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Category Archives: Nabes: U of L
Construction Watch: Creating An Urban Edge On Brandeis
UL Dining Facility in March 2010 (Courtesy tipster)
Here are a few construction photos sent in by a tipster of the new dining facility under construction at Third Street and Brandeis Avenue near the U of L Belknap campus. You can see a few renderings on our first story about the project attached to the University Towers Apartments.
While I would have preferred something with a few more floors, creating an urban edge at the sidewalk is an improvement over the vast setback of the 1960s era dorm. Once the nearby Masterson’s block redevelopment gets underway, the area will be on its way to becoming a sort of urban center. Now if we can just figure out what to do with that block in between with the parking lots and shopping center.
The University of Louisville Dining Services web site still says it’s scheduled to open this Spring, but it looks like it might be pushing summer. It was designed by Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects. A gallery of construction photos going back to August 2009 is after the click.
PrintBarney Bright Statue Update
Rendering of Trager Plaza (Courtesy University of Louisville)
In December 2009, it was officially announced that Barney Bright’s “Truth & Justice” statue once adorning the front of the Legal Arts Building come Republic Plaza Downtown is headed for the University of Louisville. Here’s what the plaza might look like when everything is said and done.
The new outdoor space was made possible by a grant from the Trager family who renovated Republic Plaza but some remaining funds must still be raised privately. Below is an example of the “meditative” water feature planned for Trager Plaza.
Example of water feature (BS File Photo)
Barney Bright Statue To Find Permanent Home At U of L
Barney Bright statue at former Legal Arts Building
A statue long marking the entrance to the Legal Arts Building before it was renovated into Republic Plaza will find a new home at the University of Louisville. The C-J reported recently that the statue called “Truth & Justice” by famed local sculptor Barney Bright will be the focal point for a new outdoor space near the Miller Information Technology Center thanks in part to a $150,000 gift from the Trager family. Steve Trager, CEO of Republic Bank, led the group responsible for renovating Republic Plaza.
The new plaza is described as “meditative” and is expected to cost $300,000 to be raised privately. It will feature a raised reflecting pool and was designed by Rowland Design. The statue has been restored by Bright’s son Jeb and currently sits in storage at his Butchertown foundry.
We’re not sure where the rumors that the statue went missing came from, but Broken Sidewalk readers had reported last December that that the statue was to end up at U of L. More information can be found at the C-J, but these new details are certainly good for both the statue and for U of L.
Snapshot: Checking In At The Stadium
Construction at Papa John''s Cardinal Stadium
As the Cardinals continue with their football season (it’s a good thing we don’t have to cover sports), here’s our latest round of photos from the expansion of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Be sure to check out the specifics of the project and some renderings from our last installment covering that other giant sports construction project in town. Check here for a behind the scenes look at the stadium construction.
- Construction Watch: The Other Giant UofL Sports Project (Broken Sidewalk)
- Cardinal Stadium Lands Another Sponsor (Broken Sidewalk)
Bus Station Opens On Floyd Street At U of L
Bus Station at the University of Louisville
The University of Louisville has opened what might be the nicest bus station in the city. Tucked under a parking garage on Floyd Street on the edge of their Belknap Campus, the metal and glass station offers a climate controlled environment for students waiting for the bus. Inside, several metal benches, a large colorful mural, and vending machines provide refuge in the heat of summer and cold of winter.
A mural covering the entire back wall of the station depicts a large Cardinal-red bus surrounded by familiar campus sights and colorful renditions of the Cardinal logo. Dominating the simple architectural design is a radiused edge. The station was designed by Arrasmith, Judd, Rapp, Chovan of West Main Street and blends with the existing design of the parking garage.
The architecture firm is no stranger to bus station design. Beginning in the 1920s, AJRC, Inc., led by the founding William S. Arrasmith, helped to usher in a “Streamline Modern” style nationwide with signature Greyhound bus stations in many cities. One of the first and architecturally most important of these Art-Deco stations was built in Louisville on Fifth and Broadway. Long demolished for a surface level parking lot, the station featured blue metal panels and a similar radiused corner. Check out a few photos of the station at Louisville Art Deco.
It’s great to see the University of Louisville stepping up and promoting alternative transportation. A few days ago, I profiled a special crosswalk that responds to the needs of pedestrians which is located only a couple dozen feet away. Eastern Parkway running through the Belknap Campus is also undergoing a road diet that will reduce the number of traffic lanes and provide space for bikes. Hopefully this marks just the beginning of positive things coming from the University.
Click through for a few more photos of the Bus Station & mural.
Finally, A Mid-Block Crosswalk That Works
Crosswalk on Floyd Street
While walking along Floyd Street at the University of Louisville, I was astonished to find a fancy new crosswalk installed to connect the Swain Student Activities Center with the Cardinal Park athletic fields. Louisville has plenty of mid-block crosswalks where a stop-light or stop sign isn’t feasible or even desirable, but, as I have noted before, our older mid-block crosswalks can fail miserably.
At other mid-block crosswalks around town, the pedestrian may have the right-of-way, but it’s up to the motorists to know how such a crosswalk works and then actually stop. Results are usually mixed and the pedestrian must be on high-guard at all times. Now, the University of Louisville’s new crosswalk makes crossing the street a little bit easier and a lot safer.
The Floyd Street crosswalk is similar to an example from Seattle (check the video in the last post) that responds to a pedestrian crossing the street. Two bollards detect a pedestrian ready to cross and activate flashing lights embedded into the street and several others lining the perimeter of adjacent signs. After watching several students cross the street and motorists immediately stop each time, it’s clear that there’s something to the design.
