LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The group overseeing taxpayer-backed investments in Louisville's western neighborhoods deadlocked Thursday on a plan to subsidize Goodwill Industries of Kentucky's purchase of the NIA Center building.

The board of the West End Opportunity Partnership voted 9-9 on the proposal at a special meeting held virtually that was at times contentious and difficult for the public and media to hear. The tie means the plan fails. 

Goodwill Kentucky had sought $2.1 million from the partnership, a public agency created by the Kentucky General Assembly and overwhelmingly funded by taxpayer revenue, to buy the building in the Parkland neighborhood from TARC, the city's transit agency. 

The Goodwill plan called for the partnership to lease the site to Goodwill for $1 a year for 99 years. Goodwill and co-developer Woda Cooper Companies would build 76 units of affordable housing on the three-acre site, including for people who have been "impacted by poverty, addiction and the justice system," according to a description of the project.

Goodwill, a nonprofit organization that has developed its Opportunity Campus adjacent to the NIA Center, said in a statement Thursday night that it thanked the partnership for its "careful consideration of our proposal." 

"While we are disappointed by the outcome, we remain focused on our mission to help individuals overcome barriers, including access to affordable housing," the statement said. 

Goodwill has yet to answer a question posed earlier this week about why it doesn't pay for the building itself. It also did not answer a question Thursday about its next steps for the project.

TARC approved selling the building to Goodwill in late May, an announcement that riled up tenants who run businesses there. Currently, there are about 20 small businesses and nonprofits housed at the NIA center. Those tenants will have their rent waived until the end of the year in preparation for moving. 

With no in-person option to attend Thursday's meeting, a group of tenants and others gathered at the NIA Center to watch on Zoom. Among those was Shaun Spencer, owner of My HUB Print Hub.

"This is one step closer to us keeping this in the neighborhood, and the community, and possibly one step closer to a cooperative ownership or a tenant ownership of the building," she said. "Obviously this is TARC's place, but we think this is a good step."

The vote at the full board meeting Thursday mirrored the result at Tuesday's finance committee, which also deadlocked on a 2-2 vote. A prolonged discussion there included support for the project, which backers said aligns with the partnership's mission, as well as concern that the money could be spent better on smaller investments. 

The partnership will oversee spending from a tax increment financing (TIF) district in a 12-square-mile area across nine neighborhoods in the west end. For 20 years, a portion of tax money generated there would be diverted from government coffers and invested in projects approved by the board.

The Goodwill plan would have been the second-largest investment to date. 

This story will be updated.  

Previous Coverage:

West End TIF board weighs buying NIA Center property on behalf of Goodwill

TARC to sell west Louisville's NIA Center, leaving small businesses and nonprofits in limbo

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