We now have our BS Neighborhood Derby final four bracket set with Germantown-Schnitzelburg-Paristown’s defeat of West Louisville-Russell-Park Hill-California and New Albany’s defeat of Crescent Hill-Clifton-Clifton Heights.
The tournament’s last three match-ups will wrap up next week with the naming of BS Neighborhood of the Year (really, we think you can come up with a better title; tell us in the comments).
Voting opens Monday for the battle between the Highlands and Germantown-Schnitzelburg-Paristown and the show-down between Butchertown-NuLu-East Market Corridor versus New Albany.
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Sorry it’s been a little slow around here in the last couple days. We promise things will get back to normal in the next day or two. Meanwhile, here’s the news.
Last week, the Highlands and Butchertown-NuLu were the first two neighborhoods to win a spot in the coveted BS Final Four. Today, we’re opening up the polls to decide the last two contenders.
Game one is a battle between Germantown-Schnitzelburg-Paristown and West Louisville-Russell-Park Hill-California. The second match-up pits Crescent Hill-Clifton-Clifton heights against all time vote leader New Albany. Play clean folks, voting will be up for two days. As always, tell us how you voted in the comments if you so choose.
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We were trying to enjoy a warm Spring afternoon strolling around Butchertown last week when Washington Street was suddenly engulfed in thick black and white smoke. Attempting to track down the source, we found giant fires roaring half a block away at the corner of Quincy Street and Cabel Street at a MSD facility. The smell was foul and the smoke irritated our eyes. What were they doing?
There were about 30 fire extinguishers huddled in the MSD parking lot and someone with a device appearing to be a flame thrower repeatedly lit a mattress sized tray on fire and extinguished it. Each time, a giant plume of smoke rose into the air and wafted south to Washington Street. This had been going on before we got there and after we left.
It’s enough Butchertown has to put up with the malodorous Swift, but to be sandwiched in by another disrespectful neighbor seems unfair. We would guess they were testing fire extinguishers, but in a very rude manner considering there are houses 20–30 feet in multiple directions. Anyone know what the story it?
Friday, we told you about the thought bubbles spray-painted on the Louisville Chemical Building on the corner of Jefferson and Hancock streets. It seems the building knew something and wanted to get the word out. We asked for your ideas as to what the vacant building might be thinking, and Broken Sidewalk reader Kurtis must be on the same wavelength as the building. It turns out that today, the Louisville Chemical Building’s cries for help were answered.
Building owner’s Lee Wilburn and Julia Tinnell were awarded a $60,000 low interest loan to assist with facade and accessibility improvements. The 16,000 square foot building had been on the market for just under $1 million and failed to sell. At one time, the property had even been considered for purchase by the city to incorporate into the Liberty Green development across the street. Now it will undergo renovation to convert its three floors into commercial space.
According to loan papers filed with the city, the entire project could cost an estimated $700,000 to shell the interior for future commercial fit-up. First, though, a few more minor repairs will be taking place. One third of the low-interest loan will help install an elevator and make the building handicapped accessible. The remaining $40,000 will go toward facade improvements.
Under the plan, The flaking white paint will be removed and the entire structure will be tuck-pointed. The ornate cornice will also be restored and a new coat of fresh paint applied to the structure. A new storefront and new windows (Kurtis won’t be so happy about that one) will also be installed.
The Louisville Chemical Building is one of the nicest buildings in the area yet to see development activity and hopefully a few retail outlets will eventually fill up along the sidewalk to help the East Market Street corridor expand into the surrounding neighborhood.
Two other loans were announced today. The Browning’s Brewery & Restaurant in Slugger Field will open again under new management with the help of a $100,000 loan and a group of investors will repair a building on Bardstown Road near Eastern Parkway with a $57,300 loan. New development all over town.
Last week, KFC announced it would repair the city’s potholes for free if a temporary “Re-Freshed by KFC” stencil could be spraypainted on top of the filled holes. With an estimated 350 million potholes nationwide, there’s a lot of work left for the Colonel. After beginning their campaign in here in Louisville, KFC Corporation is moving on to fill potholes in other cities, too.
