Downtown Louisville
Encyclopedia
Downtown Louisville is the largest central business district
in the Commonwealth of Kentucky
and the urban hub of the Louisville, Kentucky
Metropolitan Area. Its boundaries are the Ohio River
to the north, Hancock Street to the east, York and Jacob Streets to the south, and 9th Street to the west. As of 2000, the population of Downtown Louisville was 2,575.
The five main areas of the Central Business District
consist of:
The tallest buildings in Kentucky are located in Downtown Louisville and include the AEGON Center
designed by John Burgee
, National City Tower
designed by Harrison
& Abramovitz
, PNC Plaza
designed by Welton Becket
, and the Humana Building
designed by Michael Graves
. Of the 16 buildings in Kentucky over 300 feet (91.4 m), 12 are in Downtown Louisville. In addition, it is the center of local and regional government.
A glassed-in skywalk called the Louie Link stretches six city blocks and links together the Kentucky International Convention Center
(KICC), Fourth Street Live!
, three hotels (Galt House Hotel & Suites
, Marriott
and Hyatt Regency
), and 2,300 hotel rooms. In 2010 it was extended from the Galt House to the new $16 million Skywalk Garage, an eight-level, 860-space parking facility on Third Street, and a second skywalk connects from the garage across Third Street to the new KFC Yum! Center
.
Downtown Louisville is the oldest part of the city of Louisville, whose initial development was closely tied to the Ohio River
. The largest early fort, Fort Nelson
, was built in 1781 near what is today the corner of 7th and Main streets. Many early residents lived nearby after moving out of the forts by the mid-1780s, although little remains from of the earliest (mostly wood) structures.
Early plans of the city, such as William Pope's original plan in 1783, show a simple grid on an east/west axis along the river. The earliest streets, Main, Market and Jefferson retain their original names from the plan, while the smaller Green Street is now known as Liberty (it was renamed after Green Street acquired a seedy reputation due to its many burlesque theaters). Main Street was the city's initial commercial hub for nearly a century.
By 1830 Louisville passed Lexington
as Kentucky's largest city, with a population over 10,000. The steamboat
era saw the opening of the Louisville and Portland Canal
just west of downtown, and local commerce picked up further with the founding of banks and manufacturing. Most of Louisville's population was packed into downtown, which by this time stretched as far south as Prather Street (later renamed Broadway). Many still-remaining buildings reveal what the area was like at this time, with narrow, two to four-story buildings packing the streets.
The area and the city continued to grow during the railroad era. However, the increased mobility of early trolleys
, as well as the shear number and diversity of people moving to Louisville, saw a shift in focus as areas like Phoenix Hill
, Russell
and what is now Old Louisville
began to be built on the edges of downtown, particularly after the city annexed
those areas in 1868. Railroads lead to a diminished role for the river in transportation, further reducing the importance of downtown in favor of areas on what was then the edge of the city, along rail lines.
In 1886, the first skyscraper, the Kenyon Building, was completed on Fifth Street, followed in 1890 by the ten-story Columbia Building. The development of three large suburban parks and the electrified streetcar lead to the first true movement to the suburbs at this time. Some of downtown's business and industry followed people toward these areas. But by the 1920s the commercial center of Louisville was still nearby, at 4th and Broadway, dubbed the "magic corner" by the Herald-Post. The riverfront area of downtown was still being actively improved, such as with the building of what is now George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge across the Ohio at Second Street in 1929.
After World War II
, suburbanization increased and downtown began to decline as interstate highways further reduced the importance of its central location. Since the 1970s, downtown has been the subject of both urban renewal
and historic preservation
efforts. While many new buildings have been built, it has sometimes been at the expense of older landmarks, such as the Tyler Block
.
Many buildings sat totally or mostly vacant at this time, and some became dilapidated to the point where they burned down or had to be razed. Many riverfront industrial sites were abandoned or saw limited use, many were eventually redeveloped into Louisville Waterfront Park
. Other issues in the 1970s through the early 1990s included a former theater district on Jefferson Street that had become dubbed the "porno district". The businesses there were seen by the city as an eyesore since they were so close to the convention center, and most were demolished or burned down by the late 1990s. A few adult book stores and bars remained in the general area as of 2007.
From the late 1970s to early 1990s, nine new high rises over 200 feet (61 m) in height were built in downtown. Unlike the city's previous tallest buildings, which were all set along the Broadway corridor, these new buildings were set closer to the riverfront along Main and Market Streets.
