steering committee urged a more phased approach to preserve Next’s immediate need while working toward a larger vision.

At the regular meeting later that evening the commission considered a resolution authorizing submittal of ballot language for the $36,640,000 bond issue. After extended discussion, the resolution failed on a roll‑call vote, 5–2. The two affirmative votes were recorded as Commissioner Anthony Long and Mayor Pro Tem Ballor; five commissioners voted no. The commission did not adopt bond language for the November election.

What happens next: Several commissioners urged staff to continue planning options, including a smaller, phased bond or pursuing grants and private partners. Next and the YMCA said they would continue discussions but emphasized different constraints: Next needs an assured interim home by May 2027; the YMCA said it would explore other ways to serve Birmingham if a joint project proved infeasible.

Quotes (selected): "The only decision the commission needs to make tonight at the full meeting is whether to vote to put the $38,000,000 bond issue on the November ballot," Mayor Long said during the workshop, noting the deadline for ballot language. Parrish Underwood, YMCA president and CEO, said the YMCA had proposed a renovation option and offered to cover operating expenses in a partnership scenario. Dan Sher, chair of the ad hoc committee, urged the commission to consider a range of dollar amounts and to give the public a say in a bond vote.

Ending: With the bond resolution defeated, commissioners asked staff to continue studying options and to return with proposals that better detail costs, operating partnerships and phased approaches. Next leaders said they remain focused on securing an interim home by the May 2027 deadline while exploring long‑term solutions.