SoBro Pushing Eastward: Scholar House Plans Detailed

By Branden Klayko -
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Downtown Scholar House (rendering by Girdler Group & Gil Stein Architects)

Today, the Family Scholar House announced plans for a new $10 million campus on the corner of First and Breckinridge streets in the SoBro neighborhood. Officially known as the Downtown Scholar House, the 54 unit facility will provide supportive housing and educational programs for single-parent students. The location at the site of the former Jim Cooke Buick and current BMW Motorcycle and Vespa showroom was chosen for its proximity to Spalding University, the Jefferson Community and Technical College, and the University of Louisville.

Downtown Scholar House (rendering by Girdler Group & Gil Stein Architects)
Downtown Scholar House. (Girdler Group & Gil Stein Architects)

The Downtown Scholar House represents the second campus for the Family Scholar House, formerly known as Project Women. The first 56 apartment facility is located adjacent to the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus. Demand is high for apartments in the program. Currently, 350 families are on the waiting list, and the new campus should help ease the space crunch. The Family Scholar House aims to support the educational aspirations of single-parent families and to help foster college education to create valuable members of the community.

Two buildings currently on the project site will be renovated: a historic brick structure that once house the Filson Club will be transformed into a Scholar House community center and a former hotel owned by the city will serve as apartments. Two new structures on the corner will lend an urban edge to the site and take on the massing of townhomes. The design work was handled by the Girdler Group of St. Matthews and Gil Stein Architects. The Marian Development Group is serving as developer.

Like it’s predecessor the Louisville Scholar House, the campus is designed to foster a supportive community within and takes on a sort of cloistered form with balconies overlooking the parking lot and play area. It’s also welcome news that 54 new families will be calling SoBro home. The Family Scholar House sees their approach as a local method of stimulating the economy by supporting local families.

Sustainability also plays a key role in the design. One existing building is slated for a green, vegetated roof and the new structures will be built of modular panels built off-site to reduce waste and speed construction time. Energy efficiency will also play a key role in the new building and 2×6 stud walls will provide for extra insulation. The western portion of the nearly 2-acre Jim Cooke Buick property won’t be immediate built upon but could see a future addition.

Financing for the project in part comes from $7.73 million in tax credits and $200,000 from the state’s affordable housing fund. Ground is expected to be broken in a couple of months, so this site should quickly be transformed from a one-story showroom and corner parking lot into three-stories of townhouse apartments.

Good Walls Make Good Neighbors In Irish Hill

By Branden Klayko -
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Earlier this year, we spotted a pretty large stone wall in the Irish Hill neighborhood on the corner of Cooper and Hull Streets. The thing was, the wall was covering the sidewalk. On our last trip over to the neighborhood yesterday, we found the wall mended and again standing proud. Unfortunately, many of Louisville’s grand old stone walls have suffered similar fates of disrepair and gravity over time and it’s not hard to find one that’s ready to go heaving into the sidewalk in neighborhoods across the city. At least Cooper Street is nice and tidy again after the spill.

Evening News Roundup

    By Broken Sidewalk -
    0
    (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)
    (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)

    See that jagged line in the concrete sidewalk above? That’s some interesting evidence of the evolution of the sidewalk. Evidently, the sidewalk was once composed of those hexagonal concrete tiles you see on St. James Court and throughout Old Louisville. At one point some were probably removed and replaced with concrete. That formed one jagged edge. Later on, the rest of the hex-pavers disappeared and the concrete jigsaw-puzzle was complete.

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    Museum Plaza Watch: ‘Trust Us, This Thing’s Getting Built’

    By Branden Klayko -
    4
    Museum Plaza Drawings Ready To Go (photo by Museum Plaza)

    Craig Greenberg went before Metro Council today to answer the tough questions about the state of the Museum Plaza development. We didn’t have a chance to sit in on the Q & A but did read over a letter Greenberg sent to Metro Council about the project. The gist of the meeting probably goes something like, “Financial meltdown. We’re doing our best. We’re ready to go. Economic crisis. We’re going to get this thing built. Credit crunch.” More realistically, Craig is trying to reassure Metro Council that matters are under control and the project will move forward as the economy improves.

