Morning News Roundup
Two New Downtown Businesses That Slipped By
In the last couple months, two new businesses on the same block opened up with little media coverage. I honestly don’t have anything new to offer, but wanted to throw these out. Red’s, pictured above, is a classic sidewalk diner on the corner of Muhammad Ali Boulevard and Armory Place.
Whiskey Row Lofts Lands A Restaurant Tenant
The Whiskey Row Lofts on the corner of Second and Main Streets has landed its first new tenant. Sol Aztecas Grill & Cantina is expected to open in the fall of 2010 in about 3,700 square feet of the $18 million mixed-use project. The local chain will join Bearno’s Pizza already operating in the building.
Saul Garcia, head of the restaurant group making the announcement, also operates the more relaxed Los Aztecas restaurant at Sixth & Main Streets. Sol Aztecas is expected to be more a more upscale Mexican restaurant with a full bar and a patio.
Developers of the project praised the announcement as the right type of tenant: local and successful. The 100,000 square foot project has already seen some interior demolition and asbestos removal and is planned to be under construction this fall. It’s expected that at least three more retail tenants will join Bearno’s and Sol Aztecas. The project is being undertaken by Bill Weyland of City Properties Group and building owners and siblings Stephen and Julie “Valle” Jones.
This stretch of Main Street is really beginning to see quite a renaissance as the Arena next door continues to grow and work on the new Patrick O’Shea’s restaurant on the other side continues construction.
[ UPDATE 2009.07.10: We have confirmed with City Properties Group that the new Sol Aztecas will be located in the old Burwinkle-Hendershot building, the easternmost of the two (the one on the right in the rendering). ]
- Sol Aztecas Grill & Cantina (Official Site)
- Pre-Construction: Inside The Whiskey Row Lofts (Broken Sidewalk)
- Whiskey Row Development Plans Outlined (Broken Sidewalk)
- A Tour Of Construction Progress At Patrick O’Shea’s (Broken Sidewalk)
Demo Watch: Burned Broadway Rectory Razed
Another historic building at Broadway between 13th and 14th Streets has been torn down. Located on the border between the Russell and California neighborhoods, the Parish House at St. Augustine Catholic Church was damaged in a fire in the Spring of 2008. After a weighty decision, Louisville’s oldest African American parish decided restoring the building would be too expensive.
The structure dating to 1912 would have required repair work “in excess of $90,000” according to the church. The photo above was taken about a year after the fire. The first floor was gutted and there was smoke damage in the building. The church waited to make a decision because of the historical significance of the institution.
It seems like the price tag on the renovations would be far cheaper than building any sort of new comparable building. The stately two-story structure didn’t appear to have any structural problems, but in the current economy, any expenses could be challenging. But did the Archdiocese not have insurance on the property to help out?
It’s a shame to see this one go. Here’s a little history about the church from the Archdiocese of Louisville:
Bishop William G. McCloskey appointed Father John L. Spalding, the nephew of Archbishop Martin John Spalding of Baltimore, to organize a parish for Black Catholics in Louisville in 1868, five years after the Emancipation Proclamation. On February 20, 1870, St. Augustine was established, and the new parishioners marched from the basement of the Cathedral of the Assumption westward to their new home at Broadway and 14th Street. A school was opened under the leadership of the Sisters of Charity in 1871. Later Josephites staffed the school.
The parish quickly outgrew its second church, which was dedicated in 1902. The current church property was purchased in 1911, and Bishop Denis O’Donaghue formally dedicated the present church on September 10, 1912. One Sunday Mass was celebrated weekly for the neighborhood’s white population until Sacred Heart Church was built in 1873
Bishop William G. McCloskey appointed Father John L. Spalding, the nephew of Archbishop Martin John Spalding of Baltimore, to organize a parish for Black Catholics in Louisville in 1868, five years after the Emancipation Proclamation. On February 20, 1870, St. Augustine was established, and the new parishioners marched from the basement of the Cathedral of the Assumption westward to their new home at Broadway and 14th Street. A school was opened under the leadership of the Sisters of Charity in 1871. Later Josephites staffed the school.
The parish quickly outgrew its second church, which was dedicated in 1902. The current church property was purchased in 1911, and Bishop Denis O’Donaghue formally dedicated the present church on September 10, 1912. One Sunday Mass was celebrated weekly for the neighborhood’s white population until Sacred Heart Church was built in 1873.
More Evidence 8664.org Is A Smart Idea
By now, you should know we are fans of the 8664.org proposal. If you ask us, it just makes too much sense, saves too much money, and steers Louisville’s future growth in a direction that would provide for a real urban, vibrant, and livable city. But as we continue down the road of outdated 20th century planning, we’re more and more going to be associated with mega-mistakes of the past.
Share Your Sparks Of Creative Genius At Mid-City Mall
Next week, a 34-foot silver Airstream mobile film studio will pull into Mid City Mall’s parking lot on Bardstown Road. The trailer has been touring the country on an “Aha Moment Campaign” and they want you to stop by and share your own “aha moment.”
What’ exactly is an aha moment? Good question; here’s some info from the group’s web site:
Aha moments are powerful. More than an idea, or an epiphany, aha moments demand attention and action. Deciding on a new career. Jumping out of an airplane. Launching an international philanthropy, or becoming a fire dancer.
In 2004, researchers at Northwestern University wanted to discover the physiological responses that lead to the breakthrough moments known as aha moments. What they discovered was that a split-second before having an aha moment, we experience a burst of electrical brain activity… kind of like a big light bulb going off in your brain.
Another study in 2006 by the same research team found that aha moments tend to occur more often in the “prepared mind.” In short, if we’re open to change and maybe even looking for some kind of change, an aha moment is more likely to happen.
Aha moments come in all shapes and sizes. We know from the real people featured on this site and with those to whom we continue to speak, that aha moments are personal. They have been described as, “magic,” “enlightenment,” and, “that moment of clarity when all the pieces fall into place.” They’ve told us that having an aha moment is like, “getting hit by a bus,” and that it just “hits you.”
So, what is an aha moment? You’ll know when you have one.
If you’re interested in sitting down and sharing your story, stop by Bardstown Road July 13 or 14 (Mon. or Tues.) between noon and 8:00pm. Videos will be shared online. The event is sponsored by Mutual of Omaha.
Next Phase Of Liberty Green To Start Soon
The next phase of the Liberty Green development is set to break ground soon. The Edge at Liberty Green will contain a series of privately owned mixed-use townhouses in its first phase and larger mixed-use buildings later on. City Properties Group (developers behind the ZirMed Towers, the Henry Clay, and the Whiskey Row Lofts) and AU Associates (developers of the St. Francis building on Broadway) plan to begin construction on the first new building by the end of August.