By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice
After being repurposed into housing for international students, Chatham’s former YMCA has a fresh start.
Leased by St. Clair College from the Everlast Group, run by developer Victor Boutin, La Residence Chatham is now home to 160 students from around the world.
Completed in August, the building opened in September, according to Lynn O’Brien, property manager for Boutin Management.
O’Brien, who is responsible for assigning rooms, has nothing but praise for the new tenants.
“They’re wonderful young people,” said O’Brien. “Very gracious, very polite. The cultural diversity is amazing and it’s wonderful to see.”
Most of the apartments are two levels, with a kitchen and living area on the main floor. Stairs lead to an upper loft which includes two bedrooms, each with a window, as well as a shower room and a bathroom. The building is co-ed but roommates must be of the same gender. All told, there’s space for 200 students.
Ron Sequin, a senior advisor to St. Clair College president Michael Silvaggi, said La Residence Chatham is a great location for students.
According to Sequin, the new residence is safe, stylish and clean, with its close proximity to the police station, shops and restaurants in the core.
“Students love being downtown,” he said. “They prefer to be near stores and restaurants and it’s turned into a wonderful, vibrant location. Their parents feel good about it when their kids come to Chatham.”
All told, St. Clair College has 16,700 students enrolled at its Chatham, Toronto and Windsor campuses. That includes 4,400 international students altogether, with 500 among the 1,300 students attending the Chatham site.
Boutin purchased the old YMCA eight years ago with plans to develop it. However, the project, completed in three phases, was sidelined by the pandemic and took longer than expected.
The all-white interior is built with cement blocks and features an epoxy floor. The revamped structure also includes two study rooms, a laundry room, two meeting rooms and a space that may eventually become a cafeteria or coffee shop.
One of the unique features of La Residence Chatham is a flood-protection wall on three sides of the building.
La Residence Chatham is the second student residence operated by Boutin Management. The company owns La Residence Ridgetown and leases it to the University of Guelph/Ridgetown Campus to house students.
The company operates five properties in Chatham-Kent including the Boardwalk on King Street in Chatham.
The developer said he’s pleased with the project.
“I’m very happy with it,” Boutin said. “We’ve got some nice kids there.”
