Broken Sidewalk

Saturday! Waterfront Fashion Week Bike Ride to the Runway

Broken Sidewalk — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:04:21 +0000

(Courtesy Mona Simone)

It’s officially fashion week in Louisville, and the first annual Waterfront Fashion Week has officially recognized bikes as a required fashion accessory—and a great way to get around. To celebrate, a fashionable bike ride will be departing from Theater Square on Fourth Street this Saturday, October 20 at 6:00 p.m., so don your most couture bicycling garb and take a ride through Downtown to the WFW tent at Waterfront Park’s Big Four Lawn where Louisville’s newest bike lane is the runway. Reserve your spot and tell your friends on the event’s Facebook page.

Cyclists Still Second-Class Citizens at the Kentucky State Fair

Branden Klayko — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:49:45 +0000

Kentucky State Fair Guide to Fun. (Courtesy Kentucky State Fair)

The Kentucky State Fair (KSF) begins today, but good luck riding your bike there. Following the KSF’s fumble on bike parking that blew up last year, the fair board is on track to repeat many of the mistakes that have given the it a reputation as bike-unfriendly as far away as Dallas. Like last year, bikes will not be allowed inside the fairgrounds’ gates and the fair offers no incentives for cyclists to attend like other states do, causing jeers from local bike advocates. Which made us surprised to see the KSF proudly declare on its Facebook page:

Grab your helmets and bells, we are a bike friendly facility! In addition to bicycle racks at every gate, the Kentucky State Fair Bicycle Corral is located at Gate 4 in Lot H. The two new bicycle racks at Gate 6 off Preston are designed to meet the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals national standards.

We spoke with Bicycling for Louisville and Metro Louisville’s Bike Louisville to figure out why significant changes weren’t made since last year and what could be done to make things better next year.

Aerial view of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. (Courtesy Google)

When an internal memo surfaced last year exposing the anti-bike sentiments of the KSF, local cyclist and blogger Kirk Kandle asked officials why bikes weren’t permitted at the fair. Amanda Storment, vice president of media relations for the fair board, said it would be unsafe, as cyclists pose a risk to pedestrians. She reiterated the same claim of dangerous cyclists to the Courier-Journal earlier this month, which Bike Louisville’s transportation planning administrator Dirk Gowin refuted. Bicycling for Louisville board member Amanda Fuller agreed. She said biking through the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center’s 19,000-car parking lot is no more dangerous than biking anywhere else in the city. ”It’s no more dangerous than riding your bike in a shopping mall parking lot. Or on Crittenden Drive, a state road,” Fuller said. “It’s ridiculous they’re citing a liability reason for not allowing bikes.” Requests from Bicycling for Louisville to see documentation of the state’s liability concerns were denied.

Gowin told Broken Sidewalk there’s nothing the city can do to force the fairgrounds to provide better access to bikes since it’s a state agency on state-owned property, but his agency is committed to working with them to find a solution.

Why Little Has Changed

After last year’s bike parking disaster, the Kentucky State Fair ignored requests from Metro Louisville and Bicycling for Louisville to set up meetings to fix the situation. ”Bike Louisville tried to reach out to them last year,” Gowin said, but his emails were never returned. “We were never able to be at the table with them,” he said. Amanda Fuller had the same experience. ”Bicycling for Louisville started to contact them in December and January but we were ignored for months and months,” she said. “All we wanted was a meeting to sit down and discuss this.” After this long period of silence, the group received 24-hour notice in early July that a meeting was being held and the group scrambled to attend.

Once Bike Louisville and Bicycling for Louisville did get a chance to meet with the Kentucky State Fair, Gowin said he was encouraged that officials were willing to reach out more this year than last. “Last year we offered to help and they didn’t accept our invitation.”

A letter from the Bicycling for Louisville Board of Directors described the group’s requests from the KSF. Among them:

We requested that they provide bike parking that complies with Louisville Metro’s own bicycle parking ordinance (LDC 9.2), which requires parking at locations as close as a car can drive to the entrances to buildings, and when they declined we asked them to disclose what in their liability prevents them from allowing bikes to operate as vehicles within the Fairground gates. They declined to respond to this request as well…We offered to provide valet bike parking next to the Tram Stop by East Hall, accessible by gate 6. (They declined)…We believe that this was not enough of a good faith effort to work on the problem of safe bicycle access to the State Fair. After all, in Indiana they discount $1 off the admission price to encourage people to ride to their state fair, and they provide valet bike parking. Several other state fairs welcome people on bikes including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska and Texas.

