YMCA Sells Naming Rights, Corporate Sponsorships

PITTSBURGH -- To help cover construction costs for a new $4.2 million downtown location, the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh sold corporate sponsorship and naming rights for the 42,000-square-foot facility, slated for a soft opening on March 29 and a grand opening on April 24.

The downtown Pittsburgh branch will be named the PNC YMCA in honor of PNC Financial Services Group Inc., which purchased the naming rights through its charitable arm, the PNC Foundation.

In addition, insurer Highmark Inc. purchased naming rights for the main fitness area on the facility’s second floor, which will be called the Highmark Wellness Center. The center will feature treadmills and ellipticals overlooking the city’s Market Square area.

The Y’s aquatics area, which features a 25-meter indoor pool, will be named the Reed Smith Aquatics Center after the Reed Smith LLP law firm. And the contractor for the PNC YMCA, Massaro Corp., bought the rights to the facility’s lobby, which will be called the Massaro Welcome Center.

Y officials declined to disclose the financial terms and length of the agreements.

“The commitment of these three organizations together is financially meaningful,” Bill Demchak, senior vice chairman of PNC and a YMCA board member, told local media. “It will help ensure the programs offered by the Y and the membership experience is the best available.”