Future of Downtown Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky was founded in 1778 and since then, it has built a deep and rich history that Louisvillians are proud to share with visitors. As with any great city the planners and stakeholders in Louisville are always asking, “What’s next?” and “How can we build a better city for tomorrow?”. In the last few weeks meetings about the future of Downtown Louisville have been sparking interest and enthusiasm for what is to come for this area.

One Louisville Annual Meeting

At the One Louisville Annual Meeting held on March 18^th Trevor Pawl outlined the plans for economic growth and development that will get this great city moving forward. This organization formed from joining Louisville Economic Development Association (LEDA) and Greater Louisville, Inc. (GLI) is set to build a more competitive, connected, and prosperous Louisville.

Louisville Downtown Partnership – State of Downtown

At the “State of Downtown” meeting hosted by the Louisville Downtown Partnership on March 24^th civic leaders, business owners, and downtown supporters listened as goals for the future of the city were discussed in detail. One attendee to both events was Brent Dolen, SIOR, CCIM, Senior Director Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Kentucky. He shared some of his thoughts about Louisville’s Downtown in a recent LinkedIn post:

“Consider this: the Louisville Central Business District spans just 2 square miles — yet it stands as the 3rd largest tax revenue-generating area in the entire state of Kentucky, trailing only the full city of Louisville and the city of Lexington. That’s the economic weight of a thriving urban core.

At Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Kentucky, downtown Louisville isn’t just a market we serve — it’s where we are located, where we live and work every day. We have a front-row seat to the challenges and the momentum, and we believe deeply in what downtown represents for the region’s future.”

Projects Planned for Louisville

Some of the projects in the pipeline according to the Louisville Downtown Partnership include the Humana Tower, new residential options, and JCTC’s new Center for Science & Discovery. The Humana Tower project will transform the existing property into a 1,000-room hotel and convention center. This project will be a financial win for the city. With the new facility, Louisville will be able to host more conventions, bringing new visitors and revenue to the area. There are two new residential living spaces. Liminal is located in Portland and will house 138 affordable apartments and commercial space. Weyland Ventures is planning to convert the Fiscal Court Building into 106 apartments. Downtown Louisville is currently home to 10,000+ residents. Jefferson Community & Technical College’s Center for Science & Discovery features state of the art science labs for students. There is also a plan in the works to make Louisville a more “walkable” downtown. By changing several streets back to two-way, increasing the number of bike lanes and sidewalks, and replacing several traffic signals with stop signs, the city will be more inviting to those wanting to explore all that it has to offer. It is exciting to see projects like the ones mentioned here that set our city up for growth in the future. These are just a few of the 63 projects that are underway or in the planning stages for Downtown Louisville.

Exciting future for Downtown Louisville

Downtown Louisville, in recent years, had a downturn in popularity as a place to spend time whether it be for business or in social settings. It is encouraging to see such interest in what is happening in Downtown Louisville. These sold-out events show that this community sees the value in a thriving Downtown and there are community leaders who are committed to steering this ship in the right direction. Exciting things are happening in Downtown Louisville and Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Kentucky is proud to be a part of what is to come for this city.