Construction in the Original Highlands

Construction work has begun on a project that will transform two vacant building on Barret and Christy Avenues into a restaurant, an apartment, and another retail spot.  Paul Kuhl and Ivor Chadkowski plan to open Harvest, a restaurant serving locally grown foods, in the one-story portion of the building and lease space in the adjacent structure.  Today, the sounds of hammers filled the sidewalk as crews worked on the nearly gutted interior.

The first phase of construction includes a 1400 square foot retail outlet and 900 square foot one-bedroom apartment.  Kuhl explained that work on the two-story building will take about four to six weeks to complete and work on the restaurant will start soon thereafter.  The entrepreneurs searches for two years to find the Original Highlands property and are excited about its location anchoring the northern end of Barret Avenue.  The area is dense and contains quite a few jobs within walking distance.  It’s just a couple blocks from Baxter Avenue to the east.  A sandwich shop is still under construction one block to the north, so this stretch of Barret could see quite a rebirth.

The project is still working through a few parking issues.  Current rules require 36 parking spots for the new use of the one-story building, but there is a proposal before Metro Council to lower that requirement to a more manageable 16 spaces for urban areas.  The building permit posted on the front window estimates the first phase cost at $100,000 and the second floor apartment is expected to rent for about $695 per month.  A metal canopy covering the sidewalk has already been removed and new windows are planned.  The wooden siding will also be replaced with new fiber cement hardie-board siding.  When all is said and done, this corner will be quite a bit more lively than it’s been in years.

• Planned Barret Ave. Restaurant Still To Serve Local Food (Broken Sidewalk)
• Barret Avenue Eatery Plans Local Food Fast (Broken Sidewalk)

Olympic Apartments in SoBro

The Olympic Apartments on the corner of Third Street and Breckinridge Street in SoBro are getting set for a top to bottom renovation that could be open in early 2010.  Roberto Bajandas of Baja Works Development Corporation says the first step involves removing lead paint from the structure.  With help from a city grant, Baja Works is currently stripping the building’s paint and replacing the windows. Full scale renovation activity is expected to begin in about three months.

Previously cut up into 40 tiny apartments, mostly efficiency studios, the new Olympic will have 24 units with low to moderate rents.  The building is unique as it is one of only a handful of art-nouveau-style buildings in the city.  Art nouveau, meaning “new art” is a French style that was popular around the turn of the century and is noted for its fluid, organic shapes and details.  This structure is believed to date from the 1920s, and terra-cotta ornaments set into the brick exhibit classic art nouveau motifs (close-ups after the click).

Three metal and glass awnings are also ornately detailed and will be cleaned up during the renovation.  The awnings are all very curvy and held to the wall by Lions.  The grand awning on the corner, currently covered by a plywood sign for Mr. Z’s Diner, is also expected to be restored, but its current condition is largely unknown.  Standing beneath the awning, you can see the perimeter has all its metal details but several glass panes are broken.  An out-of-place HVAC unit sitting on top of the awning will also be relocated to the roof.

The 30,000 square foot building contains first floor street retail space, but only one is being used as a diner.  Originally, these small spaces each had a tin ceiling, but they are now in very poor condition, like the rest of the building.  Most of the tin is not able to be salvaged, but Bajandas says there may be enough to restore one ceiling.  Any additional street level retail in SoBro would be a great benefit to the area.

Baja Works has already restored several buildings in Old Louisville and Limerick, most notably the large tudor-style Stuart Apartments on the corner of Sixth Street and Oak Street.  The Stuart Apartments are another mixed-use building and looks great today.  If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a visit as it’s another architectural rarity in Louisville.  The ground floor space is currently set up for apartments, but was designed to be easily converted to retail when the market allows.  Bajandas also has other plans to build new mixed-use structures on the Oak Street corridor as the market improves.

Overall, we’re very glad to see this SoBro landmark restored.  This is another one of our favorite buildings in town and anchors the corner very well.  Not to mention it behaves very nicely as an urban building with street level retail and apartments above.  Its central location adjacent to Spalding University, the Main Library, and Downtown only add to the building’s value.

Click through for more photos of the Olympic Apartments.

