PYRAMID BROKERAGE COMPANY OF THE HUDSON VALLEY BROKERS SALE OF 954-ACRE YMCA CAMPS IN ORANGE COUNTY, NY

Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company recently brokered the sale of the YMCA of Greater NY’s 954± acre multi-camp complex in Huguenot, NY to The Wend Collective. In February 2021, the YMCA engaged Robert Scherreik and John Coladonato of Pyramid’s Hudson Valley office in Newburgh, New York to exclusively represent them to sell its three well-maintained 625-person sleep-away camps located in Orange County, NY about 1½ hour north of NYC. The complex includes 3 lakes, multiple buildings, a paved road system, potable water and septic systems, recreational and medical facilities and much, much more. As soon as Pyramid initiated their marketing efforts, there was overwhelming interest from multiple buyers.

After 15 offers were submitted and reviewed, the property was ultimately sold to The Wend Collective, a philanthropic organization which focuses on education, arts and culture, and the environment. Wend reportedly became interested in the property because of its history of serving communities that don’t traditionally have access to nature. Co-led by Walmart scion James Walton , The Wend Collective is both an impact investing fund — an organization that invests in philanthropic causes — and a grant-making foundation.

Sharon Greenberger, President and CEO of YMCA of Greater NYC, expressed satisfaction with the sale. “From the very start of the process, our hope has been to see this property continue as a place where New York City children can enjoy nature, play outdoors, and make lifelong memories,“ she commented in a statement. “We are delighted that Wend will be the next steward of this beloved property. We received many thoughtful offers for our camp properties, and we selected Wend Collective because of their integrity, commitment and vision to continue serving the interests of the community." About 1,200 campers a year attended the three YMCA camps known as Talcott, McAllister and Greenkill before they were closed and put on the market early in 2021 to help fill a large hole created in the YMCA of Greater NYC’s budget by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wend Collective plans to undertake a year-long engagement process, reaching out to "the communities that historically attended the camps, the communities in which the camps are located, and the broader youth camp sector" to plan what to do with the property, according to a statement by the Collective.

Pyramid real estate Broker Robert W. Scherreik, SIOR, CCIM, MCR and Salesperson John Coladonato exclusively marketed the property, conducted over 30 tours and vetted the many offers before the $7 million sale was finalized in July 2021. Pyramid was the sole broker involved in the transaction.