[ Editor's Note: Votes for the Best New Landmark of 2009 are no longer being accepted as of 5:00pm on December 2. Congratulations to Presentation Academy for winning the Best New Landmark of 2009 survey. Read more about the winning projects over here. ]
That’s right. We’re taking a reader survey to figure out the best new landmark of 2009. Not only that, but we’ve partnered with local architect Steve Wiser to provide prizes for two lucky survey respondents!
Beginning today, you can nominate your choice for Best New Landmark of 2009 (details below). The contest runs through Wednesday, December 2 at 5:00pm and we’ll announce the winners on Friday, December 4. Two lucky readers will be randomly selected from all entries received (one per person allowed). Prizes include Steve Wiser’s new book Louisville Tapestry: People & Places Who Helped Create America’s Most Livable City and the DVD Louisville Landmarks & Legends.
With the help of Steve Wiser, we’ve compiled a list of twenty new construction projects in Jefferson County and Southern Indiana to help you with the survey process. Most of these projects have appeared on Broken Sidewalk in the past, but there are a few that heven’t. We’re considering any new construction such as buildings or public art that hit the scene in 2009. If you can think of a new landmark that deserves the top prize, please feel free to nominate it in your response. Just remember, the building must have been completed in 2009!
To enter, simply send an e.mail to bs@brokensidewalk.com with “Best New Landmark of 2009″ in the subject line. Include your name, age, occupation, and neighborhood in the message along with your choice for Best New Landmark of 2009. If you like, qualify your nomination with a short description of why you like the building (some responses may be published anonymously).
Don’t worry, we won’t let anyone have access to your information, it’s completely anonymous. We will name the winners (only using the supplied name) at the end of the contest. Broken Sidewalk has been growing lately and we just want to get to know our readers a little better to create a better site for you.
[ Editor's Note: Added new user submitted listings to the bottom of the list after the click. Tell us if you know of another new construction project from 2009 that should be on the list. Please remember this is a survey of new construction only. Renovation projects will have their own survey at a later date. ]
Here’s a list of twenty projects completed in 2009. You can choose from this list or nominate another project not listed here. We’re missing a small amount of data on a couple of them (as noted below), so if you can fill us in, send an e.mail to bs@brokensidewalk.com.
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Name: 801 East Broadway |
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Name: Art & Athletic Center, Presentation Academy [ Visit ] |
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Name: Bellamy Apartments [ Visit ] |
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Name: Butchertown Firehouse |
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Name: Chamberlain Pointe |
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Name: Cliff View Terrace [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Clifton Heights Architect: Isaacs Associates Architects [ Visit ] |
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Name: Clinical & Translation Research Building [ Visit ] |
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Name: First Capital Bank of Kentucky [ Visit ] Neighborhood: East End Architect: Tell us |
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Name: Fleur de Lis Condos [ Visit ] |
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Name: Healing Place [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Park Hill Architect: K. Norman Berry Associates [ Visit ] |
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Name: Lincoln Memorial [ Visit ] |
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Name: McAlpine Locks & Bridge [ Visit ] |
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Name: New Albany Amphitheater [ Visit ] |
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Name: Newburg Branch Library [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Newburg Architect: Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle [ Visit ] |
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Name: Phoenix Lofts |
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Name: Portland Firehouse |
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Name: Siena Secondo [ Visit ] |
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Name: St. Luke’s Chapel at Episcopal Church Home [ Visit ] Neighborhood: East End Architect: K. Norman Berry Associates [ Visit ] |
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Name: St. Mary Academy [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Norton Commons Area Architect: Voelker, Blackburn, Niehoff Architects [ Visit ] |
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Name: ZirMed Towers [ Visit ] |
Recent additions to the list:
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Name: Norton Commons Firehouse |
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Name: Westport Village [ Visit ] |
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Name: St. Matthews Corner (Bauer & Lex) |
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No photo available. |
Name: Mt. Olive Community Center (419 Caldwell St.) |
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Name: Oldham County Main Library [ Visit ] [ Photo by Moberly Photography ] |
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Shawn Riedling
November 20th, 2009
2:06 pm
Vote for Saint Mary Academy
Kathy Savage
November 20th, 2009
2:30 pm
I agree — Vote for Saint Mary Academy
Branden Klayko
November 20th, 2009
2:36 pm
Remember that votes must be submitted through e.mail as described above to be counted. Feel free to discuss the survey all you like in the comments, though.
Sharon Archer
November 20th, 2009
3:50 pm
I agree-Vote for St. Mary’s
Melody
November 20th, 2009
4:46 pm
St Mary Academy!
Stacy
November 20th, 2009
4:52 pm
Monarchs Reign…Vote for St. Mary Academy!
Connor Hale
November 20th, 2009
7:04 pm
WestPort Village!!!!
