While walking through Nulu recently, the sign pictured above on the old Hausman Building advertising the NuluFestival from September seemed all too appropriate. What once read “the eagle has landed” advertising a car dealership in faded and peeling paint has been quickly changed to reflect the attitude in Louisville’s most up-and-coming neighborhood.
More than any other individual part of Louisville, Nulu has emerged as the urban neighborhood in only a matter of years. The signs are all around from new businesses to new public and private development, to grand visions and green aspirations. The neighborhood that was born as a gallery district is organically transforming into a well-rounded urban place with emphasis not only on art but also sustainability, food, and community.
Take the Hausman building for instance that will soon become a wine bar and restaurant complete with an art gallery and wine shop. Surrounding the proposed business, a variety of shops have already settled in including the bakery Cake Flour, the Bodega deli and grocery, and Felice Vineyards to just name a few.
And if wine isn’t your style, there’s a note on one shop at 746 East Market advertising the soon-to-open Louisville Beer Store (which Consuming Louisville said is set to open this Friday, Nov. 6). Signs on the shop window claim a wide selection of bottled and draft beer, gourmet food pairings by The Patron, specialty cheeses, meats, & pickles, along with all sorts of beer merchandise. Perhaps you saw them at the NuluFestival.
Until last week, a dynamic interactive art display featured a playful dog named Sniff and made of light that provided great interest to the night time sidewalk. I had a great time walking back and forth on the sidewalk watching the dog follow me and interact with my gestures.
There are too many exciting things happening in Nulu to list them all here but some of the ongoing projects include the renovation of the Wayside block, the planned Creation Gardens market, and the newly installed green wall at The Green Building. There’s a new video about the wall after the click narrated by designer Tracey Williams on how the wall was planned, built, and how it can impact urban living. (Check out these other videos about the Green Building, too.)
There’s plenty going on in Nulu.
I’m also excited by the rapid development of East Market. I just hope people understand the massive human cost involved in the redevelopment.
Nulu “landed” right on the backs of some Louisville’s most vulnerable citizens, whether those previously housed in Clarksdale or people without homes seeking services from groups like Wayside.
It would be interesting to see some the Nulu galleries feature some art projects dealing with issues of gentrification.