Like Grandma, the YWCA of 125 years ago was great.

But women and their roles have evolved — and so will Lincoln’s YWCA, said Julie Allen, executive director.

Allen announced Friday the YWCA will reorganize, fine-tune its focus, sell its historic building at 1432 N St and  eliminate services that are available elsewhere in Lincoln.

Among the cuts: the YWCA’s aqua, fitness and childcare programs. All will end by Dec. 31. The cuts eliminate 13 full-time and 26 part-time jobs, and means 50 children — infants through age 5 — need to find a new day care.

Also, the 76-year-old YWCA building is on the market. Asking price? $1.595 million for the three-story, 36,000-square-foot building that includes a swimming pool on the second floor.

The YWCA plans to stay in the building until it is sold. It has not found a new site but will maintain a downtown presence, Allen said.

The YWCA has redefined its focus, concentrating on three divisions:

* Women’s Empowerment and Family Services Division, which includes Job Outfitters, classes for women of all ages, and child abuse prevention programs.

* Young Women and Youth Development Division, which includes its SMART science and math program for girls in fourth through sixth grades, survival skills for teens, a program to help foster girls transition to college, and leadership training for high school sophomores.

* Community Education, which maintains its World Center for Children and YWCA Dance Academy. It will expand to offer more events and programs designed to eliminate racism and empower women throughout the community, Allen said.

Although the board of directors began working on a reorganization plan in February, staff and families were shocked and surprised by Friday’s announcement.

Staff were notified when they came to work; day care families were given letters as they dropped their children off.

“Unfortunately, the on-going financial impact of operating the center is no longer sustainable,” Allen wrote in the letter.

Parent Jason Slaughter felt blindsided by the news.

 His son,  Tristan, almost 3, has been at the YWCA childcare center for more than one year.

“We were not expecting this,” Slaughter said.

“Sad to see a daycare in the downtown area go away,” said Slaughter, who works in the Haymarket, lives in the Near South  and frequently walks to the childcare center to pick up his son.

While staff and families were unaware of the plans, Allen said the YWCA’s primary funders — United Way, Woods Charitable Trust, Lincoln Community Foundation and Cooper Foundation  — were notified earlier this year and gave their support.

Deb Shoemaker, vice president of community outreach for the Lincoln Community Foundation, called selling the building a wise fiscal move.

“By going into a location that is more cost-effective, they will be able to utilize that money and put it into programs,” Shoemaker said.

Of the YWCA’s annual $1 million budget, $200,000 is spent just to keep the building operational. And that does not include repairs or renovations required to meet federal standards.

The elevators are original, “we have a recalcitrant boiler” and a new federal swimming pool safety requirement takes effect Dec. 19, Allen said.

The safety requirement — designed to prevent children from being sucked into pool drains — would have forced the YWCA to replace its drains at a cost of thousands of dollars.

“We want to be an agency that is here for women, not an agency that preserves this building,” Allen said.

Which is exactly what funders liked hearing.

“I like the fact they are refocusing on women, working to empower women and help young women become strong leaders for the future,” Shoemaker said. “I do think they are getting back to basics in what they need to provide for the community.”

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.