Chuck Parrish
November 20th, 2009
11:33 pm
My vote goes to the new bridge over the locks at McAlpine Locks and Dam.
It is officially named the Portland-Shippingport Bridge in honor of the 2 historic communities, one extant, the other extinct.
The Louisville Historical League has named it a new landmark.
Leo Zoeller
November 21st, 2009
8:37 pm
Is the best vote for St. Mary Academy
brill
November 21st, 2009
11:21 pm
I urge you to vote for the best, not comment on a popularity contest. Many people who use the St. Mary building have commented on how poorly it functions. Is that good architecture?
David Barhorst
November 22nd, 2009
12:17 pm
For transforming an important corner in Louisville yet honoring tremendously its original architecture, Presentation Academy’s Art & Athletic Center. A beautiful job well done. It’s size might be a little suspect to win the new Landmark award however it gets my vote for the quality of its work.
archintent
November 22nd, 2009
4:32 pm
the presentation project’s ‘honoring’ of the old is exactly what i don’t like about it. it’s a big block of a building with faux-historic trimmings.
the interesting things about the landmarks of our past is that they were usually among the most progressive work of their time. a few of these approach the quality of our legacy landmarks, but just a few…
Pip
November 22nd, 2009
5:14 pm
I’m biased, but what the hell: The Church at 801 East Main Street.
archintent
November 22nd, 2009
6:36 pm
now you’re talkin’, pip. a good architect with a great client allowing him to do what he does best. the only challenge to its potential ‘new landmark’ status being that you can’t seem much of the stunning new work from the outside.
Ken Wilson
November 22nd, 2009
7:10 pm
I’m sure it seems apples and oranges: the Lincoln park is sculpture and landscaping, not architecture, but I would imagine that a hundred years from now it will be the site that still matters.
Mary Howard
November 22nd, 2009
11:00 pm
I vote for St. Mary Academy.
Ken Wilson
November 23rd, 2009
9:50 am
I’m sorry, but St. Mary Academy looks like big box econo-architecture – tone deaf to materials and history.
David Barhorst
November 23rd, 2009
12:22 pm
In light of what other institutions throw up as architecture (pun intended) I find the Presentation Center to be quite attractive. It beats by miles the normal hat tip to history that would be expected. The Center also ties in the housing developments to its west.
Eric
November 23rd, 2009
2:37 pm
I hate to make any comment to take away from this fun challenge, which is a great idea, but in my humble opinion the only true landmark featured is the Lincoln Memorial. In a “Best New Architecture” challenge, many of these unique buildings would be apt, but in “Best New Landmark”, the Lincoln Memorial is hard to beat.
Clyde K. Warner, Jr FAIA, PE
November 23rd, 2009
3:02 pm
My choice is the Portland-Shippingport bridge over the McAlpine Locks and Dam.It is a landmark which will be there for many years and become a symbol of river traffic on the Ohio River to identify Louisville .
Mark Casper
November 23rd, 2009
8:04 pm
Presentation’s new Arts and Athletic Center is a wonderful addition to downtown Louisville. It combines history of their historical main building with a modern look.
Kim Kramer
November 23rd, 2009
8:06 pm
There is without a doubt, the best new landmark of 2009 is Presentations new Art and Athletic building.
What a great addition it has made to downtown. I have attended Focus on Louisville and heard all the great things about our city and I think Presentation has supported this by staying downtown and supporting it heritage. We see so many other big name schools leaving the downtown area. Louisville is trying to bring back our downtown and make it one of the best in the United states and I think Presentation has done Louisville well by staying in its downtown location and expanding and developing such a great new building.
Kudos for Presentation and its new building.
Keri Meador
November 24th, 2009
9:12 am
Presentation Academy Arts and Athletic Center is by far the best new “landmark.” Other buildings are well adorned and constructed, but if the focus is landmark, Pres has it in the bag.
Art & Athletic Center Presentation Academy
November 24th, 2009
2:31 pm
Great building—–it adds so much to Presentation and to the neighborhood !!
Judy Roy
November 25th, 2009
3:59 pm
Pres has always had class and style and shows it in their new athletic Center. It is beautiful and of course always is a compliment to downtown Louisville.
Dick White
November 29th, 2009
9:52 am
My vote goes to the Portland-Shippingport Bridge. It’s that form-function thing that seems to be missing in the majority of today’s built enviroment.
Also, I am confused by this online pep-rally for St. Mary’s. I drive by it almost daily and I thought the nominees had to be finished in 2009. Oh, wait, someone just told me that it is finished…. my bad.
Keith
November 29th, 2009
12:03 pm
You’ve got to seriously consider Westport Village. If you look at what the original Camelot complex was versus today it’s amazing. Plus good to see new businesses coming in to the city.