Why The Fair’s Plan Isn’t Good Enough

What is being provided this year are free, non-compliant bike racks outside each gate that are often difficult to securely lock bikes to. That also means means a long walk or tram ride through the massive car-parking area to get to the actual fair. A bike corral is offered at Gate 4 accessible from Crittenden Drive. Bike Louisville will also install two racks at Gate 6 mounted on concrete bases from the KSF that meet Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals national standards accessible from Preston Highway. None of the racks will have security, but they are being placed within view of ticket booths and attendants are asked to keep an eye on them. A special ticket booth will be set up at Gate 6 to accommodate pedestrians. The fair board has also agreed to meet with Bike Louisville next January to discuss future improvements.

Both Bike Louisville and Bicycling for Louisville said these changes aren’t acceptable long-term solutions. Gowin noted he considers these accommodations as temporary, adding, “That’s all we’re going to see this year.”

For cyclists planning to attend the fair, Gowin said his analysis shows Gate 6 is currently the best, safest option because of the higher quality bike racks, fewer cars, and better pedestrian environment, although you will have to walk some distance to a tram stop. The State Fair’s website says it believes the bike corral at Gate 4 off Crittenden Drive and located on a tram line is the best option for bikes. Gowin was concerned, however, that both Crittenden Drive and Preston Highway could present safety issues for cyclists.

But when it comes down to it, the KSF’s claim that bicycles are dangerous to pedestrians is simply false. It’s one of the most basic laws that, except for children, cyclists don’t ride on sidewalks. Bikes will be in the slow-moving parking-lot lanes like every other vehicle, not plowing through the midway. Parking lots generally have slower speeds and more cautious drivers than a typical street like Crittenden Drive, so riding through the parking lot should be especially safe for cyclists.

But for now, bikes are considered a menace, a perception that will hopefully change soon. After all, what are we going to tell the kids at the 4-H Club during their bike rodeo at the fair or the adorable Alexa M., winner of Kentuckiana Air Education’s (KAIRE) 2011 Kentucky State Fair Bike Contest when they decide they want to use their new bike skills to pedal to the fair?

Cyclists shouldn’t be treated as second-class citizens by the state when, in fact, their presence helps to offset the car-parking space crunch, alleviate congestion, fight obesity brought on by the fair’s fried twinkies, and generally improve the attitudes of those attending who didn’t have to sit in traffic. There’s really no downside to promoting cyclists to attend that fair in a big way.

Rendering of proposed Bradley Street Entrance. (Courtesy John Mahorney/Bicycling for Louisville)

The Manning Road entrance just south of Gate 6. (Courtesy Google)

How Bike Access Can Be Improved

At the most basic level, Bicycling for Louisville simply wants the Kentucky State Fair to comply with Metro Louisville’s standard codes for bike parking that require equal treatment for bikes and cars, allowing cyclists to park at least as close to the entrance as a motorist using a bike rack that reasonably protects their vehicle. “It’s not about the quality of the parking. It’s about the access,” Fuller said.

But that should only be the starting point. Prioritized parking, reduced attendance rates, and even a dedicated gate for pedestrian and cyclists could help promote a culture of biking in Louisville all while helping solve the parking-lot-space-problem at the fairgrounds.

Bicycling for Louisville has proposed reopening the Bradley Avenue entrance at the north edge of the fairgrounds to pedestrians and cyclists, as shown in the rendering above. The gate was barred and the railroad crossing eliminated many years ago, but Fuller said the ease of access Bradley Avenue provides would be ideal for cyclists. “We recognize it as a long-shot, but we like the idea that people can come to the fairgrounds on safe, neighborhood streets,” Fuller said.

Dirk Gown said the Bradley Street entrance is not a viable option since opening a rail crossing is a difficult proposition which could require closing three other crossings elsewhere. He said once a crossing is closed, a rail company will fight to keep it from being reopened again.

Another option is reopening the closed Manning Road entrance just south of Gate 6 as a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle entry point to the fairgrounds accessed from Preston Highway. Gowin said this option is more feasible than Bradley Avenue, but both Gowin and Fuller agreed Preston Highway is not a well designed corridor for cyclists and could present safety problems.

Whether or not a dedicated cyclist entrance is created, existing gates should also provide better sidewalks and bike paths that don’t require cyclists to sit in the toxic perfume of idling cars waiting to get into the fairgrounds. Imagine riding your bike into the entryway at Gate 4 photographed below full of cars.