Since 2000, downtown has seen another major growth spurt, although this one not only includes new high rises, but also a large scale return of large scale residential and retail back to the city center. The completion of Louisville Slugger Field
along with a mass expansion of the city's
Waterfront Park
, both completed in 1998, sparked new development along the eastern edge of downtown, with entire abandoned blocks rebuilt with new condominium units and shops. Also, new to Louisville is the 22,000-seat KFC Yum! Center
at Second and Main Streets which was completed in 2010.
Early residences outside of the forts, still mostly wood structures, were built along the modern street grid on early lots sold to settlers, but have all been demolished over time. What became the almost entirely office and parking-lot dominated downtown still had many solidly single family residential blocks on its fringes up until the early 20th century. Streets near Broadway, such as Chestnut, were lined with large mansions of the owners of businesses on Main and Market streets.
Though these houses were built of brick and other longer-lasting materials, none remained single family homes by the 21st century, although some had been converted for other uses, such as office space. The Brennan House
at 631 S. Fifth, which is operated as a historic property with daily tours, shows a glimpse of Downtown Louisville's residential past. A structure at 432 South Fifth Street is the only example of a pre-Civil War residence remaining Downtown; built in 1829 it has been converted to commercial use.
By the late 20th century, downtown Louisville had acquired a reputation as a place to work and visit during the week but which shuts down evenings and weekends. The first changes to this were the conversion of old warehouse and factory space to loft apartments in the late 1980s. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, new developments of luxury condominiums such as the 22-story Waterfront Park Place, and the $30 million project Fleur de Lis on Main, indicate increasing residential interest in Downtown Louisville. In 1997, the Kentucky Towers
was the largest residential building in Downtown Louisville. In 2007 Downtown Louisville became Jefferson County's tenth Multiple Listing Service
zone.
Housing units available downtown were expected to double between 2005 and 2010, from 1,800 to nearly 4,000, after increasing by only 900 units from 1985 to 2005. This is
both a result of new condominium construction and efforts to convert existing buildings into mixed usage, such as the $20 million redevelopment of the historic eight-story Henry Clay building at Third and Chestnut streets into a mix of residential, restaurant, retail and event space. The redevelopment also includes property that extends east to Fourth Street, which will become a public piazza, and the historic Wright-Taylor building, a two-story, 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) structure that faces Fourth Street and is located behind the Henry Clay, and is now an upscale restaurant that occupies the entire Wright-Taylor building.
into a pedestrian and bicycle only bridge, the construction of a wharf along the Riverwalk Trail, and the Ohio River Bridges Project
, involving the reconstruction of Spaghetti Junction
(the intersection of I-65
, I-64
and I-71
) along with the addition of a new bridge for northbound I-65 traffic.
On August 19, 2007, city leaders and the Cordish Company
, developers of 4th Street Live!, announced Center City, a $442 million, multi-year plan to develop 23 acres (93,077.8 m²), bounded by Second, Third and Liberty streets and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, that will include new housing, restaurants, a cinema and a boutique hotel. An estimated 500000 square feet (46,451.5 m²) of floor space being created, including a 15-story structure. As the plan would require $130 million in local and state tax rebates for Cordish, it requires approval from the Louisville Metro Council
and Kentucky General Assembly
. There is no official start time for the project, as financing is still being secured by the Cordish Company.
Also announced in 2007, the glass and steel $50 million shopping and office complex Iron Quarter was to be constructed within the Whiskey Row Historic District, but the project was delayed and eventually set aside when property owner Todd Blue made an agreement with the city of Louisville in January 2011 to demolish the seven original buildings. In May 2011, after all seven buildings had been landmarked, a new agreement was made with the city to save five of the seven buildings by donating one and selling the other four, with the remaining two to be demolished. Facades of all seven buildings are to be preserved.
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
in the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and the urban hub of the Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
Metropolitan Area. Its boundaries are the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
to the north, Hancock Street to the east, York and Jacob Streets to the south, and 9th Street to the west. As of 2000, the population of Downtown Louisville was 2,575.
The five main areas of the Central Business District
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
consist of:
- West Main DistrictWest Main District (Louisville)The West Main District is one of the five districts of downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The district, or a portion of it, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as West Main Street Historic District, due to its containment of some of the oldest structures in the city...
(west of 2nd St., north of Market St., east of 9th St., and south of the Ohio RiverOhio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
) - East Main District (east of 2nd St., north of Market St., west of Hancock St., and south of the Ohio River; contains the Whiskey Row Historic District)
- Medical Center (east of 2nd St., south of Market St., west of Hancock St., and north of Jacob St.)
- Fourth St. District (south of Market St., west of 2nd St., north of York St., and east of 5th St.)
- Civic Center (south of Market St., west of 5th St., north of York St., and east of 9th St.)
