Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
The new HOPE VI development named 810 East Broadway held an official ribbon cutting yesterday. We’ve told you about the building all through construction and gave you a tour of the building last week, but the rest of the news came on board today with fresh coverage after the press event. Some news outlets labeled the 22-unit mixed-use building a “housing project.” We feel this term isn’t appropriate for describing the future of public housing in Louisville.
Housing “projects” are what we’re replacing. The old Clarksdale Homes (pictured above) were torn down to create the mixed-use, mixed-income Liberty Green development. 810 East Broadway is part of that transformation. While the building does have sub-market rate apartments, it’s part of a new approach to public housing called scattered site development where small numbers of units occur all throughout the city. The term housing project, for us at least, still carries a negative stigma from the 20th century equivalent and isn’t constructive to describe the new nature of these developments, especially 810 East Broadway.
But it’s really all just word play. This is a development project and it includes housing. Housing project. So, you could suppose that Waterfront Park Place or the Fleur-de-Lis on Main, or Lake Forest subdivision for that matter are all housing projects. But they don’t get headlines that read “City opens new housing project” from Fox 41. Most were more sensitive. The C-J simply calls it “public housing” or an “apartment complex” while Wave 3 says it’s a “housing complex for working families.” WFPL had the best headline reading “New Housing Development Opened Downtown.” It gets to the point without allowing stereotypes to fester beneath stigmatized words. And it generates the most excitement.
This is a new housing development in a beautiful new building that is one of the most contextually sensitive in Louisville. The city should be excited there’s 22 new housing units near downtown and over 3,000 square feet of new market rate retail space on Broadway. This building will be great for the city. The design of the structure (by Kersey & Kersey Architects) may have been a little too good, though. Apparently 810 East Broadway blends so well with its historic surroundings, Wave 3 thought it was a renovation: “The 801 East Broadway building at the corner of Shelby and East Broadway has been completely renovated to provide 16 one-bedroom apartments as well as six two-bedroom apartments.” It’s like the building has been here all along.
Are we concerned about nothing or do you agree 810 East Broadway isn’t a “housing project?” Even Mayor Abramson was delighted that we’ve progressed from warehousing the poor in barracks. Your thoughts in the comments.
- Rendering vs. Realist: 810 East Broadway Almost Done (Broken Sidewalk)
- Previous coverage of 810 East Broadway on Broken Sidewalk
Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
Clarksdale Housing Project Just Before Demolition
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archintent
March 19th, 2009
7:30 am
you want the tv news and the papers to choose a more accurate and descriptive language over words that are sensationalist/provocative?! good luck with that.
Janelle
March 31st, 2009
9:23 am
I absolutely agree with you. Part of changing our culture of understanding is changing our language. If we are to move beyond the culture of the projects we can’t just build new buildings, we have to build new characterizations.
Charlie Day
June 5th, 2009
9:10 pm
I grew up in Clarksdale. I lived at 400 S. Hancock and 748 Fehr St. I went to school at St. Boniface in the third and the fifth through the eight grades. I was an alter boy at St. Boniface as well as a choir member.
I know that it was time for the projects to go; but, that area and St. Boniface especially was such a huge part of my life. A big part me went with Clarksdale.
RON CAUDILL
June 25th, 2009
4:14 pm
I TOO, GREW UP IN CLARKSDALE. TONS OF KIDS TO PLAY WITH, A PARK, A LIBRARY AND GOOD FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. I’M SURE THE TIME HAD COME FOR CLARKSDALE TO GO, BUT IT WAS HOME TO SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE, GOOD PEOPLE. MANY GOOD MEMORIES OF CLARKSDALE. I CAN’T THINK OF ANOTHER PART OF LOUISVILLE THAT HAS UNDER GONE SUCH CHANGE OVER THE YEARS. I’M GLAD ST.BONIFACE IS STILL STANDING. MY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD IS GONE.
Branden
June 25th, 2009
5:56 pm
The Liberty Green area is certainly one of the most transformed areas of Louisville. In less than 100 years, the area has radically transformed from an old historic neighborhood into the Clarksdale Homes, and now into a neighborhood completely dissimilar from either one but with a much less disruptive built form.
The people make the community, though, and not the buildings as evidenced by Charlie and Ron’s comments. I wonder if there is anyone in Louisville who grew up in the original Phoenix Hill setting and has now witnessed the neighborhood torn down and rebuilt twice. What an amazing story.
all that’s left of clarksdale « a pretty pickle
August 4th, 2009
12:13 am
[...] Broken Sidewalk has a gallery of photos of the Clarksdale Homes before and after demolition. [...]