    Life’s not easy for a mega-project in these trying economic times. That giant spire that Santiago Calatrava designed in Chicago is just a hole in the ground and going nowhere fast, Dubai is in meltdown mode, and even the new World Trade Center is being held up every other day or so. Louisville is not unique by having a delayed mega-project. What is unique are a group of developers so dedicated to the city. And with $47 million already invested in the project so far, including $1.2 million to purchase property not owned by the city and about $14 million more to bury some power lines, the group can’t just walk away from an already substantial development.

    So far, 20 permits and approvals to get started have already been acquired for the project, the Westin hotel franchise is still ready to go, and the developers are good for the money. They were even forced to bear all in a confidential letter demonstrating “Evidence of Net Worth” and their ability to personally meet the financial obligations. Greenberg reassures the Council as well that no city funds have been used so far in the project, and won’t until a complete financing package has been obtained.

    And so far, the plans and design for the building haven’t changed. Greenberg’s letter to Metro Council explains that “the architectural and construction documents for Museum Plaza are to build a building and infrastructure that is the same as has been shown in renderings… over the past two years.” And the construction documents are done. Waiting. Sitting in a back office somewhere biding their time until financing rolls in. That’s them in the photo above.

    Despite a barrage of concerns and worries from Metro Council, the developers are still showing no sign of breaking. While an anxious public keeps fingers crossed or pointing fingers poised, the pressure must be great for the four who have already put so much at stake. Here’s the optimism Greenberg and the rest of the development group still maintain for Museum Plaza:

    Laura Lee Brown, Steve Wilson, Steve Poe, myself and the entire Museum Plaza development team remain as committed as ever to building this important community project. It is too important not to build. Museum Plaza will not only energize and improve West Main Street, Downtown Louisville, and our entire community, but serve as a symbol of our community and state’s ability to rebound from these challenging times stronger than ever.

    Museum Plaza will be under construction within 30 days of closing our financing, building $150 million of infrastructure and having an economic impact of over $1 billion during our construction period. Over 4,500 different people will help build Museum Plaza, earning prevailing wages. Over 600 people will work on the site every day during its peak construction period. And, over 1,500 people will have permanent good jobs in the building upon its completion. Museum Plaza will quickly and forcefully stimulate Kentucky’s economy, while improving it and its image in the process.

    Striking Visions Of Louisville’s Future Within Our Grasp

    By Branden Klayko -
    14
    Riverfront Boulevard west fron near 6th Street

    These renderings are simply amazing. The folks over at 8664.org released today a few jazzed up renderings at what’s possible along Louisville’s waterfront. There’s also a video fly-by all through downtown and along the waterfront detailing just how great life without the 7th Least Wanted Highway slicing between the city and its river can be. It’s already smothering the grass at the Great Lawn and we all should know how destructive the junction will be to Downtown, but these beautiful visuals should help everyone realize what great potential there really is along Louisville’s waterfront.

    Perhaps most dramatic are the views of Shippingport and the areas immediately west of Downtown. The potential for urban growth and real city life almost feels graspable from the above view. As anyone who has walked the stretch of RiverWalk over in this area, this is quite an unmistakable transformation. And the numbers back the plan up, too. Here are a few of the most dramatic stats kept by 8664.org.

