A new $28 million elementary school is being built in west Louisville, the first in the area in two decades.

Jefferson County Public Schools officials broke ground at the site of the new elementary school this week. The unnamed facility will be connected to the West Louisville YMCA on Broadway and will serve up to 650 students.

“Just imagine what it’s going to be like on day one for these young people to walk into this brand new school building, after they’ve been in a school building that probably needed to be condemned several decades ago,” JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said.

Marrillia Design and Construction was awarded the contract to build the new 79,000-square-foot school. The project will feature energy efficiency measures, including geothermal heating and cooling and energy efficient windows.