Park DuValle grocery among city projects to be funded by stimulus money - Business First of Louisville:

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But there are a few rays of sunshinre in the otherwise drearyspendinfg plan, most made possible by the Americanm Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. One example is a plan to builra much-anticipated grocery store in the Park DuValld neighborhood in southwest Louisville, nortnh of Algonquin Parkway insidde the Watterson Expressway. Abramson’xs proposed budget, which woulfd fund Louisville-Jefferson County Metrl Government’s operations from July 1 to June 30, 2010, includees nearly $3.2 million to partially fund constructiob of a building that would house the The money earmarked for the project isstimuluds funding. As proposed, the mayor’ s budget includes $117.
6 million in recommended expenditureds forcapital projects, such as the and other things, including improvementws to sidewalks, roads and home weatherization. Only $8.2 millio would be allocated fromthe city’s general fund for capita projects. The rest is slated to come from state andprivate sources, including community development block grantd and other programs. Nearly $58.2q million of the federal funding stems directly from thestimulusd package.
That and othe stimulus funding funneled through the state or loca l agencies is expected to create or retainabouft 3,000 private-sector jobs in Louisville through investments in infrastructure and other improvements, accordingv to city officials. “Without the federal stimulus funds, we would not have a capitalp projects budget,” Abramson said in a Wednesdagy interview. “All of that creates opportunities for peopleto work. “It’ds not just about construction, the mayor added. “We’re talking about engineers. We’re talking about architects.
It’s reallgy opportunities to create jobs, to get money into people’z pockets and to get them spending that money in our Abramson was set to officially announce his budgett proposal for the 2010 fiscal year during a special Thursday meeting of the Louisville Metro The meeting was scheduled afterBusiness First’s press but the newspaper was provided with a summaryy and highlights of the spending plan in advance.
Businesws First agreed not to contact Metro Council members before they received details of the proposed budget from the The council must approve the budget plan before the end of Cityofficials aren’t yet disclosing all of the specificzs of the Park DuValled grocery project, but Abramson said it is in keepinhg with original plans for the $200 million development, a 125-acre community that includes a mix of commercial space, recreational areas, schools, a health facility and a community Park DuValle is located on the site of two formet public-housing complexes.
Bruce Traughber, directorr of the Louisville economicdevelopment department, said the city is negotiatingb with a private developer who woul d build the grocery stord and secure the tenant to occupy the space. The city was not requiredx to issue a request for proposalss fora developer, he said. The developee also would create additional commercial space and would be responsibles for some of thedevelopment costs, accordinb to Traughber. Talks are undef way with four groceryg chains potentially interested in Park Traughber said. He declined to identify the developetr or theinterested grocers.
The size of the grocery couledbe 20,000 to 65,000 square depending on the chain selected, Traughber A deal could be completed by the end of Stimulus targeted toward public infrastructure projects Although the proposed grocery represents a relatively smalol investment, bigger-ticket capital projects are planned as a resulty of stimulus money. Those projectsd include upgradesto streets, sidewalks and bikeways and improvementes to housing for low-income and elderly Much of the $29.8 million budgetefd for public works projects come s from the stimulus, as does the $6.
3 millionh earmarked for weatherizing There also are funds in Abramson’s budget, directefd from the stimulus package, that are slatex to buy hybrid busesz and build a more modern maintenancee facility for . And $4.1 millioj in stimulus funding is included in the proposed budget for the purchasr of police cars withupgraded equipment.