Louisville non-profit earns over $2 million in grants for Smoketown Community Center

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - After $2.1 million of grant money was awarded to YouthBuild Louisville, a Smoketown building is getting new life.

The Smoketown Laundry and Community Center will be the end result of a complete renovation of the buildings at the corner of Hancock and Breckenridge Streets. YouthBuild said it will give the community what they’ve been asking for for years.

An investment of $1.6 million comes from the Department of Labor and will keep YouthBuild’s programs running for another two years. Another $600,000 from the House Appropriations Committee’s Community Project Funding program goes to the Laundry and Community Center which aims to promote health equity, economic well-being and safety.

”These are our opportunities, our elected officials’ opportunities to designate funding that we identify as critical to our community,” said Congressman John Yarmuth (D-Ky3rd), who requested the funding.

One young man helping some finishing touches on the Laundromat Thursday was Kevonte Williams, who spent part of his life growing up in Smoketown. Williams, who just graduated from Western High School, is working with the YouthBuild summer works program. He said providing a space for kids to come is crucial and helping build it makes it even more special.

”It makes me feel wonderful,” said Williams. “Just as a man, growing up in Louisville period, just doing something positive is always good for somebody, especially if you’re doing it for somebody else.”

Williams hopes to one day give back in a similar manner by opening up a boxing gym, providing another outlets for kids with nowhere else to go.

The Laundromat will be operational by the end of July. The rest of the project should be finished by the end of 2023.

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