Clarksdale (rip)
September 30th, 2009
10:59 pm
I grew up in Clarksdale as well, on the 500 block of E Muhammad Ali Blvd. I lived there from 89-98′(out way before the demolition proposal)But it’s still a shame to see my neighborhood and my whole childhood go. The demolition was good and bad for many reasons. The city claims that it was primarily for the people and to rid the area of crime, but the real reason was primarily to increase the retail value for the downtown area. Think about it. Anyone remember downtown in the early 90’s? It was nothing but scrap metal yards on the east side along the river. Now days you have new condos, 4th street live, Slugger field, Waterfront park, etc,etc. How is the city going to bring attraction to all these new things with a notorious housing project only blocks away? That was the real reason for the demolition. Not to mention the stressful process for former Clarksdale residents to get back into Liberty Green after being promised 1st dibs. It’s one big mess. Louisville did a lot of families dirty by demolishing Clarksdale. Yes there were bad times, just like anywhere. But there was also a lot of good about Clarksdale including the people. Only the negativity is what shined through with the help of the media. Now my whole childhood is gone. I can’t even go down my own old block to see the building I grew up in, and in a way it hurts. All you have are memories. I loved growing up In Clarksdale and there isn’t any other neighborhood or project in Louisville that i would have wanted to be from. It made me who I am today and I will never forget it. Only someone from there would understand what I mean. We was the biggest, livest, and most notorious projects in the city even before Cotter and Lang homes(Southwick) was demolished, Clarksdale was still like it’s own city within the city. RIP.
Oh and by way Charlie Day there is/was no Fehr St, in Clarksdale or even in the city of Louisville for that matter. There is a Fehr Rd, but again that’s not in Clarksdale or any where near it. However S Hancock that you mentioned is. Just wanted to point that out.
Branden Klayko
October 1st, 2009
5:32 pm
It’s true as you point out, Clarksdale, that a sense of community is more than just the architecture that’s around it. I find it fascinating how you describe the close-knit community at Clarksdale as a sort of city within a city. I don’t believe, however, there was anything sinister behind the demolition. As you described it with scrap yards everywhere, the city wasn’t in great shape back in the early 90s. It evokes a scene of a city in trouble. Much of the new development you cited is Louisville getting back on its feet.
It’s sad to lose the physical reminders of the memories of our childhoods, but it’s important to recognize the benefits that Liberty Green brought to the entire city. Gentrification is bound to happen with new development and we will have to address it when it comes along, but LG provides a definite buffer that theoretically at least should provide a more well-rounded community. I can’t speak for the ease or difficulty or stress in moving from Clarksdale to LG or elsewhere, but I imagine such a transition could be difficult for anyone. It is a major move to redevelop such a large swath of the urban landscape, but the existing conditions and really a lot of urban development throughout the 20th century has forced such a large scale move to be made now. It appears, I hope, as if we’re heading towards a more stable future.
Lastly about Fehr Street. The street name did exist a very long time ago as the eastern stretch of what is now Liberty Street. Fehr Avenue was the name east of where Liberty curves near the hospital district at Preston Street. Other names for this stretch of street through history include Grayson Street and Green Street.
Clarksdale (rip)
October 12th, 2009
11:34 am
I wasn’t aware of the Fehr Street info. I guess that must have been a long time ago. As a matter of fact I didn’t even live in Clarksdale when Muhammad Ali was still Walnut Street before naming it after Ali. I don’t think anythig was sinister about the demolition either Branden. However it’s just ironic about all the businesses and newly redeveloped downtown going up in a matter of 3 blocks away. The city would be wasting is time trying to revitialize downtown with all these attractions, having Clarksdale near by. Condos wouldn’t sell and people would think twice before going to or parking near Slugger Field or anywhere else near by. It’s not a coincidence Clarksdale was chosen, is all I’m saying. Clarksdale was bad I agree. But there are 4 other projects. Why wasn’t they chosen? The answer to that is location. Shephard Square is further away from the river south of Broadway. Park Hill is isolated enough, located west of Old Louisville in some what of a no-mans land with nothing major around. Beecher Terrace is the cleanest and less violent project in the city. Plus its located right next to the Housing Authority, therefore it’s tended to much more. It will be the last to go (if ever proposed at all). Lastly Iroquois, is in the south end. I must say it is now going through demolition. But that is now. Now that Clarksdale is gone. Iroquois is the armpit of the south end but not vital in location like Clarksdale was.
