Latest news with #Goodwill
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
West End TIF board won't buy Nia Center for Goodwill affordable housing development
This story has been updated with information from a June 12 meeting and to attribute a quote to William Summers V. The West End Opportunity Partnership will not purchase the Nia Center and lease it to Goodwill to build affordable housing, after a tied vote during a special board meeting June 12. A motion by the WEOP board to purchase the $2.1 million property owned by the Transit Authority of River City failed after members could not come to an agreement on the proposal. TARC, which has leased the Parkland neighborhood space to various businesses and organizations since 1997, notified tenants in May that it would be selling the building, leading several community members and business owners to protest outside its headquarters. Goodwill previously confirmed plans to build 76 affordable housing units on the property. During a June 10 meeting of the WEOP finance committee, a presentation stated the nonprofit would partner with Woda Cooper Companies on the project, with Goodwill committing $500,000 to demolition and site preparation, before Woda Cooper Companies began construction on a $21.5 million four-story housing complex. According to WEOP staff, Goodwill had hoped to solidify the purchase before June 15, when low-income housing tax credits obtained by Woda Cooper Companies expire. The WEOP is a nonprofit partnership created in 2021 that's tasked with deciding how to spend revenue from a tax increment financing (TIF) district that covers Louisville's West End. Sharon Allen, a representative of the Parkland neighborhood on the WEOP board, called the development a "blessing" during the June 12 meeting. "I just feel like this is a great opportunity for the Parkland area," Allen said. "At least we are building something that's going to help the neighborhood, not saying that the Nia Center didn't or hasn't, but if we don't invest in it, then somebody else will, and what's to say what they'll build in it." Meet with journalists: Share Parkland's present, shape its future at Courier Journal mobile newsroom | Opinion Some board members had concerns about the speed of the process, the displacement of Black-owned businesses and the outcry from community members. Of the four board members present at the finance committee meeting, both Douglas Craddock and Mike Neagle voted not to go through with the purchase, citing concerns about Nia Center tenants and the value the project would bring to the WEOP, which would have leased the property to Goodwill for $1 annually. 'We're not making money on it,' Neagle said. 'We've had a lot of discussions over the last couple months about sustainability. So now we're looking at taking 8% of our remaining money, tying it up in a property for 99 years.' Other WEOP board members and staff, however, felt the purchase of the property was not only a valuable investment but also part of the partnership's obligation to address housing needs in the community. 'We're buying land that around it there has been over $100 million worth of investment,' said William Summers V, who represents Republic Bank on the board. 'So as you look at what's going on, that makes that property more valuable as well. I think that this is truly, truly an investment, and we're able to do other things that we are called to do within our mission as well.' The project's goal is to provide long-term, stable housing to graduates of Goodwill programs and others in the community, according to a presentation at the committee meeting. 'Residents are not required to be program graduates, but a preference is given to individuals who have graduated a program or completed recovery, transitional housing or workforce development programs through Goodwill,' the presentation stated. Tenants of the Nia Center say they're not opposed to more affordable housing in Louisville, but they question why the center must be sacrificed to build it. The Nia Center has served as a small business incubator in the West End for years and is seen by many as a staple within the community. Tenants and Parkland residents have expressed frustration with both TARC and Goodwill over the development proposal and potential loss of the space. The partnership board said Goodwill has been in talks with Louisville Metro Government, which manages the center, about providing an alternative space for tenants, at a nearly $200-a-month rent increase, but did not say where a new center would be located. Tenants of the Nia Center who attended the committee meeting said they have received no communication from Goodwill or the city about a new space or building. Tenants will be able to stay in the Nia Center until December rent-free. Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: West End TIF board won't buy Nia Center to lease to Goodwill
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What's going on with the Nia Center? What to know about the controversy
