Sustainability Now! | Shaun Spencer & Timothy Cox | Update on Saving the Nia Center | 9-15-25

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, catches up with the evolving story about the future of the Nia Center at 2900 W. Broadway with Shaun Spencer, Nia Center tenant (owner of My Hub Print Center) and co-founder of the West Louisville Dream Team, and Timothy Cox, current president of the West Louisville Dream Team (https://www.facebook.com/share/15QUpdZjic/). On August 26, 2025, Louisville’s Transit Authority of River City (TARC) voted unanimously to enter a 14-day exclusive negotiation period with the West Louisville Dream Team (WLDT) on the potential sale of the Nia Center for $2.1 million—an important step toward keeping this West Broadway landmark in community hands. The Nia Center has long been a small-business hub and gathering place for West Louisville. After earlier redevelopment ideas fell through this summer, TARC is now negotiating directly with WLDT, which plans to preserve the building, restore its community space, and raise the capital needed to complete the purchase. WLDT’s plan targets a healthy, 90% occupancy within three years and seeks partnership with Metro Council for community-space support—aligning economic activity with civic life in the neighborhood. The West Louisville Dream team is made up of residents, business owners, and those that are concerned about the positive image of west Louisville. It was started in 2012 with four members to attract more businesses and promote the image of west Louisville. Their mission is to work in collaboration with neighborhood associations to positively affect west Louisville. WLDT is a non-for-profit community organization with about 90 residents, non-profit, and businesses on its mailing list. In 1998 date, the Nia Center was opened as a promise by the city to west Louisville. In the 2000s, the Nia Center served as a hub of resources for entrepreneurs and job seekers; however, around 2016-17 after Metro Louisville took over its management, gradually, as tents moved out, they weren’t replaced and its role as an economic resource hub diminished. The Nia Center also served as a gathering space for the community and an internet hub for west Louisville residents without internet access. The building was open seven days a week, with non-traditional evening hours during the week and on weekends. Eventually, the building’s operating hours were reduced, and the community room was removed from public access. Likewise, the internet connection was not as fast as promised, and it couldn’t be accessed outside of the building’s hours. How can the community support West Louisville Dream Team’s effort to acquire the Nia Center? Donate. Invest. Sign the petition. Help us raise: $50,000 by October 12th! $1 million by December 31st to buy the Nia Center! Get in touch with them at [email protected] and find the petition to Save Nia Center at https://www.change.org/p/save-the-nia-center Contact Carla Dearing, Head of Community Investment, at [email protected] to be connected with ways you can help. SEE: https://centerforneighborhoods.org/neighbors-at-the-helm-cfns-role-in-the-nia-center-path-to-community-ownership/ https://www.lpm.org/news/2025-08-27/tarc-west-louisville-dream-team-to-negotiate-on-sale-of-nia-center As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW! Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com