Fortunately, Bike Louisville and Bicycling for Louisville will continue to work for improved conditions at the fairgrounds. “They still have a ways to go in terms of what makes good bike parking,” Gowin said. “My target is to have a more permanent parking solution in place next year. We’ve got a long way to go and it’s going to take some time.”

Meanwhile, another Facebook group is calling for a continued boycott of the Kentucky State Fair until it provides reasonable bike parking and access. You can also take TARC to the fair if you’d like to avoid parking, but you’ll still have to sit in traffic with all the cars.

Riding down Crittenden Drive at Gate 4. (Courtesy Bicycling for Louisville)

Riding in through Gate 4 with Lot H on the left. (Courtesy Bicycling for Louisville)

Thursday! City Suds at Zanzabar Tackles the Bloomberg Challenge

Branden Klayko — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:13:36 +0000

Join us for City Suds at Zanzabar!

What’s Louisville’s big idea? This Thursday, August 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., join us for the next City Suds Urbanism Happy Hour at Zanzabar (2100 South Preston Street), which is quickly shaping up to being a monthly event. We’ll be taking on the Bloomberg Mayors Challenge, brainstorming ideas for Louisville to bring home the $5 million dollar prize, and if we come up with something good, we’ll send it along to Mayor Fischer for consideration. What’s the Mayors Challenge?

The Mayors Challenge is a competition to inspire American cities to generate innovative ideas that solve major challenges and improve city life – and that ultimately can be shared with cities across the nation.

And there’s $5 million at stake, so our idea has to be good! What can Louisville do to improve the quality of life of its diverse communities? How can the city become a sustainability leader? What’s our secret strategy to overthrow Portland, Oregon as the “capital of biking?” Louisville is competing against 393 other cities, and five winners will be selected to receive one of four $1 million prizes or the $5 million grand prize to help make the idea a reality. (Wondering what kind of big ideas they’re thinking of? Here are a few examples.) Louisville has until September 14 to submit ideas, so we’re thinking we better get started! While there’s going to be some big thinking going on, remember that City Suds is a social happy hour, all about city life, meeting your fellow urbanists, and having a good time, so bring your ideas and your friends this Thursday!

(Oh, and this is a great opportunity to drop off your registration forms for PARK(ing) Day 502 this year! Registration ends Friday, August 18 so we have plenty of time to square the permits with the city before the big event on September 21. If your still on the fence, it’s easy to participate in PARK(ing) Day and create your own pop-up public space. All the details are at ParkingDay502.org.)

Fountain Court Design Competition Inspired by Southern Exposition

Branden Klayko — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:13:42 +0000

Entrance to Fountain Court from Fourth Street. (Courtesy Fountain Court Design Competition)

Has it really been nearly three years since we’ve had a design competition in Louisville? While it’s smaller in scale than the Irish Hill call for ideas, the South Fourth Street Association in Old Louisville is sponsoring the Fountain Court Design Competition to create a historically-inspired entrance to one of Louisville’s famous walking streets. Here’s some information about the project:

This competition will be a two-stage process. The first phase will be submittal of a designer’s qualifications. Then, from this submittal, a short-list of designers will be considered. And, up to three will be selected to prepare a concept design for the Fountain Court entrance. These participants will be provided $500 each, with the winning designer receiving an additional $500 for the selected proposal.
…
An important component of this competition will be to incorporate ‘themes’ and elements from the historic Southern Exposition, which occurred in this district from 1883 to 1887.

An informational meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Monday, August 20th at the Conrad Caldwell House on the corner of St. James Court and Magnolia Avenue. Additional details can be found on the competition’s Facebook page.

Engraving of the entrance to the Southern Exposition. (Courtesy Fountain Court Design Competition)

Aerial view of the Southern Exposition. (Courtesy Fountain Court Design Competition)

The Southern Exposition overlaid on today’s St. James Court. (Courtesy Fountain Court Design Competition)

Fountain Court stretches between Fourth Street and St. James Court. (Courtesy Bing Maps)

Car-Free Happy Hour Set for August 22, 2012

Branden Klayko — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:06:13 +0000

The next Car-Free Happy Hour will take place on Wednesday, August 22 from 5:10 to 8:00 p.m. at the Fourth Street Bluegrass Brewing Company location in Theater Square. You can tell your friends and RSVP on the event’s Facebook page.

Preservation in Louisville After the Yates Amendment

Branden Klayko — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 14:01:20 +0000

Three Individual Landmarks: Metro Hall, City Hall, and Fire Station #2. (BS Postcard Archive)

In 1973, Mayor Harvey Sloan oversaw the creation of Louisville’s first Landmarks Commission, modeled after an ordinance in New York City, making preservation public policy for the first time in the city. Now 39 years later, Louisville has created on average two Individual Landmarks a year, seven Landmarks Districts, a new merged government structure with new political dynamics, and the Metro Council has voted to change how preservation happens in the city.