Butchertown Pointe on Washington Street

A long boarded up industrial property on Washington Street just west of Cabel Street in Butchertown is set to become a new mixed-use creative hub for the historic neighborhood.  The project has been dubbed Butchertown Pointe to recall the memory of the old Pointe neighborhood destroyed in the 1937 flood that sat just north of the site.  When complete this summer, the one-story brick and timber building will house 35,000 to 40,000 square feet of much needed commercial and retail space in the predominantly residential neighborhood.

Butchertown Pointe is being developed by Ron & Aaron Tasman and Brian Scalabrine of Tasman Capital who were drawn to the Butchertown neighborhood by its potential as a vibrant urban neighborhood.  Ron and Brian along with associate Gene Rosenstein have already had great success redeveloping a large stretch of Baxter Avenue that’s home to many of Louisville’s favorite establishments such as Wick’s Pizza and Nios nightclub.  Gene has also been instrumental in the groups Butchertown project.  Brian Scalabrine, who plays for the Boston Celtics, has been impressed with Louisville’s strong neighborhoods and brings a unique perspective to the redevelopment with ideas from Boston and major cities on the West Coast.  The group thinks Louisville has as much potential as any major city, especially with its strong creative community.

Their new project hopes to tap into that creative scene to establish a vibrancy at Butchertown Pointe and the neighborhood beyond.  Already, several leases have been signed with creative and graphic firms for the new space and the building’s design is meant to foster collaboration and “coworking” throughout.  A grand 21 foot wide corridor forms the entrance of Butchertown Pointe and serves as a mixing space inside.  The wide open interior spaces, high ceilings, and massive skylights help create an open and modern feeling in the historic structure.  The redevelopment project retrofits the 19th century to create a high-tech office environment and could include a small theater and spaces for events.  The project is being designed by Potter & Associates of Main Street and the renderings were produced by Visual Scientists of Highland Avenue.

• Butchertown Pointe (Official Site)

Click through to read more and for more photos and interior renderings.

Rendering is mixed-use proposal (Courtesy Investment Property Advisors)

[ Editor's Note:  This is an update of a previous article that cited information incorrectly reported by the Courier-Journal.  We gathered this new information ourselves directly from the neighborhood and developers, so hopefully this should clear up the lingering mis-information out there. ]

An entire 4.5 acre block is slated for redevelopment on the southern edge of Old Louisville adjacent to the University of Louisville.  Investment Property Advisors of Valparaiso, Indiana has put together a mixed-use proposal including retail space, a mix of market rate apartments and student housing, a landscaped interior courtyard, and underground parking in an attempt to create a vibrant University Center catering to students and the community at large.

The target block is bounded by Cardinal Boulevard and Bloom Street between Third & Fourth Streets.  Two historic brick houses and an apartment building on the site’s northeast corner will remain and be incorporated into the project.  The Masterson’s dining room and catering service, dating to the 1950s as a diner, will be demolished under the proposal.

An original plan presented to the Old Louisville neighborhood last year called for 300 housing units with 700 beds, 50,000 square feet of commercial space, and 350 to 400  parking spaces on site, mostly underground.  One of the historic buildings on site would have been demolished for surface level parking and buildings on the preliminary plan would have ranged from four to seven stories.  Working with the neighborhood, the developers slightly reduced the scale of the project to around 250 units with 600 beds, limited commercial space to 28,000 square feet, and cut parking down to less than 150 spaces.  Perimeter building heights were held at four stories with one five story structure in the middle of the block.  The project components are still being determined and are subject to change before a final plan is announced, but the developers believe a vibrant mixed-use project is the right fit for the area so close to the University.

Block slated for mixed-use redevelopment

Click through to read more and see site photos, renderings, and site plans.

Finished Brickwork at the Shelby Street Apartments

When we checked in last with the mixed-use, mixed-income apartment building on the corner of Shelby Street and Broadway, the scaffolding was up and brick was being applied.  The scaffolding has since come down and we stopped back to check out the fully bricked facade.  And there it is.  The architecture on the Shelby Street Apartments is simple vernacular but we think it fits right in with the architectural heritage of the city.  We especially like the cast concrete columns and lintels on the ground retail floor that mimic the limestone of many other old buildings in town.  The building has 22 one and two bedroom units.  And to think, the entire project only cost $3.5 million.