The tallest buildings in Kentucky are located in Downtown Louisville and include the AEGON Center
AEGON Center
The AEGON Center is a skyscraper in Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky and located at 400 West Market Street. The 35-story, high structure was designed by architect John Burgee with Philip Johnson and was completed in 1993 at the cost of $100 million...
designed by John Burgee
John Burgee
__notoc__John Burgee is an American architect noted for his contributions to Postmodern architecture. He was a partner of Philip Johnson from 1967 to 1991, creating together the partnership firm Johnson/Burgee Architects. Their landmark collaborations together included Pennzoil Place in Houston...
, National City Tower
National City Tower
National City Tower is a skyscraper in Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky, United States, and located at 101 South Fifth Street. Completed in 1972, the 40-story, high structure was designed by architects Wallace Harrison and Max Abramovitz based on the timeless designs of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe...
designed by Harrison
Wallace Harrison
Wallace Kirkman Harrison , was an American architect.-Career:Harrison started his professional career with the firm of Corbett, Harrison & MacMurray, participating in the construction of Rockefeller Center...
& Abramovitz
Max Abramovitz
Max Abramovitz was an architect best known for his work with the New York City firm Harrison & Abramovitz.- Life :...
, PNC Plaza
PNC Plaza
PNC Plaza is a skyscraper in Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky and located at 500 West Jefferson Street. Owned by Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank, the 30-story, high structure was designed by architect Welton Becket and was completed in 1971. A notable feature of the building is the pattern of pre-cast...
designed by Welton Becket
Welton Becket
Welton Becket was an architect who designed many buildings in Los Angeles, California.Becket was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the University of Washington program in Architecture in 1927 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree .He settled in Los Angeles in 1933 and formed a...
, and the Humana Building
Humana Building
The Humana Building, also known as the Humana Tower, is a skyscraper in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, located at 500 West Main Street. The 27-story structure is headquarters of the Humana Corporation and known for its postmodern architecture. It was designed by Michael Graves...
designed by Michael Graves
Michael Graves
Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
. Of the 16 buildings in Kentucky over 300 feet (91.4 m), 12 are in Downtown Louisville. In addition, it is the center of local and regional government.
A glassed-in skywalk called the Louie Link stretches six city blocks and links together the Kentucky International Convention Center
Kentucky International Convention Center
The Kentucky International Convention Center , formerly called the Commonwealth Convention Center, is a large multi-use facility in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It, along with the Kentucky Exposition Center, hosts conventions for the Louisville area...
(KICC), Fourth Street Live!
Fourth Street Live!
Fourth Street Live! is a entertainment and retail complex located on 4th Street, between Liberty and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It is owned and was developed by the Cordish Company; it was designed by Louisville architects, Bravura Corporation...
, three hotels (Galt House Hotel & Suites
Galt House
The Galt House is a 25-story, 1300-room hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original hotel was erected in 1837. The current Galt House is presently the city's only hotel on the Ohio River. Many noted people have stayed at the Galt House, including Jefferson Davis, Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln...
, Marriott
Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
and Hyatt Regency
Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
), and 2,300 hotel rooms. In 2010 it was extended from the Galt House to the new $16 million Skywalk Garage, an eight-level, 860-space parking facility on Third Street, and a second skywalk connects from the garage across Third Street to the new KFC Yum! Center
KFC Yum! Center
The KFC Yum! Center is a US $238 million, 22,000-seat basketball and multipurpose arena that opened on October 10, 2010, on the Ohio River waterfront in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, on Main Street between Second and Third Streets. The project is part of a $450 million project that includes...
.
History
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. The largest early fort, Fort Nelson
Fort Nelson (Kentucky)
Fort Nelson, built in 1781 by Richard Chenoweth, was the second on-shore fort on the Ohio River in the area of what is now downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Fort-on-Shore, the downriver and first on-shore fort, had proved to be insufficient barely three years after it was established...
, was built in 1781 near what is today the corner of 7th and Main streets. Many early residents lived nearby after moving out of the forts by the mid-1780s, although little remains from of the earliest (mostly wood) structures.
Early plans of the city, such as William Pope's original plan in 1783, show a simple grid on an east/west axis along the river. The earliest streets, Main, Market and Jefferson retain their original names from the plan, while the smaller Green Street is now known as Liberty (it was renamed after Green Street acquired a seedy reputation due to its many burlesque theaters). Main Street was the city's initial commercial hub for nearly a century.
