Mayor cuts ribbon on renovated Black and Williams gym

News release provided by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
Mayor Linda Gorton today cut a ribbon to officially open the newly renovated Black and Williams Neighborhood Center Gymnasium.
“Neighborhood centers like Black and Williams play an important role in people’s lives, and in the life of the neighborhoods,” Gorton said. “They provide a gathering space for people to come together to celebrate and remember, offer programming, and have meetings that help improve the community. The improvements made here at Black and Williams will have a significant impact on this neighborhood.” The Black and Williams Center includes a main building and the gym.
In 2017, the 5,000-square-foot gymnasium at the Black and Williams Neighborhood Center was closed due to unsafe conditions. The gymnasium has since undergone an intense renovation to return it to an accessible, environmentally safe condition with a modernized utility infrastructure.
The scope of the renovation included new roofing, window replacement, new heating and cooling (HVAC) system, multipurpose flooring installation, and two new basketball goals. In addition, there were upgrades to the mechanical, electrical, lighting, and plumbing systems.
New storage, stage platform, warming kitchenette, and ADA-accessible restrooms have added so the gym can be used for community meetings for nearby residents and social services-based organizations serving the area.
Councilmember-at-Large James Brown said, “I’m excited for the families in the Georgetown Road corridor. The city’s investment in the Black and Williams Neighborhood Center is more than a renovation – it’s a revitalized space that will serve as an asset for residents of all ages.”
Second District Councilmember Shayla Lynch, whose district includes the Black and Williams Neighborhood Center, said, “The Black and Williams Neighborhood Center is the only neighborhood center in the second council district, and it is a much-utilized space by my neighbors. I am truly overjoyed that the gymnasium in this historic building will be available to the community as a resource and engagement point.”
Danielle Sanders, Director of Community and Resident Services said, “What an exciting time for the neighborhood! It will be an outlet for the youth and adults, especially those in close proximity, that will offer recreational and programming opportunities and options in various areas.”
Renovations at the Black and Williams Neighborhood Center began in May 2023. Updates made to the gymnasium cost at about $1.9 million. The majority of the funds were allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The neighborhood center was dedicated in honor of Evelyn Black and Alex Williams, trailblazers and local leaders in Lexington’s African-American community.
Black & Williams Center is one of four former public school facilities acquired by the government in the mid-1970s. It was the original Booker T. Washington School.
The main building is home to multi-generational, community-based programs, managed by both LFUCG staff, and local nonprofit partner agencies:
- LFUCG Aging & Disability Services (Elder Crafters Program)
- LFUCG Youth Services (PAGE program – Parent & Guardian Empowerment)
- LFUCG Community & Resident Services (Housing-related resources and support)
- NAMI Lexington (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
- WECEP – West End Community Empowerment Program (youth and families)
- United Way of the Bluegrass – WayPoint Center satellite office
News release provided by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/mayor-cuts-ribbon-renovated-black-williams-gym