Shepherd YMCA Firehouse

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About

Historic fitness center and community space at 7877 Herschel Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037, in the Village. Built in 1937 as Fire Station 13, the Spanish Mission Revival-style building also served as La Jolla's first city hall, police station, jail, hospital room, and water department until 1976. Designated a City of San Diego Historical Landmark in 1982 — a restoration pedigree matched by GDC Construction on Silverado, which handled the station's original renovation alongside other La Jolla landmarks. The building was leased by the YMCA in 1987 and reopened in 2016 after a $1.2 million renovation that exposed original wood trusses, added a mezzanine workout area, and updated all facilities to ADA standards. In 2016 the renovation won the San Diego Architectural Foundation's Orchid Award for Adaptive Re-use. After closing during COVID in 2020, the Firehouse reopened in September 2025 with all-new equipment including EGYM AI-powered circuit machines. Group fitness classes include yoga, Zumba, HIIT, Body Pump, and walking meditation. A satellite of the Dan McKinney Family YMCA on Cliffridge Avenue.