By 1830 Louisville passed Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
as Kentucky's largest city, with a population over 10,000. The steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
era saw the opening of the Louisville and Portland Canal
Louisville and Portland Canal
The Louisville and Portland Canal was a canal bypassing the Falls of the Ohio in the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky. It opened in 1830, and was operated by the Louisville and Portland Canal Company until 1874, and became the McAlpine Locks and Dam in 1962 after heavy modernization.Although...
just west of downtown, and local commerce picked up further with the founding of banks and manufacturing. Most of Louisville's population was packed into downtown, which by this time stretched as far south as Prather Street (later renamed Broadway). Many still-remaining buildings reveal what the area was like at this time, with narrow, two to four-story buildings packing the streets.
The area and the city continued to grow during the railroad era. However, the increased mobility of early trolleys
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
, as well as the shear number and diversity of people moving to Louisville, saw a shift in focus as areas like Phoenix Hill
Phoenix Hill
Phoenix Hill is a neighborhood just east of Downtown Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Its boundaries are Market Street to the north, Preston Street to the west, Broadway to the south, and Baxter Avenue to the east. The area was originally known as Preston's Enlargement, part of the land...
, Russell
Russell, Louisville
Russell is a neighborhood immediately west of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It was named for renowned African American educator and Bloomfield, Kentucky native Harvey Clarence Russell Sr.....
and what is now Old Louisville
Old Louisville
Old Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture...
began to be built on the edges of downtown, particularly after the city annexed
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
those areas in 1868. Railroads lead to a diminished role for the river in transportation, further reducing the importance of downtown in favor of areas on what was then the edge of the city, along rail lines.
In 1886, the first skyscraper, the Kenyon Building, was completed on Fifth Street, followed in 1890 by the ten-story Columbia Building. The development of three large suburban parks and the electrified streetcar lead to the first true movement to the suburbs at this time. Some of downtown's business and industry followed people toward these areas. But by the 1920s the commercial center of Louisville was still nearby, at 4th and Broadway, dubbed the "magic corner" by the Herald-Post. The riverfront area of downtown was still being actively improved, such as with the building of what is now George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge across the Ohio at Second Street in 1929.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, suburbanization increased and downtown began to decline as interstate highways further reduced the importance of its central location. Since the 1970s, downtown has been the subject of both urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
and historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
efforts. While many new buildings have been built, it has sometimes been at the expense of older landmarks, such as the Tyler Block
Tyler Block
The Tyler Block was a three-story building in Louisville, Kentucky best known for its landmark Renaissance Revival limestone facade. It was located on the north side of Jefferson Street between Third and Fourth streets. Built in 1874, it was designed by Henry Wolters and named after its owners,...
.
Many buildings sat totally or mostly vacant at this time, and some became dilapidated to the point where they burned down or had to be razed. Many riverfront industrial sites were abandoned or saw limited use, many were eventually redeveloped into Louisville Waterfront Park
Louisville Waterfront Park
Louisville Waterfront Park is a municipal park adjacent to the downtown area of Louisville, Kentucky and the Ohio River. Specifically, it is adjacent to Louisville's wharf and Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere, which are situated to the west of the park....
. Other issues in the 1970s through the early 1990s included a former theater district on Jefferson Street that had become dubbed the "porno district". The businesses there were seen by the city as an eyesore since they were so close to the convention center, and most were demolished or burned down by the late 1990s. A few adult book stores and bars remained in the general area as of 2007.
From the late 1970s to early 1990s, nine new high rises over 200 feet (61 m) in height were built in downtown. Unlike the city's previous tallest buildings, which were all set along the Broadway corridor, these new buildings were set closer to the riverfront along Main and Market Streets.
Since 2000, downtown has seen another major growth spurt, although this one not only includes new high rises, but also a large scale return of large scale residential and retail back to the city center. The completion of Louisville Slugger Field
Louisville Slugger Field
Louisville Slugger Field is a baseball stadium in Louisville, Kentucky and is home to the Louisville Bats, the AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2000 with seats for over 13,000 fans. The Ohio River and state of Indiana are visible from the park...
along with a mass expansion of the city's
Waterfront Park
Louisville Waterfront Park
Louisville Waterfront Park is a municipal park adjacent to the downtown area of Louisville, Kentucky and the Ohio River. Specifically, it is adjacent to Louisville's wharf and Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere, which are situated to the west of the park....
, both completed in 1998, sparked new development along the eastern edge of downtown, with entire abandoned blocks rebuilt with new condominium units and shops. Also, new to Louisville is the 22,000-seat KFC Yum! Center
KFC Yum! Center
The KFC Yum! Center is a US $238 million, 22,000-seat basketball and multipurpose arena that opened on October 10, 2010, on the Ohio River waterfront in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, on Main Street between Second and Third Streets. The project is part of a $450 million project that includes...
at Second and Main Streets which was completed in 2010.
