Wednesday, April 26, 2006
House conversion still alive
Center envisioned for Valley Station
By Bill Pike
bpike@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
The only thing for certain for now about converting the Kennedy House on Valley Station Road into a community center is that there's money in the state budget to help purchase the property.
Cuts that Gov. Ernie Fletcher made Monday in the 2006-08 budget did not include the $250,000 for the Kennedy House project requested by state Sen. Dan Seum, a Republican, whose district stretches from Jeffersontown to Valley Station.
Seum said southwestern Jefferson County needs another community center because the Sun Valley Community Center on Bethany Lane is often busy.
Seum and Metro Councilman Doug Hawkins, a Republican who represents part of southwestern Jefferson County, hope the state money will boost plans to buy the property, which includes a historic house and 8.3 acres in front of Stuart Middle School.
The Kennedy home, a traditional frame farmhouse built about 1870, was once the center of a large farm that included land now used by Stuart, Norton Southwest Hospital, Jefferson Community College and Kennedy Place Town Homes.
The property passed out of the Kennedy family's hands in 1997, after the death of Sidney Kennedy.
The owners of the property, James E. and Wilma Jean Thomas, wanted $550,000 for it last year.
Bill Dollinger, a real estate agent who has represented the Thomases, said he didn't think the price had changed.
Hawkins hopes that metro government and the Valley Woman's Club, which has long wanted the property converted to community use, can raise the rest of the purchase price. That would be $300,000 if the property sells for the asking price.
Hawkins said he hopes as much as $200,000 could come from funds that Republican council members spend on infrastructure or building projects.
Valley Woman's Club President Carol Hamilton said she wasn't sure what the club would do. ''We haven't really discussed it yet,'' she said.
Hamilton wondered if the club could raise substantial money because it's small and many members are older.
Regardless, the money that's being discussed would only buy the site. Additional money would be needed to renovate, maintain and staff a center.
''There are federal funds for developing historic properties,'' Hawkins said, adding that he hopes the project could include a playground, computer lab, meeting rooms and tutoring programs for youngsters.
''This is a long-range project,'' Seum said.
By The Last I Heard...
House conversion still alive
Center envisioned for Valley Station
By Bill Pike
bpike@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
The only thing for certain for now about converting the Kennedy House on Valley Station Road into a community center is that there's money in the state budget to help purchase the property.
Cuts that Gov. Ernie Fletcher made Monday in the 2006-08 budget did not include the $250,000 for the Kennedy House project requested by state Sen. Dan Seum, a Republican, whose district stretches from Jeffersontown to Valley Station.
Seum said southwestern Jefferson County needs another community center because the Sun Valley Community Center on Bethany Lane is often busy.
Seum and Metro Councilman Doug Hawkins, a Republican who represents part of southwestern Jefferson County, hope the state money will boost plans to buy the property, which includes a historic house and 8.3 acres in front of Stuart Middle School.
The Kennedy home, a traditional frame farmhouse built about 1870, was once the center of a large farm that included land now used by Stuart, Norton Southwest Hospital, Jefferson Community College and Kennedy Place Town Homes.
The property passed out of the Kennedy family's hands in 1997, after the death of Sidney Kennedy.
The owners of the property, James E. and Wilma Jean Thomas, wanted $550,000 for it last year.
Bill Dollinger, a real estate agent who has represented the Thomases, said he didn't think the price had changed.
Hawkins hopes that metro government and the Valley Woman's Club, which has long wanted the property converted to community use, can raise the rest of the purchase price. That would be $300,000 if the property sells for the asking price.
Hawkins said he hopes as much as $200,000 could come from funds that Republican council members spend on infrastructure or building projects.
Valley Woman's Club President Carol Hamilton said she wasn't sure what the club would do. ''We haven't really discussed it yet,'' she said.
Hamilton wondered if the club could raise substantial money because it's small and many members are older.
Regardless, the money that's being discussed would only buy the site. Additional money would be needed to renovate, maintain and staff a center.
''There are federal funds for developing historic properties,'' Hawkins said, adding that he hopes the project could include a playground, computer lab, meeting rooms and tutoring programs for youngsters.
''This is a long-range project,'' Seum said.
By The Last I Heard...
