Less than one quarter of a mile from Rockaway Beach,  the newly completed Rockaway YMCA at Arverne-by-the-Sea houses the Y’s largest NYC aquatics park complete with a water slide, leisure pool, four-lane lap pool, and locker rooms. A light-filled membership lounge vertically connects the pools and entry terrace with the upper-level cardio areas, all with ocean views.  A monumental stairway provides access to the aerobics rooms, wellness center, classrooms, and gym with NCAA-sized basketball courts. A playing field sits immediately behind the building, where the Y will offer youth camp and recreational outdoor activities to all ages. An area hard hit by economic downturns as well as the recent Hurricane Sandy, the Arverne renewal project has become a focal point in the architectural community and the world at large.  Spawning everything from museum exhibitions to healthy debate to architectural competitions, the Arverne area has urged the city to rethink and rebuild smarter neighborhoods. A welcome addition to the oceanfront urban renewal area, the 43,000 sf Rockaway YMCA at Arverne by-the-Sea is the first Y on the Rockaway Peninsula, and provides a neighborhood anchor that has helped revitalize and sustain economic development.