You may have seen mid-block crosswalks with perpetually blinking lights warning drivers to pay caution. These new lights only flash when there is a pedestrian present. Could it be that motorists have become numb to the older lights and tend to ignore them? The small lights in the pavement on each side of the crosswalk also help as well and are visible clearly during the day.
So does this work now because of its novelty or could this design prove valuable years down the road? Whatever the answer, it would be great to see this model adopted in other parts of the city.
- Crossing In Pedestrian Style In Seattle, Louisville, and England (Broken Sidewalk)
Construction Watch: The Other Giant UofL Sports Project
Construction at Papa Johns'' Cardinal Stadium
We’ve been covering the new arena Downtown since before it was even a hole in the ground, but we haven’t checked in with construction of that other mega-sports-project at the University of Louisville. Now, with football season coming online, we thought it was about time for a look at construction of the Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium expansion.
We stopped by recently to check out how the site is progressing and found a mammoth concrete and steel skeleton rising over Floyd Street. Here are quite a few photos from Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Just over a decade ago, the 42,000 seat stadium was built for $63 million. Work is well underway on the latest addition of 21,600 seats and a massive southern terrace. The new addition will also cost $63 million.
Construction actually started last December, but it took a while for the thing to go airborne. Now, there’s quite a bit to look at as the project enters its final year of construction. The new Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium is expected to be complete next fall for the 2010-2011 football season.
Plans include adding 2,400 chair-back seats to the northeast and northwest corners of the lower bowl and improvements near the Howard Schnellenberger Football Complex. On the east side, a 16,000 seat upper deck above 2,000 premium loge seats and 45 new luxury suites each with 18 seats offers the most dramatic construction views. On the south side, a new 60 foot wide terrace connecting the east and west halves of the stadium will offer a social gathering space with concessions and views of the field.
A new imposing face will front Floyd Street with two large brick towers forming a sort of grand entrance to the eastern stadium. The new exterior is similar in appearance to the existing west facade. Design of the original stadium and the addition was handled by Luckett & Farley Architects of Third Street. After the click, you can take a look at a gallery of construction photos and several renderings of what the stadium will look like when its complete. If your a PJCS construction junkie, you may want to check out this gallery that offers very frequent updates of construction at the stadium.
- Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium (UL Sports)
- PJCS Expansion Project (Official Site)
- Frequently updated construction photos (UL Sports)
Click through for a gallery of construction photos and renderings.
Stretch Of Eastern Parkway Going On ‘Road Diet’
Eastern Parkway Bridge toward University of Louisville
A portion of Eastern Parkway between Third Street and Interstate 65 is going on a “road diet.” The historic Frederick Law Olmsted parkway will undergo a major renovation intended to increase the road’s functionality while adding bike lanes, expanded sidewalks, and landscaping. When complete, the new stretch of Eastern Parkway at the University of Louisville will be one of the city’s most progressive roadways.
Beginning in mid- to late-August, crews will transform the four lane expanse into a two lane road with medians and periodic turning lanes. A bike lane will be striped in each direction and sidewalks will be widened across the Eastern Parkway viaduct. New planting beds will be created on each side of the parkway and a decorative retaining wall installed near Third Street.
The bridge itself has been in need of repair for some time as weather has caused the concrete to spall and deterioration to the structure. Concrete piers will be repaired and the top layer of the deck will be replaced. The concrete guard rails will also be removed and the entire bridge widened three feet on each side for expanded sidewalks. The median on the viaduct will receive a similar treatment as the Central Avenue bridge with stamped concrete. Once the roadway returns to the ground, medians will be landscaped.
The streetscape is also set for several improvements including new street lighting, bus shelters, and a reconfigured sidewalk at the Speed School. New decorative walls will be constructed between the street and sidewalk with a design meant to evoke the historic nature of the area including the influence of the Olmsted parkway. The barriers are also meant to discourage jaywalking. The viaduct guard rails will feature a similar Olmsted-inspired design.
One of the most needed improvement occurs at Hans Street which connects Eastern Parkway with Floyd Street. The turning radius at this location shrinks slightly to allow for better pedestrian connectivity. East of the intersection, the roadway returns to its familiar layout.
To achieve an effective “road diet,” several curb cuts leading to parking lots will be eliminated, reducing the number of turning actions for cars. Instead, parking lot access will be handled via the controlled intersection at the Speed School with a turning lane. A circular driveway at the school will also be transformed into a pedestrian zone and a landscaped median installed in the center of Eastern Parkway.
A “road diet” is a relatively new technique that enhances the overall functionality of a road. Transportation officials admit is seems a little counter-intuitive to make a better road by removing lanes, but that the idea generates support over time. Officials point out that without a turning lane, traffic is hindered at turning movements and intersections, effectively transforming a four lane road into a two lane road as one lane is blocked.
In determining if a particular street is a candidate for a road diet, a traffic study is completed to understand current conditions. Results are used to project 20 to 30 years into the future to estimate how conditions could evolve over time. If everything works out, a street could receive the treatment.
One of the first road diets implemented in the area is on U.S. 60 in Shelbyville where a four lane road was reduced to two through lanes and a turning lane. Other roads in Louisville could undergo a road diet in the future, but no plans have been announced to date.
Friday was the bid opening for the project and transportation officials hope to award a contract in a couple weeks. New signage will also be installed to reroute U.S. 60A from Third Street to Central Avenue to Crittenden Drive back to Eastern Parkway to formalize a route already in place by most drivers and truckers. The project is scheduled for completion on December 31st, 2009.
[ UPDATE: Changed completion date from 2010 to 2009. ]
Planned 'road diet' on Eastern Parkway.
Click through for plan details and photos of Eastern Parkway.
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