LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A modular housing manufacturer will open its first facility in the U.S. in Louisville's Parkland neighborhood.
The leaders of MMY US, along with Louisville officials, announced the $6.1 million facility on Thursday. The project will create 73 jobs that will have an average pay of $30 an hour and minimum pay of $23 an hour.
United Kingdom-based MMY US said it'll hire at least 51% of its workforce from Louisville, with preference given to applicants in the nine neighborhoods of west Louisville.
“From delivering new housing solutions to creating good-paying jobs with benefits like childcare, MMY is making a game-changing investment in west Louisville that will position our city to lead,” Mayor Craig Greenberg said. “West Louisville will now be the national epicenter of modular housing construction, and I am so grateful to MMY leaders for their commitment to Louisville, our people and our future.”
This will be Kentucky's first sole modular manufacturer, which constructs modular homes in 16 weeks. There will also be free child care on-site from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for working parents.
“At MMY US, we believe in fair compensation for hard work, delivering an average wage of $30/hour to ensure our staff earns a decent living wage,” CEO Robin Bartum Brown said. “Diverse and inclusive teams lead to superior decision-making, which benefits everyone. At MMY US, we are dedicated to fostering a workplace that is both diverse and equitable, ensuring our workforce mirrors the communities we are a part of.”
A Goodwill Opportunity campus, library, and hospital are all planned for the area.
Louisville Metro Government awarded the company a $500,000 grant. MMY US secured a 10-year lease for a five-acre industrial facility at 1344 Beach Street, which is already an existing 100,000-square-foot building.
The company will produce up to 500 housing units per year.
“Congratulations to MMY US and to the West Louisville community for adding yet another quality employer for Kentucky’s talented workforce,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “The commonwealth continues to attract companies that are creating great jobs and providing valuable resources for our residents, and MMY US is a prime example of that. I’m happy to welcome MMY US to the commonwealth and look forward to a long, successful partnership here.”
Mark Miller is a longtime business owner and barber in west Louisville. Millertyme's Barber Shop is just a few blocks away from the manufacturer. He was excited to hear about MMY US coming to Parkland.
"I think it's great, it'll be good for the community," Miller said. "Open some employment up for some people around here, some families to raise their kids on."
His shop is down the street from the Parkland Library, which is undergoing millions of dollars in renovations to reopen for the first time in years.
"The whole neighborhood's changing, starting there at Broadway and the Norton's Healthcare that is gonna be there," Miller said.
The Goodwill Opportunity Center will be opening in west Louisville in a matter of weeks.
Miller said he's excited to see more companies and people investing in Parkland and the surrounding neighborhoods.
"It's meant the world to me, because without the community I wouldn't be here," Miller said. "There's a lot of money in the west end. It's a lot of good people down here. Just need to give an opportunity to make it happen."
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