Wilmington Family YMCA officials have chosen two local companies to help renovate and expand the organization's Market Street facility after a fire last year caused $3 million in damage.

The Y's board of directors selected Bowman Murray Hemingway Architects to serve as the architect of record and Thomas Construction Group as construction manager for the project, according to a news release this week. 
 
“We were humbled by the level of interest in the project, from local as well as regional organizations.  Each firm’s presentation exhibited a high level of talent and expertise -- we were extremely impressed with them all, and are very happy with our final decision in selecting these two very talented companies,” said Marty DeJoseph, chairman of the Wilmington Family YMCA Board of Directors, in the release.

In recent months, Y officials and supporters have been working to raise $4 million to $4.5 million for the reconstruction and expansion of the 2710 Market St. facility, an amount that will be added to the $3 million the Y received from insurance as a result of the fire.

Y CEO Dick Jones said in the release the local companies chosen will build on the initial functional design work by Gro Development, a national facility development firm that supports YMCAs across the country.

"For the past few years, Gro Development has worked with our board on a new vision for our facility to enhance what we offer our members and the community," Jones said.
 
According to the release from the YMCA, Bowman Murray Hemingway Architects began as BMS Architects in 1955 under the direction and guidance of Frank Ballard, Herb McKim and Robert Sawyer.  Recently, the company’s work has ranged from open air pavilions and boardwalks to more complex projects such as university buildings, aquariums, and medical facilities, the release said.

“We are honored and excited to be part of the team that will design and rebuild Wilmington’s YMCA. We look forward to bringing the strong bones of this facility back as a state-of-the-art recreation facility for Wilmington to enjoy for decades to come,” said Chip Hemingway of Bowman Murray Hemingway in the release.
 
Thomas Construction Group is a full-service general contractor specializing in early design phase construction management for building corporate commercial, institutional, health care, hospitality and industrial buildings.

Chris Reid, president of Thomas Construction Group, said his company is also excited to partner with the Y.

“The fire that damaged the existing YMCA just over a year ago was devastating to our community ... We are anxious to begin pre-construction and the planning necessary for the rebuild," Reid said in the release.

The Wilmington Family YMCA also has expansion plans elsewhere in the Cape Fear region, including facilities at Blake Farm, a master planned community that will be located on a 1,300-acre site in Pender County.