Demo Watch: West Main Street Warehouse Demolition

Sep 22, 2008

An old red brick 19th-century warehouse is in the process of being torn at the corner of Main Street and 18th Street on the border between the Portland and Russell neighborhoods. This isn’t your normal demolition, however. It seems work has been sporadic for over a month and no activity is reported in the last couple of weeks. No one in the neighborhood seems to know who is responsible for the demolition and we found no evidence of intent to demolish notices posted on the building.

When we were here last December, the building was abandoned and in need of mortar repair but in overall good structural form. Neighbors report the owners had previously used the building to store scrap from other demolition jobs and generally regret the loss of a such an old and massive building.

The structure was at one time between three- and five-stories with a courtyard in the middle. Hand-carved limestone lintels can still be seen above the windows and doors on the Main Street side of the property. Most of the neighbors we had a chance to speak to believe that since the building is already mostly destroyed, those responsible should finish the job and not let the building sit half-demolished.

The news is unfortunate considering the surrounding area is seeing the beginning of new investment from the Center for African American Heritage a few blocks south, to the Ouerbacker House renovations one block east, to the facade improvement we reported on last week on the same block on Market Street. The area is reportedly safer than ever, also. One neighbor reported a steady decline in crime he has seen in the neighborhood over the past 30 years. The site represents the line where the Russell and Portland neighborhoods come together and such a large warehouse, with its original timber framing on the inside, would have been a potential redevelopment target at some point or another.

It is likely the building is being torn down for salvage. The bricks and timbers, along with various metal scrap on the inside will likely prove valuable when sold to scrap yards. According the the Jefferson County PVA, the 1.35 acre property is valued for tax purposes at just over $216,000. Hopefully this site will not become just another grassy field as we have seen from other demolitions in the area, but it is unlikely anything will be built in its place any time soon.

Colorful West Market Street Renovation (Broken Sidewalk)

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Development Watch: The New Face Of Anchorage

By Branden Klayko -

Sep 22, 2008

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The sleepy suburb of Anchorage has been slowly transforming itself from interurban train-stop / summer house neighborhood into a full-time bedroom community over the past 100 years. Recently, however, town patron and pizza magnate John Schnatter has been transforming the town’s main drag into a real town center with a definite sense of place. Over the past few years, Schnatter’s Evergreen Real Estate has built and renovated several structures near the corner of Evergreen Road and Station Road, sparing no expense to create an authentic turn-of-the-century architecture, designed by Dan Fultz, Architect of St. Matthews.

Schnatter had originally envisioned an urban town center, a miniature version of the Highlands, but the neighborhood, always cautious of change, rejected initial proposals. The project was scaled back to retain more village qualities: a grouping of quaint, individual structures around a small square rather than a streetscape with an urban edge. The end result is quite pleasing and, while not urban in the traditional sense, definitely exemplifies a town center on the village model. The architecture and scale of the project is also highly refined as Evergreen Realty was more interested in creating a quality product than turning a profit. Stone masonry, copper details, granite curbs (even in the parking lots), brick sidewalks, and lush landscaping lend an upscale feel to the development, fitting considering the tenants Schnatter is looking to attract.

Anchorage Town Center (Rendering by Dan Fultz, Architect) — Anchorage Town Center. (Dan Fultz, Architect)

Currently, only a bank branch has opened in the development, the slowing economy is to blame for the other empty buildings. The flagship tenant of the new town center is a proposed steak house to be called Anchorage Prime, but the restaurant is likely to be located in the last building of the development not yet under construction (rendering below). Schnatter has said recently that he still plans to open the restaurant, but is waiting for a better economic outlook for such an upscale eatery. Also in the plans are a coffee shop and an ice-cream shop likely to be located up the hill (photo above) where the renovated interurban station, a new two-level building, and the renovated Hayes house sit.

