The old Omer Carmichael Building on the corner of Muhammad Ali Boulevard and Hancock Street is nearly gone. Demolition got underway last week and was abruptly stopped when workers hit a water main causing flooding in the area. The adjacent James Graham Brown Cancer Center had to be closed down after flooding damaged electrical equipment.
The Carmichael Building was built in 1961 as an elementary school. The building wasn’t really anything special and was typical of a suburban style school of the 1960s with low height and large setbacks from the street. It was designed by D.X. Murphy & Brothers.
We’re not sure what’s going in its place, but it will likely be parking in the near-term. The area is part of the University of Louisville’s growing research campus, so redevelopment will be sure to happen at some point down the road.