Residential
Though these houses were built of brick and other longer-lasting materials, none remained single family homes by the 21st century, although some had been converted for other uses, such as office space. The Brennan House
Ronald-Brennan House
The Ronald–Brennan House, often referred to as just the Brennan House, is a historic Italianate townhouse located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 11, 1975...
at 631 S. Fifth, which is operated as a historic property with daily tours, shows a glimpse of Downtown Louisville's residential past. A structure at 432 South Fifth Street is the only example of a pre-Civil War residence remaining Downtown; built in 1829 it has been converted to commercial use.
By the late 20th century, downtown Louisville had acquired a reputation as a place to work and visit during the week but which shuts down evenings and weekends. The first changes to this were the conversion of old warehouse and factory space to loft apartments in the late 1980s. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, new developments of luxury condominiums such as the 22-story Waterfront Park Place, and the $30 million project Fleur de Lis on Main, indicate increasing residential interest in Downtown Louisville. In 1997, the Kentucky Towers
Kentucky Towers
-History:The building was first built in 1925 on the corner of Fifth and Walnut Street as the Kentucky Hotel. It was the last hotel built in downtown Kentucky before World War Two. The late 1960s experienced a large growth in new apartment construction throughout the United States...
was the largest residential building in Downtown Louisville. In 2007 Downtown Louisville became Jefferson County's tenth Multiple Listing Service
Multiple Listing Service
A multiple listing service is a suite of services that enables real estate brokers to establish contractual offers of compensation , facilitates cooperation with other broker participants, accumulates and disseminates information to enable appraisals, and is a facility for the orderly...
zone.
both a result of new condominium construction and efforts to convert existing buildings into mixed usage, such as the $20 million redevelopment of the historic eight-story Henry Clay building at Third and Chestnut streets into a mix of residential, restaurant, retail and event space. The redevelopment also includes property that extends east to Fourth Street, which will become a public piazza, and the historic Wright-Taylor building, a two-story, 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) structure that faces Fourth Street and is located behind the Henry Clay, and is now an upscale restaurant that occupies the entire Wright-Taylor building.
Future plans
Projects in the works include the conversion of the former Big Four railroad bridgeBig Four Bridge (Louisville)
The Big Four Bridge is an abandoned six-span railroad truss bridge that crosses the Ohio River, connecting Louisville, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana, United States. It was completed in 1895, and updated in 1929. It has its largest span at , for in total. It gets its name from the defunct...
into a pedestrian and bicycle only bridge, the construction of a wharf along the Riverwalk Trail, and the Ohio River Bridges Project
Ohio River Bridges Project
The Ohio River Bridges Project is a controversial Louisville metropolitan area transportation project involving the reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange , the completion of two new Ohio River bridges and the reconstruction of ramps on Interstate 65 between I-264 and downtown.One bridge will be...
, involving the reconstruction of Spaghetti Junction
Kennedy Interchange
The Kennedy Interchange, unofficially, though universally, referred to as Spaghetti Junction, is the intersection of Interstates 64, 65 and 71 at the northeastern edge of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is named for the John F...
(the intersection of I-65
Interstate 65
Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 12, and U.S...
, I-64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
and I-71
Interstate 71
Interstate 71 is an Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes/Midwestern and Southeastern region of the United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 64 and Interstate 65 in Louisville, Kentucky. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 in Cleveland,...
) along with the addition of a new bridge for northbound I-65 traffic.
On August 19, 2007, city leaders and the Cordish Company
Cordish Company
The Cordish Company is a real estate development and entertainment operating company with its headquarters on the 6th floor of the Pratt Street Power Plant in Baltimore, Maryland...
, developers of 4th Street Live!, announced Center City, a $442 million, multi-year plan to develop 23 acres (93,077.8 m²), bounded by Second, Third and Liberty streets and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, that will include new housing, restaurants, a cinema and a boutique hotel. An estimated 500000 square feet (46,451.5 m²) of floor space being created, including a 15-story structure. As the plan would require $130 million in local and state tax rebates for Cordish, it requires approval from the Louisville Metro Council
Louisville Metro Council
The Louisville Metro Council is the city legislature of Louisville, Kentucky . It was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County and replaced the city's Board of Aldermen and the county's Fiscal Court .The Metro Council consists of...
and Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
. There is no official start time for the project, as financing is still being secured by the Cordish Company.
Also announced in 2007, the glass and steel $50 million shopping and office complex Iron Quarter was to be constructed within the Whiskey Row Historic District, but the project was delayed and eventually set aside when property owner Todd Blue made an agreement with the city of Louisville in January 2011 to demolish the seven original buildings. In May 2011, after all seven buildings had been landmarked, a new agreement was made with the city to save five of the seven buildings by donating one and selling the other four, with the remaining two to be demolished. Facades of all seven buildings are to be preserved.