The Ville-Voice Eats has even speculated that we may see one of John Schnatter’s new Calistoga Bakery Cafe concepts at the location:

Could we see a Calistoga Bakery Cafe there? That’s the concept Schnatter is backing with his own money, so don’t be surprised. Getting support from locals for a chain restaurant, however, surely will be dicey. There’s only so much commercial development Anchorage folks will take before they revolt. They pay big money for privacy and solitude, and I can’t criticize their desire to keep the peace.

The old interurban station (right building in top photo) was once home to an upscale restaurant that never took off. Then the station was still at the bottom of the hill with a rotting foundation. As part of the new development, the station was moved to its new location and completely reconstructed.

The architect, Dan Fultz, had at one time located his offices on the second floor of the station. He has a long relationship with Anchorage, designing many houses in the neighborhood, most notably John Schnatter’s own home nearby. Overall, the new Anchorage town center will offer not just a focal point to one of Louisville’s most historic neighborhoods, but finally a centralized sense of place where residents can find a heightened sense of community with the ability to walk to some of their daily needs.

Schnatter plans steakhouse, ice cream shop for AnchorageÂ (Ville Voice Eats)
City of Anchorage (Official Site)
City of Anchorage (Wikipedia)

Morning News Roundup: Weekend Edition

By Broken Sidewalk -

Sep 22, 2008

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No land deal for City Center project, yet (C-J)
Beargrass Creek needs help (C-J)
Beshear still hates renewable energy, loves coal (C-J)
Louisville residents to pay for LGE storm repairs (C-J)

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Evening News Roundup: Park(ing) Day Edition

Public Space

By Broken Sidewalk -

Sep 19, 2008

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So not only was today Talk Like A Pirate Day, it was also National Park(ing) Day. What’s National Park(ing) Day, you ask? It’s a growing movement nationwide to reclaim auto-dominated public space for pedestrian use. Here’s how it works: Find a parking spot, pay the meter all day, lay out some sod (or a blanket), enjoy your newly created park! Sounds fun, huh? Apparently the people over in Lexington thought so. That other city in Kentucky had not one, but two registered Park(ing) Day events. Come on Possibility City, where are our new mini-parks, temporary as they may be? Aren’t we supposed to be a city of them or something? Oh well, better luck next year (or whenever you want to make one, actually).

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What IdeaFestival Events Will You Attend?

Design

By Branden Klayko -

Sep 19, 2008

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The IdeaFestival will be rolling out the orange carpets next week at the Kentucky International Convention Center as thinkers from all over the world descend on Louisville to stir up some provoking thoughts and dialogues. Many events over the four-day festival are cheap or free, especially if you are a student, and no one has an excuse not to attend something…

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Unintended Green Architecture: Attack Of The Trees

By Branden Klayko -

Sep 19, 2008

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Louisville is seeing a resurgence of green architecture that no one planned for…. and no one really wants. A tipster has pointed out the tree above growing on the side of a building on the corner of West Main Street and Sixth Street. It seems a seed has found its way onto the ledge that once supported the floor of its long-gone neighbor. The tree is small now, but left unchecked, the roots will work their way into the wall’s mortar and weaken the structure.

There is no real way to safeguard from a tree sprouting in the side of your building; nature will find a way (usually via the birds). Keeping the brick mortar in good condition and general building maintenance should keep our city safe.

There is no shortage of trees growing from buildings here in Louisville. We dug through our archives and found some photos of trees past and present that are growing from buildings, mostly abandoned. The three examples after the click are all slated for redevelopment, and you might have even heard of a few of them: the Iron Quarter and Museum Plaza (this tree was removed when the Main Street building’s guts were razed).

Our favorite, however, is on a grand building on the corner of Gray Street and Shelby Street in Phoenix Hill. The building is scheduled to undergo renovation at a cost of $2 million by the New Directions Housing Corporation to turn the heavily damaged building into a 12 unit home for the mentally handicapped.

We know you’ve seen them attacking buildings in your neighborhood… through the windows, walls, gutters, roofs… they won’t stop at anything. Where have you seen trees growing from buildings around Louisville and what’s the damage report?