The future of the Nia Center in west Louisville still hangs in the balance after a proposal from the West End Opportunity Partnership to buy the property failed to move forward during a June 12 vote. The vote came in the wake of a May announcement that the Transit Authority of River City had agreed to sell the building, which serves as a small business incubator and community resource center, to Goodwill to make way for more affordable housing to be built in the Parkland neighborhood. The move, which tenants say they were not informed of prior to the deal, has since sparked protests from residents and community leaders who say they are being forced out with few options on places to go. Here's what to know about the Nia Center and the plans for the building: The Nia Center originally opened in the former Tube Turns building at the corner of Broadway and 29th Street as TARC's Nia Travel and Job Center in 1997. At the time of its creation, the center was part of Louisville's "Empowerment Zone Campus," a collection of community investments and developments in 10 of the city's poorest neighborhoods, all located in the West End. The project was originally pitched in 1993 as part of an effort to draw one of six $100 million federal grants meant to help stimulate poor areas in the U.S., and continued even after the bid failed, according to a December 1996 Courier Journal article. In March 1998, the city added the Enterprise Development Center, an 11,000-square-foot space meant to serve as an incubator for small businesses. "We created the Nia Center to serve as a one-stop shop of economic opportunity for our Empowerment Zone," former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson told The Courier Journal at the time. "The Enterprise Development Center provides the space; the rest of the Nia Center resources offer business assistance and employee services." The Nia Center has become a focal point of the community in the years since, hosting several small businesses, a local licensing office for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and a youth job-skills academy, among other organizations. On May 21, Goodwill Kentucky submitted a purchase proposal agreement to TARC, offering to buy the property for $2.1 million with the intention of building 76 units of affordable housing on the site, which is located next to its newly opened Opportunity Center. Roughly a week later, the TARC board authorized Executive Director Ozzy Gibson to sign a letter of intent to sell the property, but the deal has not yet been finalized. The West End Opportunity Partnership later held two special meetings to discuss buying the property and leasing it to Goodwill, which would partner with Columbus-based Woda Cooper Companies to develop a $21.5 million four-story housing complex. A June 12 vote on that proposal ended in a tie, meaning the WEOP board will not make the purchase. Business owners who are currently housed in the Nia Center said they were assured TARC would not sell the space, but received letters May 29 notifying them of the sale. Shaun Spencer, owner of a printing shop inside the Nia Center, said she and other tenants originally believed the Goodwill Opportunity Center would work in partnership with the existing community, and she now feels they're being forced out to make way for a new housing complex that is a bad direction for the neighborhood. 'We are against being displaced and resources being removed and replaced with what is seen as affordable housing," Spencer said. "… Let's use some existing properties that are already vacant and for sale. Let's convert those instead of tearing down a building that is providing community resources and then building on top.' City officials have said businesses housed by the center may continue to occupy the property through November rent-free but will have to vacate by December. Plans are currently in the works to find a new place for the existing businesses, but no further details have been released. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Nia Center in Louisville: What to know about potential sale
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
West End board to hold second vote on buying Nia Center. How the proposal has changed
The West End Opportunity Partnership will again vote on a proposal to purchase the Nia Center and lease it to Goodwill to build affordable housing — this time with additional funds set aside to help displaced businesses. In May, the Transit Authority of River City agreed to sell the building, which serves as a small business incubator and community resource center for those in the Parkland neighborhood, to Goodwill, which plans to build 76 affordable housing units on the land. At a June 12 meeting, the West End Opportunity Partnership (WEOP) board considered buying the property on behalf of Goodwill, though the proposal failed to move forward after a tie vote. The victory for those opposing the closure of the center was short-lived, however, as the WEOP announced a second vote on the proposal during a special meeting on June 18. More: What's going on with the Nia Center? What to know about the controversy The proposed redevelopment has come under fire from Nia Center tenants, community members and some elected officials in the weeks since TARC announced it would be selling the property. In an effort to help those displaced by the potential sale of the center, an addendum has been added to the original proposal to provide a one-time payment of $5,000 to nongovernmental tenants of the Nia Center, according to a copy of the proposal shared with The Courier Journal. 'This is in addition to the binding promises of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky to provide cash assistance in the form of moving expenses and security deposits at new lease locations for tenants, and the offers of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky and Louisville Metro Government to provide assistance in locating new lease locations within West Louisville,' the addendum reads. The Courier Journal reached out to representatives from the WEOP and Goodwill, but requests for comment were not returned prior to publication. According to the purchase proposal, the WEOP would buy the property for $2.1 million and lease it to Goodwill for $1 annually. Goodwill has committed $500,000 to demolition and site preparation, and affordable housing developer Woda Cooper Companies is prepared to begin construction on a $21.5 million four-story housing complex. According to WEOP staff, Goodwill had hoped to solidify the purchase before June 15, when low-income housing tax credits obtained by Woda Cooper Companies expire. The WEOP is a nonprofit partnership created in 2021 that's tasked with deciding how to spend revenue from a tax increment financing (TIF) district that covers Louisville's West End. Some in the community feel buying the Nia Center would be a misuse of the TIF revenue the WEOP was created to monitor and spend. The Coalition of West Louisville Neighborhood Associations sent a letter to the WEOP opposing the purchase, saying it is 'against the will of the residents and taxpayers of West Louisville.' 