Local organizations, JCPS pitch ideas for 5-acre property in Louisville's Russell neighborhood

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A plot of land is providing grounds for a partnership that could be key to the economic future of west Louisville.

A warehouse stood for decades on the five acre-property at Madison and 30th in the Russell neighborhood.

The buildings have been demolished, and now the city is set to work with residents and a potential partner to develop it.

"Our vision is to build Black wealth through investment without displacement," Jackie Floyd said.

The organization Russell: A Place of Promise (RPOP), is looking to neighbors for input on what to do with the land.

Five organizations pitched their ideas during a community meeting on Thursday at the Norton Sports & Learning Center.

The first pitch came from 9:25 Sports, a travel baseball program hoping to build an indoor facility its team can call home.

"Although we're using sports, baseball, it's more than sports for us. It's about life and life-long skills," Frank Johnson said.

Former UofL football player Jamon Brown, a "Russell result," is looking to give back with a building that would provide affordable housing, a bowling alley, a skating rink and community resources.

"Just create a space that can wrap around our community and give us the opportunity to reach some of the limitless possibilities that's out there," Brown said.

Kristen Williams with Play Cousins Collective is looking to create a village of sorts that would be multi-purpose and empowering.

"We want to have the Cousins Café to partner with the Black Market and Good Food Lou to prepare food and sell it in the café," Williams said.

Dave Christopher with Amped wants to bridge the technology gap through education and tech literacy.

"It really is absolutely about the money. When we create economic power and ownership and in order to change things," Christopher said.

Finally, Jefferson County Public Schools made its pitch for a new home for Grace James Academy, which could expand to a high school in this space for more than a thousand students. It's a school focused more on science and math.

"We want to make sure that we have seats for our young ladies from Russell going to this wonderful magnet school and I think that can happen, I know that can happen," JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said.

Neighbors will have one week to share their thoughts on the pitches. RPOP says there will be more meetings to discuss new ideas, but they hope to break ground in 2023.