Veterans Victory breaks ground on housing, business education campus

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A new holistic campus for Veterans broke ground Thursday at the corner of South Powers Boulevard and Bradley Road.

When completed it will be a 15-acre site that will include 240 ADA-accessible, green multi-family apartments and 15 business offices.

“We want to help the veterans start his or her own business and especially land those excellent government contracts that are available for military and constriction and space technology because this is certainly the city where we can do that type of work,” Kim Kuhle, CEO/Founder of Veterans Victory told KRDO.

Kuhle said the idea behind the Veterans Victory Housing and Small Business Center is to provide on-site financial education, small business training, collaboration and networking opportunities to help get Veterans on their feet and on their way to a successful career path.

“It goes back to my understanding of post traumatic stress disorder,” she said.

Kuhle explains her passion comes from her experience of what veterans face post-retirement. Many who face issues with mental illness, not sure where to look for resources or experience trouble accessing benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The nearly 70 million-dollar holistic campus for Veteran entrepreneurs was made possible by the Opportunity Zones created under former President Donald Trump's 2017 tax plan. 

But also thanks to support from those with close ties to the Veteran community like Chuck Lesnick, a board member of Veterans Victory. He says he was inspired by his father-in-law, a World War II Veteran.

“The greatest generation and they didn’t talk much about the adversity… but I think we talk about it more now," he said. "There were obstacles but the country was committed to helping them get relocated when they came home from World War II. In recent years, we have not had that support so this is going a long way to help.”

The site will also have access to physical therapy, mental health services, yoga, hiking trails, and social events. 

Partners Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center will also be able to offer expertise to veterans as they transition into their new civilian careers.  

Interested Veterans can get on the waiting list for housing by texting Kim Kuhle at 402-639-8855.