African American owned KAI, which is renovating YMCA facilities in the St. Louis region, has completed improvements to the Chesterfield YMCA at 16464 Burkhardt Place.
The newly expanded and renovated facility debuted after a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 13. KAI provided project management, architecture and interior design on the $9 million improvements.
“It was a fun project to be involved with,” said KAI Senior Project Manager Joel Kerschen. “There were a lot of exciting changes to the facility, and it is great to see it open and great to see it busy. Even before we were totally done, the workout area was busy and the parking lot was full, so that is a great sign.”
KAI was founded in 1980 by Michael Kennedy Sr., who now serves as chair. His son, Michael Kennedy Jr., is the firm’s CEO.
Renovations to the facility include:
- An 11,000-square-foot addition for a fitness center, fitness assessment rooms, restrooms and new accessible entrances at the theater and fitness portions of the building
- Creation of studios for mind and body, cycling and group exercise
- A community café to provide nutrition education, food outreach programming and community events
- Relocation and renovation of the Child Watch room for easier convenience.
- An updated lobby with open spaces for informational workshops and family and senior engagement activities
- Renovated locker rooms and a new family locker room space
- New glass doors, sidewalks, decorative horizontal planking on the facade, refurbished canopies and new planter boxes at the building’s entrance.