Attractions
Many attractions are located in Downtown Louisville.- "Museum Row" in the West Main DistrictWest Main District (Louisville)The West Main District is one of the five districts of downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The district, or a portion of it, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as West Main Street Historic District, due to its containment of some of the oldest structures in the city...
- Frazier International History MuseumFrazier International History MuseumThe Frazier International History Museum, formerly the Frazier Historical Arms Museum, is a museum in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown. It is named for the museum's founder Owsley Brown Frazier...
- Kentucky Museum of Art and CraftKentucky Museum of Art and CraftThe Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown, is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 to continue the art and craft heritage of Kentucky through the support and education of craft artists and education of the public...
- Louisville GlassworksLouisville GlassworksLouisville Glassworks is a multi-use facility housing three working glass studios , two glass galleries, a Walk-In Workshop and daily tours. Louisville Glassworks is located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown...
- Louisville Science CenterLouisville Science CenterThe Louisville Science Center, previously known as the Louisville Museum of Natural History & Science, is Kentucky's largest hands-on science museum. Located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown, the museum operates as a non-profit organization...
- Louisville Slugger MuseumLouisville Slugger MuseumThe Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, a museum located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown, showcases the history of the Louisville Slugger brand of baseball bats made by Hillerich & Bradsby, and of baseball in general...
- Muhammad Ali CenterMuhammad Ali CenterThe Muhammad Ali Center, a museum and cultural center built as a tribute to the champion athlete and his values, is located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown....
- Museum PlazaLouisville Museum PlazaLouisville Museum Plaza was a 62-story skyscraper that was planned for Louisville, Kentucky, United States. By August 1, 2011, despite the expenditure of public funds on its behalf, its developers had officially announced that they were abandoning plans to build it...
(planned)
- Frazier International History Museum
- East Market DistrictEast Market District (Louisville)The East Market District, also referred to as NuLu , is an unofficial district of Louisville, Kentucky, situated along Market Street between downtown to the west and the Highland's neighborhoods to the east. A growing, hip district, the area comprises parts of two of Louisville's oldest...
, featuring a row of art galleries, prominently featured in the monthly First Friday Trolley Hop - Belle of LouisvilleBelle of LouisvilleThe Belle of Louisville is a steamboat owned and operated by the city of Louisville, Kentucky and moored at its downtown wharf next to the Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere during its annual operational period...
- Early TimesEarly TimesEarly Times is a brand of Kentucky whisky produced by the Brown-Forman Corporation. The whisky sold under this brand name outside the United States is labelled as bourbon, while most of the brand bottlings sold within the U.S. do not meet the qualifications for marketing as a bourbon and are just...
Distillery - Fort Nelson ParkFort Nelson (Kentucky)Fort Nelson, built in 1781 by Richard Chenoweth, was the second on-shore fort on the Ohio River in the area of what is now downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Fort-on-Shore, the downriver and first on-shore fort, had proved to be insufficient barely three years after it was established...
- Fourth Street Live!Fourth Street Live!Fourth Street Live! is a entertainment and retail complex located on 4th Street, between Liberty and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It is owned and was developed by the Cordish Company; it was designed by Louisville architects, Bravura Corporation...
- The Kentucky CenterThe Kentucky CenterThe Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, located in Louisville, is a major performing arts center in Kentucky.The Kentucky Center also hosts artworks by Alexander Calder, Joan Miró, John Chamberlain, Jean Dubuffet and others....
- Louisville Extreme ParkLouisville Extreme ParkThe Louisville Extreme Park is a 40,000 square foot public skatepark located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It opened on April 5, 2002, and gained national recognition after the release of Tony Hawk's Secret Skatepark Tour, in which the park was featured. The park is open from 6 A.M. to 11 P.M...
- Louisville Slugger FieldLouisville Slugger FieldLouisville Slugger Field is a baseball stadium in Louisville, Kentucky and is home to the Louisville Bats, the AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2000 with seats for over 13,000 fans. The Ohio River and state of Indiana are visible from the park...
(Home of the Louisville BatsLouisville BatsThe Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
) - Waterfront ParkLouisville Waterfront ParkLouisville Waterfront Park is a municipal park adjacent to the downtown area of Louisville, Kentucky and the Ohio River. Specifically, it is adjacent to Louisville's wharf and Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere, which are situated to the west of the park....
