On November 5th, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced one of the city’s first Opportunity Zone investments by the Marin Group. According to the city, the new project will expand Blacksmith Iron Works, a fabrication and custom metal solutions business that recently moved into a 20,000 square-foot facility at 3100 Vermont Ave. – in the Russell neighborhood. The Blacksmith Iron Works expansion will represent almost $750,000 of total investment in Russell and will include at least 16 employees by 2019.

Additional community partners that are investing in Opportunity Zones include OneWest, a nonprofit community development organization that recently purchased its first property on 18th Street, with plans to redevelop it as a restaurant or retail space. The Louisville Urban League has also invested $35 million for the Track on Ali project.

The team at Louisville Forward, the city’s community and economic development agency, is ready to work with businesses and investors to maximize Louisville’s potential for its Opportunity Zones by providing concierge project management, offering incentives for projects in CDBG-eligible census tracts, and working to accelerate the permitting process.

The city is also working to identify the needs of investors, developers, and business owners while connecting them with resources that will help support potential projects. To be listed in the city’s database, please complete the form by clicking on the link here.

Click here for the City of Louisville’s recent press release on these Opportunity Zone projects.