• Snapshot: Bricking The Shelby Street Apartments (Broken Sidewalk)

Finished Brickwork at the Shelby Street Apartments

Historic Photo of Whiskey Row Lofts

Located on the corner of Second Street and Main Street, the Whiskey Row Lofts mixed-use project is still moving ahead despite the economic meltdown.  The development will include retail space on two floors, Washington Street and Main Street, offices on the second floor, 23 apartments just above that, topped off with 4 penthouse condos with excellent views of the Ohio River, downtown, and the adjacent arena.

Two historic buildings, formerly the headquarters for the L & N railroad and the Burwinkle-Hendershot store, will be renovated by partners Bill Weyland, of City Properties Group, and siblings Valle and Stephen Jones, owners of the two buildings.  We went inside the 130-year-old L & N Building to see what the project has in store and came away with a couple dozen photos of a gilded-age structure with nearly all its details still intact.

Grand Stair at Whiskey Row Lofts

The Whiskey Row Lofts partners hope to fill the retail space with restaurants and entertainment venues that will compliment the new arena and create a “vibrant” and living community.  Bearno’s Pizza will retain its current corner location.  Offices on the second floor will serve as a sound buffer for the residential units above.  Construction is still expected to begin this Spring with about a 15 month construction schedule that will allow for a grand opening in the Summer of 2010.

We went through the entire building to reveal its secrets as a gilded-age office building to an artists’ colony to the vacant masterpiece it is today.  We’ll take you through the building in text and photos after the jump.

• Breaking: Whiskey Row Development Plans Outlined (Broken Sidewalk)
• Development Watch: Burwinkle-Hendershot Apartments (Broken Sidewalk)
• Video of the press conference back in September (Access Louisville / Google Vids)

The Official Broken Sidewalk WRL tour just ahead.

Lodge 820 on Frankfort Avenue

A new luxury mixed-use building on Frankfort Avenue in Crescent Hill is wrapping up construction and has now fully leased its seven sidewalk level retail spots.  The project replaces a surface level parking lot adjacent to the former Dietrich’s Restaurant.  Included in the Pierce Architecture designed development are seven retail spots and seven two-story condos above.

The last retail spot in the building has now been leased to a women’s boutique called “The Dressing Room” and will be under construction soon.  It’s expected to open February 1st next year.  Other retail on the strip includes a wine shop and several other upscale women’s boutiques.

Just above the retail level are some of the most luxurious condos to hit the Louisville market.  The building was built as a shell for about $1.7 million and the interior spaces have been built later.  Some are still available for a custom build-out to a potential buyer.  Currently, three units are under construction and a model has already been finished.

The condos aren’t cheap.  Prices range from $495,000 for just over 1900 square feet to $865,000 for over 4,000 square feet.  The interiors amenities, however, make the price seem well worth it.  Units have their own private entrances off the sidewalk with video-surveillance and a ground floor foyer.  From there, you can either take the stairs up to your condo or ride up on your own personal elevator.  That’s right, a Louisville condo first: private elevators.

We went inside one unit under construction to take a look at the new urban infill development.  Besides elevators, each unit has its own private 2-car garage off the alley and plenty of additional parking behind the building.  There are 10′ to 12′ ceilings with over-sized doors; a modern kitchen with custom cabinets and stainless steel appliances compliments over-sized traditional woodwork and windows.

Upon entering the condo from the elevator, you are faced with a wood paneled great room utilizing reclaimed heart-pine boards from a local barn that are 181 years old.  The room includes built in bookshelves and is fully wired for a home theater.  There’s even a hidden office behind one of the wooden bookshelves.  A marble hallway leads to the dining room and living room with a slightly more formal feel.

Upstairs (or up another floor on the elevator), is the master suite and guest room.  A solarium with a giant skylight (there’s even a hose to water plants) organizes the upstairs space.  Laundry facilities are also tucked away on the bedroom-level.  Views from the third floor of the surrounding Crescent Hill feature tree-lined streets and an elevated park-like view of St. Joseph’s across the street.  The Frankfort Avenue face of the building includes extra insulation and sound-proofing to protect against noise from passing trains and traffic.

