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Lees Lane property. Photo provided by Gate of Hope Ministries.
Senior Living Apartments to be built at site of former Iroquois Homes property in Louisville.
Gate of Hope Ministries plans to purchase several acres of lane off Lees Lane in Louisville.
It's a little more than 18 acres off Lees Lane.
It's a little more than 18 acres off Lees Lane.
Lees Lane property. Photo provided by Gate of Hope Ministries.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville ministry is looking to permanently put down new roots in the metro.
Gate of Hope Ministries is hoping to close on the purchase of nearly 19 acres of property off Lees Lane by mid-May.
The organization focuses heavily on helping refugees from different countries in Africa. It provides multiple resources in Louisville and also includes a program for farming.
"We're really excited because there's just a ton of space here for everything that we need," said Haileigh Arnold, Gate of Hope's farm program manager.
For several years, Gate of Hope had the Hope Community Farm off Bicknell Avenue in Louisville. The nonprofit was leasing the property from the Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA). The location used to be the site of a low income housing block known as Iroquois Homes, but all those buildings were demolished years ago.
In early 2022, LMHA announced plans to build on the Bicknell Avenue property once again. That meant the nonprofits using the space, including Gate of Hope, needed to look for a new home.
In the most recent update, LMHA said it expects construction to begin later this year on senior-living apartments at the site of the old Iroquois Homes.
"LMHA was very cooperative and let us stay for as long as possible," said Arnold.
Senior Living Apartments to be built at site of former Iroquois Homes property in Louisville.
As a temporary solution to find new property, Gate of Hope began a three-year lease on a small piece of land off South Crums Lane, but continued looking for a more permanent answer.
Now, the organization is in the process of purchasing the multi-acre site off Lees Lane for that permanent solution. A search on Zillow shows the sale is pending.
"We could see something we could immediately utilize not just for farm but for a forever home for Gate of Hope," said Kathy Siegfriedt-Wilson, a Gate of Hope board member.
Arnold said she envisions permanent structures on the property including a concrete station for washing produce, a pavilion, restroom, and potentially a community center in the future. Those were all dreams she said weren't able to be accomplished while leasing land in the past.
"One of our goals here is to be able to take the food that's grown here and spread it out into this area and particularly into Shively where there is a food desert," she said.
Gate of Hope Ministries plans to purchase several acres of lane off Lees Lane in Louisville.
Gate of Hope is fundraising to try and pay for the property in full. The organization still needs $150,000 to meet its goal. It's holding a fundraiser on Thursday, April 20th beginning at 6:30 p.m. at The Ministry Center on Crestwood Station.
Donations are also being accepted online.
According to Gate of Hope's website, the Lees Lane property will be known as Gosheni Farm, which stands for the Land of Healing and Wholeness.
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