Supported by $1.4 million in city funding, the project involves the demolition of the former community correctional center at 316 East Chestnut Street, which has been vacant since May 2020.

鈥淟OUMED represents a transformative step for downtown Louisville, bringing together our medical and educational institutions to foster innovation and community growth. The addition of a communal green space is not just about beautification; it鈥檚 about creating a vibrant, inclusive environment where residents, students and visitors can connect and relax. By enhancing our urban landscape, we will attract top talent from across the nation, making Louisville a premier destination for health care professionals and innovators alike,鈥� said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.

The demolition of the existing structure should be complete by the end of this year and LOUMED anticipates acquiring the property at that time, marking a pivotal milestone in the project’s progression. JLL, Louisville Commercial Real Estate Services, is managing both the demolition of the community correctional center and the construction of LOUMED Commons, along with architecture, engineering and design firm Gresham Smith, who has spearheaded the conceptual design for the nearly one-acre parcel of land.

The vibrant public space will serve as a central hub for activity within LOUMED, which includes the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center and downtown facilities of UofL Health, as well as Jefferson Community and Technical College and Norton Healthcare.

The space will feature:

• An open, park-like setting with a lush tree canopy and native plants;
• Well-lit spaces to ensure a safe and welcoming environment;
• A dedicated area for food trucks;
• Seating areas for relaxation and eating;
• Shade structures to offer relief from the sun;
• A pavilion structure to host programming and events;
• And public art installations to showcase local artistry.

LOUMED Commons will be designed with the latest sustainability practices and built using modular construction methods, allowing for phased development to ensure flexibility and adaptability. The first phase is expected to be completed by late 2025.

“We look forward to transforming a previously underutilized space into a vibrant, green and pedestrian-friendly hub,” said Nadareca Thibeaux, executive director of LOUMED. “LOUMED Commons will not only provide a much-needed respite from the bustling medical and education district, but also foster a sense of community and enhance the overall well-being of those who work in and visit the district.”

LOUMED is also actively collaborating with Mayor Greenberg鈥檚 office, Louisville Metro Public Works and UofL鈥檚 on the redevelopment of Chestnut Street, recognized as the “collective spine” of the district. With an estimated timeline of three to five years, this project is in its initial planning phase, bolstered by $1.75 million in city funding. Additionally, Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky General Assembly have allocated a $100 million one-time budget expenditure to Louisville Metro Government for the revitalization of downtown, which includes LOUMED.

These efforts contribute to a broader vision, complementing the significant redevelopment and revitalization initiatives spearheaded by LOUMED’s anchor institutions: Jefferson Community and Technical College, University of Louisville, UofL Health and Norton Healthcare.

The four anchor institutions have and will be contributing more than $560 million to projects and investments within the district over the next three to five years. JCTC is expanding and enhancing its campus through the 鈥楯efferson Rising鈥� project. Thanks also to support of the Kentucky General Assembly and Gov. Andy Beshear, the University of Louisville is planning a transformative Health Sciences Simulation Center and Collaboration Hub. UofL Health is nearing completion on the expansion of UofL Hospital, and Norton Healthcare recently implemented a new state-of-the-art labor and delivery unit and expanded neonatal intensive care unit.

UofL鈥檚 Health Sciences Simulation Center and Collaboration Hub will be located just down the street from LOUMED Commons, at Chestnut and Preston streets.

鈥淭his state-of-the-art building will be a game-changer for UofL, our city and the entire commonwealth. The center will expand multidisciplinary research opportunities for the university and enhance the educational experience of students pursuing STEM+H degrees, including nursing and other critical health care professions,鈥� said UofL President Kim Schatzel. 鈥淭his project shows UofL鈥檚 commitment to academic and research excellence and its vital role in shaping the future of education and health care in Kentucky.鈥�

For more information about LOUMED and its initiatives, visit and follow on , and .

The solution? Metropolitan College 鈥� a unique public-private partnership that dramatically increased retention among workers during the wee hours each night. Average tenure of a third-shift worker grew from eight weeks prior to the program鈥檚 launch to three years as of fall 2022.

The program also provided more than 22,000 students over the past 25 years the opportunity to earn a college degree 100% debt-free.

Metro College allows students at the University of Louisville or Jefferson Community and Technical College to work at Worldport, earning a weekly paycheck and payment of their tuition, academic bonuses and fee payment assistance. The program receives state support to fund up to 50% of tuition and fees. The company also provides academic bonuses that include semester and graduation bonuses. The program launched in the fall semester of 1998 as a partnership among UofL, JCTC, UPS, Louisville Metro Government and the commonwealth of Kentucky.