- Riverfront Plaza/BelvedereRiverfront Plaza/BelvedereRiverfront Plaza/Belvedere is a public area on the Ohio River in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Although proposed as early as 1930, the project did not get off the ground until $13.5 million in funding was secured in 1969 to revitalize the downtown area . On April 27, 1973 the Riverfront...
- KFC Yum! CenterKFC Yum! CenterThe KFC Yum! Center is a US $238 million, 22,000-seat basketball and multipurpose arena that opened on October 10, 2010, on the Ohio River waterfront in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, on Main Street between Second and Third Streets. The project is part of a $450 million project that includes...
(Home of the Louisville CardinalsLouisville CardinalsThe Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
)
Tallest buildings in Downtown Louisville
| Rank | Building | Height | Floors | Year completed/projected | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Museum Plaza Louisville Museum Plaza Louisville Museum Plaza was a 62-story skyscraper that was planned for Louisville, Kentucky, United States. By August 1, 2011, despite the expenditure of public funds on its behalf, its developers had officially announced that they were abandoning plans to build it... |
703 ft (214 m) | 62 | 2012 | Project Cancelled |
| 2nd | AEGON Center AEGON Center The AEGON Center is a skyscraper in Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky and located at 400 West Market Street. The 35-story, high structure was designed by architect John Burgee with Philip Johnson and was completed in 1993 at the cost of $100 million... (Capital Holding Center, Providian Center) |
549 ft (167 m) | 35 | 1993 | Completed |
| 3rd | National City Tower National City Tower National City Tower is a skyscraper in Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky, United States, and located at 101 South Fifth Street. Completed in 1972, the 40-story, high structure was designed by architects Wallace Harrison and Max Abramovitz based on the timeless designs of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe... (First National Tower) |
512 ft (156 m) | 40 | 1972 | Completed |
| 4th | PNC Plaza PNC Plaza PNC Plaza is a skyscraper in Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky and located at 500 West Jefferson Street. Owned by Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank, the 30-story, high structure was designed by architect Welton Becket and was completed in 1971. A notable feature of the building is the pattern of pre-cast... (Citizens Fidelity Plaza) |
420 ft (128 m) | 30 | 1971 | Completed |
| 5th | Humana Building Humana Building The Humana Building, also known as the Humana Tower, is a skyscraper in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, located at 500 West Main Street. The 27-story structure is headquarters of the Humana Corporation and known for its postmodern architecture. It was designed by Michael Graves... |
417 ft (127 m) | 27 | 1984 | Completed |
| 6th | Waterfront Park Place | 364 ft (111 m) | 23 | 2004 | Completed |
| 7th | Meidinger Tower (South Tower) |
363 ft (110.6 m) | 26 | 1982 | Completed |
| 8th | Brown & Williamson Brown & Williamson Brown & Williamson was an American tobacco company and subsidiary of the giant British American Tobacco, that produced several popular cigarette brands. It became infamous as the focus of investigations for chemically enhancing the addictiveness of cigarettes... Tower (North Tower, Oxford Tower) |
363 ft (110.6 m) | 26 | 1982 | Completed |
| 9th | Waterfront Plaza I | 340 ft (103.6 m) | 25 | 1991 | Completed |
| 10th | Waterfront Plaza II | 340 ft (103.6 m) | 25 | 1993 | Completed |
| 11th | LG&E Center (One Corporate Plaza, LG&E Building) |
328 ft (100 m) | 23 | 1989 | Completed |
| 12th | Galt House Galt House The Galt House is a 25-story, 1300-room hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original hotel was erected in 1837. The current Galt House is presently the city's only hotel on the Ohio River. Many noted people have stayed at the Galt House, including Jefferson Davis, Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln... (West Tower) |
325 ft (99 m) | 25 | 1972 | Completed |
| 13th | Galt House Galt House The Galt House is a 25-story, 1300-room hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original hotel was erected in 1837. The current Galt House is presently the city's only hotel on the Ohio River. Many noted people have stayed at the Galt House, including Jefferson Davis, Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln... (East Tower) |
322 | 20 | 1985 | Completed |
| 14th | BB&T BB&T BB&T Corporation is an American bank with assets of $157 billion , offering full-service commercial and retail banking services along with other financial services like insurance, investments, retail brokerage, mortgage, corporate finance, consumer finance, payment services, international... Building (Louisville Trust Building, United Kentucky Building, Liberty Bank Building) |
312 ft (95 m) | 24 | 1972 | Completed |