'These funds are intended to create economic opportunity, promote generational wealth, and uplift the communities of West Louisville — not to subsidize a private nonprofit with terms that offer no direct financial return of community ownership,' the letter reads. This story will be updated. Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: West End TIF board to again vote on buying Nia Center for Goodwill
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Woman in charity shop overjoyed by what she pays for jacket worth £300
A savvy shopper couldn't believe their eyes after spotting a designer jacket on sale for an unexpected price in a popular charity shop - but it wasn't plain sailing to be able to buy it A lucky shopper managed to bag a designer jacket for an astonishingly low price at a charity shop - despite staff's objections. The bargain hunter ventured to popular US chain Goodwill, which boasts over 150 outlets across the US and Canada. Like similar charity shops in the UK, the organisation aims to offer "hundreds of thousands of unique items up for grabs at any given time, including art, books, vinyl records, clothing, home décor, jewellery, musical instruments, sports, toys, and more" at discounted prices. One shopper was stunned when they came across a jacket by Canadian apparel brand Arc'teryx. Known for its focus on outdoor gear and accessories, Arc'teryx was "founded on the idea that there is always a better way". The brand is renowned for its high-quality technical equipment for Alpine sports and mountaineering, offering a decent selection of high quality outdoor essentials such as the brand's popular waterproof Gore-Tex shell jackets, as well as its down-filled parkas, insulated gilets, knitwear range, and much more. The brand's jackets are usually priced between £240 and upwards of £500. Yet, one shopper was astounded to find a red puffer jacket on offer for a low $3.50 (£2.59). Posting on Facebook, the happy budget shopper shared several photos of the jacket, which appeared to be a medium size for adults, and penned: "Goodwill tried stopping sale when they realized". They added: "Easily one of my better clothing finds at Goodwill and I wish I took a pic of the tag because it was literally priced at $3.50." They then claimed "the cashier and manager" tried "every trick in the book to deny the sale" after realising the item "was never meant to be on the shop floor", yet it seems the persistent shopper triumphed, walking away with the jacket for a mere $3.50 (£2.59). They also quipped that the original price tag of $380 (£281) for the jacket "brand new" was "criminal". In the response section, Facebook users voiced their opinions. One person asked: "What did you say to each of their attempts? Need to learn those tricks". Another shared: "I refuse to shop [at] Goodwill". And a third commented: "Nothing wrong with giving more people jobs by not letting resellers hit up Goodwill and make off like one armed bandit slot machines. "I can't stand resellers, but it's probably because I haven't been successful at it. "Some always seem to get the best things [in] certain places making them not worth anyone's while to shop there for things to resell from my experience. "They have to have an 'in' at these places - some it's obvious they do." They added: "Goodwill is supposed to be where people who can't afford things new can buy them gently used for their own personal use. That's what I always thought anyway. "It's anything but that, with those that buy from there to resell."
India Gazette
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
David Beckham awarded Knighthood by King Charles III for services to sport and charity
London [UK] June 15 (ANI): Football icon David Beckham has officially received a Knighthood from King Charles III on Saturday (local time), honouring his outstanding contributions to sport and charity. The former Manchester United and England captain is now 'Sir David Beckham', a title befitting one of the most influential and celebrated footballers of all time. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in the history of the game, Beckham enjoyed a stellar playing career that spanned across top clubs and continents. He represented footballing giants such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and LA Galaxy, leaving his mark with world-class performances and a legacy of excellence. At the international level, Beckham donned the England shirt 115 times between 1996 and 2009, scoring 17 goals, and captained his country in many memorable moments. His club career is decorated with silverware. At Manchester United, Beckham was an integral part of Sir Alex Ferguson's golden era, playing 265 Premier League matches and scoring 62 goals. Beckham later moved to Real Madrid, where he made 116 appearances and netted 13 goals. His football journey then took him to the United States, and joined LA Galaxy, contributing 18 goals in 98 appearances. Beckham also signed for AC Milan, making 29 appearances and scoring 2 goals, and ended his playing career at Paris Saint-Germain. He has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005. Beckham was in India and watched India's semifinal clash against New Zealand in Mumbai on November 15 during the Men's Cricket World Cup. He interacted with cricket greats like Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. (ANI)
