St. Vincent de Paul | Louisville

By Chris Turner, Fox41 News, Dec. 23, 2010

LOUISVILLE, Ky.  (WDRB Fox 41) -- New construction in one of Louisville's oldest neighborhoods brings plenty of activity this week. See video.

One charity's expansion aims to fix two lingering issues.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has worked from headquarters in Shelby Park for more than 150 years.

But it hasn't sought to build new housing for those in need, until now.

And it's all in one block.

"The west building is half the complex of family apartments. And then on the far corner of Kentucky and Jackson will be the other half of it," said St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director Ed Wnorowski.

He was describing two apartment buildings built on the north end of the charity's main campus and headquarters in an area bounded by South Preston, East St. Catherine , South Jackson and East Kentucky Streets.

Wnorowski watched construction workers on Thursday, who, in turn, are helping to ease a chronic problem in the Shelby Park neighborhood and in Louisville as a whole.

They're building apartments for families served by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to make a big move, not just to a new home, but away from homelessness.

"The mission ultimately is to get people to the highest level of independence that they're capable of," Wnorowski said.

Just since Monday had workers stacked roof trusses, poured concrete forms and started constructing wooden frames.

An artists' rendering shows two of the new buildings in a design that blends with older structures in the neighborhood.

Walk half-a-block south of St. Vincent de Paul headquarters to see the third building.

Wnorowski described it as containing "the one-bedroom apartment units for ten individuals coming out of homelessness or with disabilities."

The new construction started within the last month, after six years of planning -- and putting together grants and tax credits.

It should cost almost 11 million dollars.

The work also includes incorporating the brick shell of a former camelback house into a fourth building.

Plans call for a boys and girls club and a counseling center, too.

"It's a significant investment in a challenged area, and we believe it's going to become a more of a social hub as well."

Neighborhood leaders say they like the project, calling the charity a good neighbor.

St. Vincent de Paul won't accept applications or referrals for the new apartments until next year.

www.svdplou.org will connect you to the charity's web site and further information about the new buildings and their use.