Work began Monday morning to demolish the old YMCA building in Poughkeepsie, allowing neighbors to start looking ahead to a new future at the site.

"The largest blighted building in the city of Poughkeepsie is finally coming down," city Mayor Rob Rolison said.

The old YMCA building on Montgomery Street has been vacant since 2009. The county took it over last year and pledged $25 million to build a new youth center in its place.

"We begin the demolition of a vacant past and build a hopeful future for our kids and for our families," said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro.

The upcoming Youth Opportunity Union (YOU) is touted as a place where children and families from Poughkeepsie and across Dutchess County will be able to go for recreational and educational opportunities.

L'Quette Taylor grew up in Poughkeepsie. He remembers going to the YMCA as a child.

"I went swimming there, rock climbing there. I took my five-hour driving course there. I did everything there," said Taylor.

Taylor is chairperson of the YOU Advisory Committee.

"We’ve had a lot of issues as far as things for our kids to do and places to go that felt safe, that felt real, and with the demolition happening, it makes it real," said Taylor.

Construction of the YOU will take years, but the architects of the project, MASS Design, shared a sneak peek of the future, a future neighbors eagerly await.

"It's a new anticipation, new energy to the city," said Taylor.