{"nrhp_refnum":"86000408","name":"Pomona YMCA Building","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"350 N. Geary Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Pomona","county":"Los Angeles County","state":"CA","lat":34.05994818600004,"lon":-117.74964966699997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1986-03-06","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story, U-shaped red brick YMCA building of about 50,000 square feet at 350 N. Garey Avenue in Pomona, California, built in 1920-22 to designs by architect Robert H. Orr.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is significant for its architecture, its long community service and its link to the lives of many residents across eastern Los Angeles County. It was planned as a memorial to World War I veterans and funded through a broad community campaign. Its programs, including the original swimming pool, served children, soldiers and later women members.","narrative":"Occupying a city block along Garey Avenue, this 50,000-square-foot YMCA building in Pomona was constructed in 1920-22 to designs by architect Robert H. Orr. Its U-shaped plan is faced in dark red brick with cream-colored terra cotta trim, a red clay tile hip roof, and a row of nine two-story arches across the front. Inside, the original swimming pool, glazed-brick gymnasium, stained-glass windows and marble restrooms survive. The building grew from a 1919 call by local builder D.C. Crookshank to create a memorial to World War I veterans. Residents chose the larger, more elaborate design, and several fundraising drives brought the total cost to more than $273,000. The pool offered children's classes from 1922, women gained limited use in 1923, and soldiers stationed nearby used the building during World War II. Later rear additions hold handball courts and living quarters, but the front remains largely intact. The nomination presents it as a landmark of local architecture and civic effort.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"Robert Orr (architect, also given as Robert H. Orr); contractors Crookshank and Somers","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied and in excellent condition; still used as a YMCA, with third-floor rooms rented to college students. Altered by rear additions and some changes to the front, but the original site is retained.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:27.588932-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/86000408.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86000408/ba91e3a374-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86000408/ba91e3a374-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Los Angeles","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomona_YMCA_Building.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Los Angeles</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomona_YMCA_Building.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123859428","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133294773"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/los-angeles-county/pomona-ymca-building-86000408/"}