Editor’s note: This story is part of a series the Center for Great Neighborhoods will roll out this fall to raise awareness for the different ways it works to create positive change in Covington.
The Hellmann Creative Center is a community hub where neighbors, family, and children can connect to improve their lives and community.
Hand-in-hand with residents, the building was designed to be used in many ways: to host a community event and rent one of its public meeting spaces, expand your creative business by leasing one of its 8 studios, or just stop by and take in the amazing architecture of this 150-year-old lumber mill.
The goal is to make the building a welcoming place for all.
Over the past 4 years, the Center for Great Neighborhoods has seen this dream bear fruit as Hellmann has become a second home to many in the community.
It has groups that meet there most weeks: Tai Chi, the Covington Writers Group, Music Together for parents and toddlers, a Pre-K Readiness Group, and Blacks In Technology.
Hellmann is also home to the NKY Refugee Ministries, Community and Restorative Justice, and numerous neighborhood groups such as the Covington Street Hockey League, the Linden Grove Cemetery Board of Overseers, etc.
On an annual basis, Hellmann hosts indoor and outdoor community-wide events, including the Kentucky State High School Art Show, the Westside Spring Celebration and a Global Holiday Market.
In addition to these recurring events and meetings, the Center for Great Neighborhoods often sees Hellmann morph into unexpected one-time uses such as a woodshop for high school students, a space for a non-traditional prom night, a staging ground for neighborhood cleanup supplies, or somewhere to celebrate life events like bridal and, baby showers, and rehearsal dinners.
Most recently, a beloved community member passed away. His wife desired to hold a memorial service in the community where he lived so that his neighbors could all attend, which is why she chose Hellmann stating that it “was a beautiful and accessible place to celebrate his life and contributions to the neighborhood.”
Hellmann was available to accommodate the memorial service. In fact, this is exactly why the building is here: to be a resource to the community and all its life events.
The Center for Great Neighborhoods strives to keep the cost affordable to residents in the community so that all incomes are able to use the building for baby showers, family parties, art shows, etc.
In order to do this, it needs to raise additional dollars each year to cover our cleaning and maintenance costs for the community rooms. Your gift will help keep these rooms affordable and open to all in the community
Contact The Center for Great Neighborhoods today to learn more about how to get involved
Learn more about the building, its history, the artist studios, and other details Hellmann Creative Center website.
Center for Great Neighborhoods