鈥淢etropolitan College seemingly has no downside,鈥� said UofL President Kim Schatzel. 鈥淧rior to my academic career, I spent 20 years in industry, so I see the value of Metro College across the board. The state of Kentucky, UPS, JCTC and UofL have created a national model of what a combined education-workforce-economic development initiative can and should be.鈥�

鈥淚n addition to paying for college, Metro College provides a student with a livelihood while they are in college,鈥� said Ty Handy, JCTC president. 鈥淭hat is crucial for many students who must support themselves either fully or partially while they are in school. And the added value of the career and academic guidance they receive cannot be underestimated.鈥�

鈥淔or UPS, the success of Metro College has been integral to our ability to deliver what matters to our customers around the world,鈥� said UPS President Jim Joseph. 鈥淚n addition to the steady source of talent to help us run our Worldport operation, the program provides student-workers the opportunity to pursue their dreams debt-free, while also receiving competitive pay, benefits and work-life experience and guidance. Our community benefits by growing and enhancing the talent pool within the commonwealth. The program really is a win-win-win for all involved.鈥澛�

Thalia Almenares came to Louisville in 2016 from Cuba and began work at UPS in 2017. Through Metro College she started taking classes at JCTC before transferring to UofL where she graduated in May as a dental hygienist.

鈥淯PS was the best bet for my dreams,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 believe it when they told (me) they were going to pay my tuition 100% in full. But also, with the help of the UPS team, I was able to overcome the language barrier and have a job to support my family while earning a great education. The program also provides you with a great work-life balance. I wasn鈥檛 sure if it was possible to be a student and work at the same time, but UPS opens that door.鈥�

Another program benefit is the chance to learn leadership skills and to rise in the ranks while still enrolled in college. Just ask graduates Jeff Wafford (2003) and Donovan Neal (2019).

鈥淐oming out of high school, I knew I couldn鈥檛 pay for college. I was actually planning to go into the military until a friend of mine told me about UPS two months before the semester started,鈥� Donovan Neal said. 鈥淚 began in August 2012 in the UPS hub as a package handler and eventually got a role as a supervisor in finance and accounting.鈥�

He graduated from UofL with a degree in finance and today works in human resources for UPS.

Likewise, Jeff Wafford progressed through the ranks of the multinational shipping company. He enrolled in Metro College more than two decades ago and started as a package handler. Now director of public affairs, Wafford continues to tout Metro College. 鈥淭oday, I not only have the chance to talk about it to our leaders here locally and throughout Kentucky but also to the states I cover, in the Virginias and the Carolinas. They all want to know, 鈥榃hat can we do in our states to have a program like this?鈥� 鈥�

The rigors of overnight work 鈥� Metro College students work 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. about 15 hours per week 鈥� coupled with college enrollment can be daunting, but Metro College staff advise entering students to enroll as a parttime student to get adjusted to the new routine. And they provide advice on life skills that students may need throughout their time in college.

Yet Wafford notes that working overnight may not be as much of a problem as might be imagined.

鈥淭wenty-three years ago, my then-college roommate and I were up at 3 o鈥檆lock in the morning, as college students sometimes are, and we saw this ad for Metro College,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e said, 鈥榃e should do this. We鈥檙e up all night anyway. We have these loans we鈥檙e getting ready to take out, and we need some money.鈥� So the next day, we applied.

鈥淚鈥檝e talked about Metro College now for 23 years and hopefully, I鈥檒l get to talk about it for the next 23 years,鈥� Wafford said 鈥淟et鈥檚 keep this program going for the future of the commonwealth.鈥�

For more information about Metro College visit metro-college.com.

ULBB launches this fall thanks to a $900,000 National Institutes of Health five-year training grant. The funding will support eight JCTC freshman the first year, with eight additional students to be added in each of the second through fifth years.

Sham S. Kakar, PhD, MBA, is a professor in the Department of Physiology and the James Graham Brown Cancer Center. Kakar, along with JCTC Dean of Academic Affairs Randall Davis, PhD, are program directors on the grant.

“Our goal is to improve success rates not only of the transfer students in the ULBB program itself, but also to help develop an environment in which more STEM students make a successful transition from JCTC to UofL to biomedical careers,” Kakar said.

Highlights of the program include:

• Mentoring, help with courses, career counseling and advising both prior to and after transferring to UofL
• Opportunity to take a UofL biology course at JCTC tuition rate
• Summer research program after first year at JCTC to learn biomedical research skills; $5,000 salary
• Summer research program after second year at JCTC working full-time in a UofL lab conducting research; $5,000 salary
• Research presentation opportunities at local and national scientific conferences
• Networking and planning for next steps after college

The first group of JCTC students are expected to start the ULBB program in October.

Other collaborators on the grant include Joshua Irving, PhD, chair, Department of Physiology; Cynthia Corbitt, PhD, associate professor, Department of Biology; Adrienne Bratcher, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Exercise Physiology and Paul Florence, MS, professor, JCTC.