All I’m saying is that the city wanted to make it sound as if it was demolished for the people and to make it a better community when that may be some what true but it isn’t the only reason, nor the real reason. That is an excuse. If it was for the people then, why is it so hard for “the people” to get back in? The city wants to bring retail value to downtown, which is the same reason why condos are going up left and right. Liberty Green is even close in size to house the amount of people that Clarksdale did, especially when more than half of LG isn’t even affordable now and being sold as condo units. Not to mention it isn’t completed yet. But even once done, the numbers don’t add up regardless. People don’t want to look at all the effects and only want to look glass half full. Many families were effected by this. And again I was out 4 years before they even planned to tear it down, so my family wasn’t effect other than my childhood gone. So I’m holding ay personal vendetta or anything. Facts are just facts. Clarksdale is gone regardless so there’s nothing these families can do now but accept the fact they were forced into other neighborhoods, school districts, and lives altered without any say so what so ever. Why? It all boils down to money in the end, just like everything.
Ed Goldsmith
December 24th, 2009
7:22 pm
I lived in the Clarksdale projects from 1960 to 1972.Had a lot of good times there.Liberty st was Fehr st when they tore down the Fehr Beer company on Jackson st around walnut to Preston and down to Fehr st it was one city block around it.I went up the ladder on the big black smoke stack.It was 200 feet high.They had to call the police to get me down.
I went to Saint Boniface school from 1961 to 1969.It,s a Shame the had to tear down the place because of the crime.The Police would not go there
To respond to the calls.
IMHO
December 25th, 2009
8:43 am
Decisions regarding the future of housing projects should not involve the considerations of families lucky enough to be sheltered within at the time that such future plans are considered. The intentions of the tax payers and the city/county community at large are the ones which should influence the future of housing projects. HPs should be seen as a temporary bridge to enable families to become self-sustaining. I resent the notion that it is seen as acceptable for people to have “grown up” in housing projects. Nothing against those people that have…the fault lies with the community who has allowed this phenomenon to exist.
Ed Goldsmith
December 25th, 2009
9:10 am
Title Frank Fehr Brewing Company, Louisville, Kentucky.
Description Fehr’s Brewery at Preston and Fehr Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky. An iron gate connects a brick wall and a brick building, cutting off a cobbled section in front of a building behind. High above the gate is an arch. The Frank Fehr Brewing Company was originally on Green Street (now Liberty Street) between Preston Street and Jackson Street in 1872. It went on to become the largest brewery in Kentucky. It joined the Central Consumers Corp. with other breweries in 1901. Fehr Brewery was the only brewery in the corporation to reopen after Prohibition. The brewery closed in 1964. A housing facility for the elderly, called Dosker Manor, was built on the site of the brewery.
Subject Buildings
Brewing industry
Beer
Jeff Noble
December 25th, 2009
10:53 am
I still have one of those Fehr’s Bears Lamps. A little red and white bear with a gold pole going up for the lamp. My brother and I each had one growing up. Mine is at my mother’s. His is probably there too.
Ed Goldsmith
December 25th, 2009
1:10 pm
I lived at 443 Jackson street for 12 years.Meet a lot of friends there.
There use to be a concrete camel in the courts and a big seal.
Rest in Peace old friend.Will be missed
Ed Goldsmith
December 26th, 2009
9:27 am
Does any one have Pic. of the Projects from the 60s.
If Please send them to me .
Thanks ED
Clarksdale (rip)
January 15th, 2010
1:07 am
^ Although I didn’t live there then or even born in the 60’s, I do have pics of Clarksdale in the 60’s and even earlier.
mike
January 15th, 2010
1:37 am
Clarksdale was yet another mistake by the national gov trying to determine whats best for its citizens…not that people don’t need a bridge, but it became a lifestyle that eventuaully sank into drugs and crime. My family has lived/owned property in the neighborhood since the mid 1800’s and the area is near as it was prior to Clarksdale as it has ever been.
Ed Goldsmith
January 16th, 2010
7:08 am
Clarksdale can you send me the pictures.
thanks ED
Clarksdale (rip)
January 29th, 2010
12:06 am
Yeah I can send you some pictures Ed. I need an email address or something though.
Ed Goldsmith
January 29th, 2010
6:15 am
[ Edited: No personal information in the comments, please. I'll help facilitate the photos, though. ]
Ed Goldsmith
January 30th, 2010
8:21 am
[ Edited: No personal information in the comments, please. ]
Ed goldsmith
March 11th, 2010
6:56 am
I thought you were going to get Pic. from or through the person called Clarksdale for me.
thanks ED