    Consider the following:

    The East End Bridge is supported by more than a 2 to 1 margin over a Downtown Bridge.
    FrederickPolls, January 2008, 500 Jefferson County Voters

    The East End Bridge will divert more than 30,000 cars per day from the Kennedy Bridge by 2025.
    Ohio River Bridges Project, Environmental Impact Statement, 2003

    The Bridges Project will widen I-64 through Cherokee Park.
    KYTC Kennedy Interchange Area Study, November 2008

    The “8664” alternative provides 99 percent of the “system-wide performance” of the Bridges Project.
    KYTC Kennedy Interchange Area Study, November 2008

    These images speak louder than words, so sit back, watch the video, and ponder a stroll along Louisville’s future Waterfront Boulevard on a warm Spring morning. And then go to 8664.org to find out how you can take action to realize a better Possibility City.

    Eastern Downtown & Waterfront Park
    Eastern Downtown & Waterfront Park
    Downtown Louisville at night & Waterfront Park West
    Downtown Louisville at night & Waterfront Park West
    Current view of Waterfront Park West wasteland
    Current view of Waterfront Park West wasteland

    Snapshot: Clinical & Translational Research Building

    By Branden Klayko -
    0
    Clinical & Translational Research Building
    Clinical & Translational Research Building
    Clinical & Translational Research Building. (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)

    Yesterday the construction fence surrounding the University of Louisville‘s Clinical & Translational Research Building came down. The new $143.1 million building on the corner of Hancock Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard won’t open until July, but much of the exterior site work is already complete. Workers were seen installing a glass canopy overhanging the building’s main entrance as the fence was hauled away.

    Today, crews were removing the construction-worn asphalt on surrounding streets in preparation for repaving. Signs noting “Sidewalk Closed” were still placed on site, so the plaza might not be open for a little longer. The Clinical & Translational Research Building’s architectural services were provided by Arrasmith, Judd, Rapp, Chovan of West Main Street and SmithGroup of Detroit.

    Evening News Roundup

      By Broken Sidewalk -
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      Where the sidewalk ends...
      Where the sidewalk ends... (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)
      Where the sidewalk ends… (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)
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      Tragedy Strikes At Fort Nelson Building

      By Branden Klayko -
      1
      Alan DeLisle and Patti Clare

      By now you’ve all heard the news of the stairwell collapse at the Fort Nelson Building on the corner of 8th and West Main Street. Three of four people touring the vacant structure fell three very tall floors when the stair apparently pulled away from the brick structural wall. Two officials with the Downtown Development Corporation, Alan DeLisle and Patti Clare, were badly injured and building owner Paul Bariteau suffered minor injuries; Paul’s wife Carolan luckily had made it off the stair prior to its collapse and was unharmed.

      Everyone is now expected to survive the incident and both Patti and Alan have regained consciousness at University Hospital. They are still in intensive care but will continue to recover at the hospital over the next several days. This accident is horrific as everyone involved cared for improving Louisville so much.

      Here’s a statement from Mayor Abramson about today’s events:

      My thoughts and prayers are with Patti Clare and Alan DeLisle and their families. This was a terrible tragedy and Patti and Alan were doing what they love, working with a property owner to redevelop this beautiful historic building on Main Street.

      Patti is a longtime leader in Louisville who has a passion for downtown and Alan, though new to our city, has quickly impressed me with his knowledge and ideas for continuing our downtown revitalization. I am hopeful for their quick recovery.

      My thoughts are also with property owner Paul Bariteau and his wife, Carolan.

      We told you about the Bariteau’s and their West Main Street properties in January. Paul and Carolan are two of the nicest people to be found in Louisville and we hope everyone involved in today’s events makes a quick and full recovery.

      While we don’t know the exact details surrounding today’s events, the Fort Nelson Building is for sale, so the tour today could have been related to its marketing. The building had been stabilized many years ago and is considered to be structurally solid; the Bariteau’s had recently been making improvements to the neighboring building’s interior to assist with the sale. The inside is reported to be only a shell right now, but a creative redevelopment solution wouldn’t be hard to imagine. Hopefully today’s tragedy won’t pass in vain and something positive will come of the Fort Nelson Building that all four involved were working for.

      Evening News Roundup

        By Broken Sidewalk -
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        (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)
        (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)
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