YMCA Accepts Donation of Philip Morris Property in West Louisville

The Greater Louisville YMCA has accepted a combined $1 million cash and property donation from Philip Morris USA. The company donated property at Broadway and 18th Streets where the YMCA will build a new facility in partnership with the University of Louisville.YMCA President Steve Tarver says the organization was interested in the location, but it would’ve cost too much to buy the property.“So, as a good non-profit executive I said have you ever thought about donating it, which was kind of a joke at first," he says "so they came back when we declined on it and said well we’ve talked about it, we might be interested in doing a donation.”YMCA will be partnering with the University of Louisville for this project so that the new facility can incorporate health services to specifically meet the needs of West Louisville.“Number one we see huge impact," Tarver says "first of all the area of health and health equity so we think of health not just as fitness, but we also think of health as economic stability, good educations and physical health.”Tarver wants to incorporate as many aspects of community health as possible including a community garden, but the company must wait on the realignment of 18th Street before finalizing designs and beginning construction.