| 15th | The 800 Apartments The 800 Apartments The 800 Apartments is a skyscraper in Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky. The building is named after its address of 800 South Fourth Street. The 29-story, high structure was designed by the Louisville architectural firm of Arrasmith and Tyler in a partnership with the Chicago architectural firm of... |
290 ft ( m) | 29 | 1963 | Completed |
| 16th | Avenue Plaza Apartments Metro Housing Authority Louisville Metro Housing Authority The Louisville Metro Housing Authority is the government agency in Louisville, Kentucky that is charged with providing affordable housing and financial aid to homeowners and renters.-External links:*... |
18 | 1974 | Completed | |
| 16th | Heyburn Building Heyburn Building The Heyburn Building is a 17-floor, 250 foot building in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. In the early 20th century, it was an integral part of the "magic corner" of Fourth Street and Broadway, which rivaled Main Street as Louisville's business district... |
250 ft (76 m) | 17 | 1928 | Completed |
| 17th | J O Blanton House U.S. Housing and Urban Development United States Department of Housing and Urban Development The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government... |
20 | 1972 | Completed | |
| 18th | Hyatt Regency Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation... |
246 ft (75 m) | 18 | 1978 | Completed |
| 19th | Dosker Manor East and West Metro Housing Authority Louisville Metro Housing Authority The Louisville Metro Housing Authority is the government agency in Louisville, Kentucky that is charged with providing affordable housing and financial aid to homeowners and renters.-External links:*... |
18 | 1968 | Completed | |
| 20th | Kentucky Home Life Building | 235 ft (71.6 m) | 19 | 1913 | Completed |
| 21st | Brown Hotel | 16 | 1923 | Completed | |
| 22nd | Kentucky Towers Kentucky Towers -History:The building was first built in 1925 on the corner of Fifth and Walnut Street as the Kentucky Hotel. It was the last hotel built in downtown Kentucky before World War Two. The late 1960s experienced a large growth in new apartment construction throughout the United States... |
202 ft (61.5 m) | 18 | 1924 | Completed |
| 23rd | Starks Building Starks Building The Starks Building is a landmark 14-story building on Fourth Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It was built in 1913 on a site that had been the First Christian Church of Louisville. It was commissioned by local businessman John Starks Rodes and designed by... |
202 ft (61.5 m) | 14 | 1913 | Completed |
| 24th | River View Place | 201 ft (61 m) | 19 | 1925 | |
| 25th | Marriott Louisville | 200 ft (61 m) | 17 | 2005 | Completed |
| 26th | ZirMed Gateway Towers | 12 | 2009 | Completed |
See also
- Cityscape of Louisville, KentuckyCityscape of Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky is home to numerous structures that are noteworthy due to their architectural characteristics or historic associations, the most noteworthy being the Old Louisville neighborhood, the third largest historic preservation district in the United States...
- Geography of Louisville, KentuckyGeography of Louisville, KentuckyLouisville is a city in Jefferson County, Kentucky. It is located at the Falls of the Ohio River.Louisville is located at . According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Louisville Metro has a total area of 1,032 km²...
- List of tallest buildings in Louisville
- Ohio River Bridges ProjectOhio River Bridges ProjectThe Ohio River Bridges Project is a controversial Louisville metropolitan area transportation project involving the reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange , the completion of two new Ohio River bridges and the reconstruction of ramps on Interstate 65 between I-264 and downtown.One bridge will be...
External links
- Street Map of Downtown Louisville
- Getting around Downtown Louisville
- List of tallest buildings in Louisville
- Louisville Central Area website
- Gallery of black-and-white photos of a nearly abandoned West Main Street in the 1970s
- http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISORESTMP=results.php&CISOVIEWTMP=item_viewer.php&CISOMODE=grid&CISOGRID=thumbnail,A,1;title,A,1;descri,200,0;none,200,0;none,A,0;20;title,none,none,none,none&CISOBIB=title,A,1,N;subjec,A,0,N;descri,200,0,N;none,A,0,N;none,A,0,N;20;title,none,none,none,none&CISOTHUMB=20%20(4x5);title,none,none,none,none&CISOTITLE=20;title,none,none,none,none&CISOHIERA=20;subjec,title,none,none,none&CISOSUPPRESS=0&CISOTYPE=link&CISOOP1=exact&CISOFIELD1=title&CISOBOX1=&CISOOP2=exact&CISOFIELD2=coveraa&CISOBOX2=Central+Business+District+%28Louisville%2C+Ky.%29&CISOOP3=exact&CISOFIELD3=descri&CISOBOX3=&CISOOP4=exact&CISOFIELD4=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOBOX4=&c=exact&CISOROOT=all Images of Central Business District / Downtown (Louisville, Ky.) in the University of Louisville Libraries Digital Collections]
- Louisville Downtown Management District - Interactive Downtown Map
- Louisville Downtown Management District recognizes 2010 development projects – Feb 2011
