Westport/Weston YMCA

Westport, Connecticut

When the Westport/Weston YMCA decided to relocate their 80 year old facility from downtown to a 32-acre property along the Saugatuck River on the Mahackeno Camp site, they sought LANDTECH’s help. Renowned architectural firm Robert A.M. Stern placed the 100,000 square foot Adirondack-style structure between the river and a nearby brook, seeking to respect the extensive natural resources of the site.

The environmentally sensitive design incorporates many Low Impact Development (LID) features which will have long-term beneficial impacts on the surrounding areas, including permeable pavements, advanced onsite sewage treatment, alternative stormwater management, rain gardens, vegatative riparian buffers and biofiltration. Many of the elements of the design will become educational tools utilized by the camp and day care participants.

LANDTECH is the lead site consultant and has been working closely with the architects to guide this project through a very challenging review and approval process, including the local conservation commission, the town’s planning and zoning body, and the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the project anticipates full LEED certification.

The master plan includes playgrounds, athletic fields, open air pavilions, waterfront access and activities and fitness trails. As the construction progresses, LANDTECH monitors natural resources to develop long-term management strategies to improve the health of the surrounding environment.

Photography by Kate Eisemann (early construction)
Photography by Scott Smith for Westport Weston Family Y (later construction)
Architectural Renderings courtesy of Robert A. M. Sterns Architects