Overall, the project changes the entire feel of Frankfort Avenue, adding a distinct classic urban edge with traditional detailing and street retail.  While such expensive and luxurious living might not be for everyone, the Lodge 820 pulls off upscale urban living well.  The adjacent former lodge/theater, renovated as part of the development, is now home to offices and a bank as well.  We’re glad to see another surface level parking lot filled in with quality urban architecture.

Inside Lodge 820: Family Room

• Pierce Architecture (Official Site)
• Lodge 820 real estate listing (W-R Realtors)

Take a closer look at the Lodge 820 after the click.

Project Conceptual Plan

The deal for the old Colgate plant won’t close until the end of the year, but already the Town of Clarksville is aiming to create a vibrant new neighborhood, a city within a city, along the banks of the Ohio River based on the planning principles of New Urbanism.  An unnamed out-of-state buyer is currently working through the sale of the 52 acre Colgate site and is collaborating with the city to maximize the full potential of the project.  The Colgate property, however, will make up only one, central component of the larger plan dubbed Clark’s Landing.

Overall, the conceptual plan for Clark’s Landing encompasses 150 to 160 acres of prime waterfront land and the entire 10 to 15 year project could cost an estimated $500 million.  Rick Dickman, Clarksville Redevelopment Director, hopes to see a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood rise on the abandoned industrial site including condos, restaurants, retail, hotels, office space, and even a convention center.  He believes building in accordance with New Urbanism will create the most pedestrian friendly and environmentally sustainable project with activity in the morning, noon, and night, and will maximize the real estate values for the developers.  Norton Commons, Liberty Green, and Park DuValle are recent examples of New Urbanism in Louisville.

Marathon / Ashland Oil Tanks

South of the Colgate facility, several Marathon / Ashland Oil tanks sit next to the levee occupying some of the best real estate in Southern Indiana.  Built in 1949, the tanks house a variety of fuels, from jet fuel to various blends of gasoline.  At one point, Rick Dickman remembers 200 tanker trucks travelling through the area a day.  Agreements over the years have ended those tanker trips as well as created Ashland Park.   Clarksville is in negotiations with the company to relocate their fuel storage operations upriver to an industrial park in Jeffersonville.

The plan is only a concept to guide the development of the Clarksville riverfront.  The next step is to approach the nation’s leading New Urbanist master planners to create a more refined vision with which to market the plan to investors.  Dickman says the city wants the best plan available and expects 4 or 5 national firms to be approached for the job.  With such a large land area and scope, the project will likely involve multiple developers acting under a coordinating agency, either a landowner or special Clarksville zoning regulations, much the same way Norton Commons is being developed.  Clarksville will act as the facilitator in the process.

A special zoning district is being formed for the project and will be voted on at a town meeting November 17.  Each block of the project will have building height requirements to maximize the view of the Ohio River and Louisville skyline.  Transportation will also play a key role.  The pedestrian is placed as the transportation model.  Wide sidewalks are planned as well as many walking and biking trails.  Trolleys are also expected to connect to the rest of Clarksville and to downtown Louisville.  Parking will be kept at a minimum and hidden behind buildings to create a vibrant city-scape.

Dickman sees the project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Southern Indiana.  He explains Clarksville has never had a downtown, and Clark’s Landing will become the epicenter of urban Clarksville.  He expects young professionals working both in Louisville and Indiana as well as retiring baby boomers to be attracted to the residential nature of the project and the central location in the Louisville metropolitan area.

The project will undergo planning for the next three years or so, hopefully enough time to let the current economic problems run their course.  The project looks to be one of the most exciting developments in years to come as hundreds of new residential units could be built as part of the project.  The central location directly across from downtown Louisville will provide great benefits on both sides of the river.

Old Colgate Plant

• The Town of Clarksville, Indiana (Official Site)
• Clarksville Releases Colgate Plans (N & T)
• Clarksville Town Board to get its first look at plans for the old Colgate plant (Fox 41)

A gallery of the project area and vicinity existing conditions and a concept plan blow-up after the click (24 photos).