Needless to say, I am surprised and disappointed that Seed Capital KY will not be moving forward in developing and transforming this 24-acre brownfield site into the West Louisville FoodPort.

I applaud Stephen Reily and Caroline Heine, as Louisvillians, for boldly stepping forward with a bold vision and plan to invest in the revitalization of a site beyond Ninth Street, an area which, we all know, has suffered decades of disinvestment in West Louisville; and to put forth their time, energy and personal financial investment to address the demand for local food, jobs and training for area residents.

I hope whoever may come forward in the future to develop this prime location will build upon the foundation that Seed Capital Kentucky established by also involving the community from the beginning in the vision and guiding the development of plans for the site, including the Community Council and the innovative Community Benefits Agreement, which would have guaranteed substantial input from and benefits for residents of the area.

People who live in the surrounding Russell, Shawnee and Portland neighborhoods helped shape the project, and I hope they will stay involved and committed to seeing this site transformed into something positive with a long-lasting impact for the West Louisville community. •

Bryant Hamilton’s council district includes the FoodPort site.