Grainger Lott
November 29th, 2009
5:00 pm
Have watched the Westport Village renovation since it started. Knew it was going to be a winner from the beginning. Great architecture and very attractive venue. Just hope the upscale shops succeed.
Kathleen Hall
November 30th, 2009
11:37 am
I vote for the Presentation Academy Arts and Athletic Center. It is a wonderful building, a companion to the historic building which houses many of the academic classrooms, located on the opposite corner. You see the connection right away.
It is amazing all that is contained inside the building.
A beautiful addition to the downtown, Fourth Street corridor.
John Nelson
November 30th, 2009
12:28 pm
I think Westport Village will prove to be the most significant catalyst in economic development terms. When coupled with the new I-264 Westport exchange and other area road improvements, it seems the Westport corridor is well positioned for significant economic growth. Someone has to have the vision and take the lead. In my view, Westport Village is out in front of that Westport corridor transformation. Therefore, I believe Westport Village is the Best New Landmark of 2009.
Eric Jacob
November 30th, 2009
3:06 pm
I feel that an honorable mention needs to go to the work Bellarmine has done up on that hillside… You talk about a structure, an environment that really takes your breath away. They created something very special for Louisville and have proven their determination to bring a top-tier private University to the city. I recommend taking a trip up and walking through the campus. Truly one of the South’s best secrets.
Jackie Laskee
November 30th, 2009
4:44 pm
Vote for St. Luke’s Chapel at The Episcopal Church Home. Founded in 1881, The Episcopal Church Home’s Mission is To Enhance the Quality of Life for Older Adults Through a Supportive Christian Community.
Steve Goldstein
November 30th, 2009
5:07 pm
I voted for Cliff View Terrace, but that is because I will only vote for buildings I have visited or are otherwise familiar with. Of the list of buildings above, I have only been in three and this is the best of those three. Besides its lively color, this building is relatively “green”.
Paul Ruka
November 30th, 2009
7:40 pm
Westport Village a shopping center that was reborn from the old Camolot
shopping center to something that is just plain to describe.
Anyone who saw the BIG changes would have to vote for WESTPORT VILLAGE
Ann Weeks
December 1st, 2009
10:08 am
The Presentation Academy Arts & Athletic Building is a significant new construction inan area that is vital addition to the renewal initiative of the City of Louisville to preserve and renovate the Fourth Ave corridor. Presentation Academy sits as a link between the downtown and the corridor toward UofL and Churchill Downs.
Tom Austin
December 2nd, 2009
12:27 am
Ed Hamilton’s Lincoln gets my vote for Best New Landmark.
Honorable Mention: Chamberlain Pointe gets best new strip mall. Nevermind the “Tempest in a teapot” flagellations about copied architecture. This venue is a vast improvement over most any small neighborhood retail center.
Patrick Piuma
December 2nd, 2009
12:55 pm
I would have to vote for the “Modern Shotgun House” on Hull Street as featured on BS back in April here: http://brokensidewalk.com/2009/04/15/modern-shotgun-house-could-be-future-prototype/
I know it is not on the list and that there are some people that have some problems with the scale and design of the building, but I think we need more people experimenting with infill projects like this. There are other examples like the two white shotgun style homes on East Chestnut near Campbell in Phoenix Hill. Though I love the historic homes in Louisville and live in a 1920s home, it feels like we try to preserve the past too often when considering new home construction. It is refreshing to turn a corner and see something unexpected like this.
I also like the modern three story building on Eastern Parkway near Bardstown road, but it is still under construction and thus would not qualify as a 2009 Landmark.
mike mc
December 2nd, 2009
1:13 pm
the green building
Ron Straub
December 2nd, 2009
1:51 pm
I think that the architecture of the Chamberlain Point project is refreshing. It is a welcome departure from the tin crap that we see in most strip malls. If you don’t like it, don’t go there. I think your severe criticism of this development is way off base. If the developers did an exact replication, you would probably ding them for plagerism or what ever the word is for brick and mortar. Who ever gave you the wisdom to think your ideas should be followed must have been the village idiot.
I think this development’s architecture should be encouraged.
kyran daugherty
December 10th, 2009
5:22 pm
South bro area, Arts and Athletic Center Presentation Academy
archintent
December 11th, 2009
8:44 am
ron – chamberlain pointe is as exact a replication as they could have made, when you take into account that they were using much cheaper materials, glommed multiple faux-landmarks together insensitively, and didn’t know the stylistic and proportional rules of the original architecture.
Ken Wilson
December 11th, 2009
10:01 am
I agree with Patrick about the shotgun reimagining. I wouldn’t want wholesale remaking of shotgun districts, but ‘ahas’ of good modern design among the traditional add to the spirit of a place and call attention to the potential of such places and spaces.