GADSDEN COUNTY, FL — A building that once housed a beloved local pharmacy could soon become a 24/7 fitness facility — and the effort to make it happen is rooted in grief, love, and a desire to give back.
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The YMCA of the Sunbelt is currently considering the former Massey Pharmacy building in Quincy as the future home of a YMCA location. For many Quincy residents, working out currently means driving all the way to Tallahassee.
The property is owned by Lisa Sigelbaum, who says the effort is deeply personal. She and her husband had once planned to turn the building into a family-run store after he unexpectedly fell in love with Quincy during a stop on a trip home to Homestead.
After her husband passed away from cancer in 2025, Sigelbaum says her vision shifted — away from opening a business and toward something that could positively impact the entire community and continue the legacy he left behind.
"I could put a restaurant in there, I could put another business in there and get some income, but it's not about that, Tatyana. It's about planning long-term. It's like I tell people by lifting up the community were lifting each other up, and you know we will see what happens," Sigelbaum said.
Local artist and fitness instructor Joy Green is painting a mural across the exterior walls of the building. Green says combining her artistic talent with her passion for health and wellness makes the project especially meaningful — and that the opportunity feels meant to be.
"The more we can be active, and the longer we can do that, my thing with being older, which I definitely am, is that you just keep doing what you do until you can't. And so by having a place this convient they will have hours much longer than what I can provide with classes. Where I just have morning classes. Well, if you work, you can't possibly do that. This is going to be a 24/7 operation from what I understand, so people can use their membership card and get it in anytime," Green said.
There is still no official timeline for a final decision, but both Sigelbaum and the YMCA say they remain hopeful. If the YMCA moves forward with the site, it could bring fitness, family programs, and new opportunities to Quincy — giving families a place to stay active without ever leaving city limits.
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