Tonini Building to be Renovated (Broken Sidewalk)

Tree Growing in Museum Plaza Site, West Main Street

Trees Growing in Phoenix Hill, Shelby Street

Tree Growing in Iron Quarter, Washington Street

Colorful West Market Street Renovation

By Branden Klayko -

Sep 19, 2008

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Back in 2005, we noticed the rendering below by Forza Architecture taped to the window of a dirty grey building on the corner of 18th Street and Market Street on the border of the Russell and Portland neighborhoods. The single-story building is simple and austere with detailing reminiscent of 19th century industrial buildings in Louisville, one of the best types for converting to modern use. The rendering described a proposed renovation to the building that included painting or sandblasting the historic brick structure, applying decorative colored tiles above the door, and building a new storefront that respected the symmetric nature of the building.

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Morning News Roundup

By Broken Sidewalk -

Sep 19, 2008

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Today is Talk Like A Pirate Day (Just for fun)
IdeaFest speaker Bjarke Ingels to design Danish pavillion (Arch.MNP)
Local economy ‘weak’ but ‘optimistic’ (Business First)

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American Revolution Headed For Main Street

By Branden Klayko -

Sep 18, 2008

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Sons of the American Revolution, New Headquarters (Preston Associates Architects)

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) will be moving their national headquarters from Old Louisville to the Museum District of West Main Street downtown. The organization will also be building a history museum and genealogical library dubbed The Center for Advancing America’s Heritage at their new facility near the corner of Main Street and 8th Street.

The SAR is currently located at the corner of Fourth Street and Kentucky Street in Old Louisville and owns a good amount of property on adjacent blocks there that a previous museum and headquarters was proposed for years ago (see photos below). The organization began looking downtown for expansion to be part of the cultural center of West Main Street and initially proposed to purchase the six-story, red-brick Kentucky Opera Building on the south-east corner of 8th Street and Main Street.

Early this year, the search expanded across the street to the 1860s-era Fulton Conway Building that offered better amenities for the overall project including on-site parking and archival space in the basement. The asking price was also cheaper at under $2 million, allowing for quicker commencement of construction. The new location and design adjacent to the Frasier Historical Museum looks much better for everyone involved and should compliment the assortment of cultural establishments already in the area.

Fulton Conway Building, Main Street. (Branden Klayko / Broken Sidewalk)

The new National Headquarters design calls for an atrium off the sidewalk that will connect with a genealogical research library representing over 60,000 volumes, offices, classrooms, and a history museum including many original paintings, flags, manuscripts, canons, and a replica of the Liberty Bell. A roof terrace will feature outdoor sitting and statuary space along with views of the Ohio River. The building covers over 40,000 square feet and three floors, so this should be a sizable undertaking. The architectural design for the new facility was done by Preston Associates Architects of Louisville. Here’s some history on the Sons of the American Revolution:

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a patriotic organization formed in 1889 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1906. SAR has more than 27,000 members living in all of the 50 states and 23 foreign countries.

The SAR National Headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, is more properly a historic shrine honoring our Patriot Ancestors. It is a museum of art and artifacts from the colonial and revolutionary periods, and a genealogical library. The museum includes an extensive collection of historical American paintings and an exact replica of the Liberty Bell.

Construction on the project should begin when a fundraising campaign currently underway raises $6 million. Historic tax credits are also currently being sought to help pay for the project. After the new museum and headquarters is finished, the old location will be sold and funds added to an endowment for the organization. With the fundraising well under way, hopefully we might see activity at the site sometime next year. Already, banners, logos, and renderings announcing the project have been posted on the Fulton Conway Building.

Overall, this will be a great project to anchor the Museum District and build a cultural critical mass unrivaled in the state or in many places throughout the country. An interesting note about the Fulton Conway Building: the structure is noticeably shorter than its neighbors, but appears aesthetically similar to the turreted Fort Nelson Building next-door. In fact, the structure was once four-stories and similar in height to other Main Street buildings. The great tornado of 1890 (a monument for the tornado stands on the corner of the block) ripped through Main Street and collapsed the upper floors which were never rebuilt. At least we still have the original cast-iron facade along the sidewalk.

National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (Official Site)

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