In early February, Metro Councilmember David Yates sponsored an amendment to Louisville’s Landmarks Ordinance, complaining the original system lacked oversight, accountability, and public participation. Quickly joining Yates, eight additional council members, mostly representing suburban districts around the old Urban Service District, signed on as cosponsors. The amendment was introduced in Metro Council on Thursday, February 9, 2012, and over the proceeding six months, politicians and preservationists clashed on how Landmarks designation procedures should work, resulting in a newly politicized process and additional thresholds to be met in the public petition process. But in all the arguing, Louisville missed a real opportunity for preservation reform.

The Landmarks Ordinance Amendment Process

Previously, the process of declaring an Individual Landmark or creating a Landmark District required the following steps, outlined by Charles Cash, former director of of Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services and current board president of Preservation Louisville, in a February email to preservation supporters:

200 signatures of citizens residing in Jefferson County is sufficient to trigger the public discussion regarding the potential Landmark status of an historic district or individual property. The Landmarks Commission process involves site visits, documentation, research, a staff report, committee review and, if warranted, a public hearing before the full Commission. [In the case of a Landmarks District] If a designation results, a Landmark district designation is then referred to Metro Council for final action, whereas, an individual Landmark designation is final when acted upon by the Commission.

Further, for a Landmarks District petition to be filed, at least 200 signatures must come from inside the boundaries of the proposed district (or 50 percent of building owners, whichever is fewer). The Historic Landmarks & Preservation Districts Commission is comprised of 13 unpaid members serving three year terms, ten of whom are appointed by the mayor and approved by Metro Council. To maintain a commission of experts, the ordinance requires that an architect, landscape architect, a historian, an archaeologist, a real estate broker, an attorney, and a member of the chamber of commerce be present on the commission. The remaining three commissioners are held for a member of Metro Council, the Director of of the Department of Inspections, Permits, and Licenses, and the Director of the Metro Louisville Planning Commission. Among the criteria for determining if a structure is a Landmark are whether something important happened there, the architectural or aesthetic quality of the building, its value as part of the city’s heritage, or its contribution to the sense of place in its neighborhood.

This process stood for 39 years, and has been the only recourse for preserving Louisville’s built heritage. It has often been used in last-minute emergency attempts to save threatened buildings, most recently with the contentious fight over developer Todd Blue’s attempt to raze Whiskey Row in Downtown Louisville.

Yates has said his intent in modifying the amendment was to provide for increased neighborhood involvement in the Landmarking process. After much wrangling and several drafts, the final version of the amendment added a requirement that 101 of the 200 required petition signers live or own property within a one-mile radius of the proposed Landmark or within the council district where the it resides, requires notification of residents around the property that it’s being considered for Landmark status, gives Metro Council final say over Landmark designation, and extends the time before a public meeting must be held to 60 days so the Landmarks Commission has time to complete their report on the building, during which time the structure cannot be demolished. Where population density is sparse, the amended ordinance states that ten percent of the residents or property owners within the one-mile radius is sufficient.

“We are in support of historic preservation but too often, residents in the area are not made aware of the effort to preserve a structure or building and what it may mean for the future of their neighborhood,” Yates said in a statement. “This amendment would insure there is input and support for such a designation by the people who live in the area.”

Historic view of Colonial Gardens. (Courtesy Restore Colonial Gardens/Toby Wolter)

Many believe the Yates amendment was spurred by the 2008 Individual Landmark designation of Colonial Gardens adjacent to Iroquois Park. Developers had proposed tearing down the long-vacant 1902 structure for a strip mall and the neighborhood was divided as to its historic merits. Originally built as Senning’s Park and converted to Colonial Gardens in 1939, the structure has operated as a large beer garden, entertainment hall, and the city’s first zoo with leopards, alligators, deer, and monkeys over the years. (More information on its history and significance can be found in the Landmark report). Despite its Landmark designation, the structure remains on Preservation Louisville’s list of Top 10 Most Endangered Places in Louisville. A Metro Council-funded economic feasibility study is currently ongoing to assist an interested developer in renovating the building.

Colonial Gardens in the 1940s (left, courtesy UL Photographic Archives) and the same site today (right, courtesy Bing Maps).

Two public meetings on the Yates Amendment were held in the Metro Council’s Planning, Zoning, Land Design, and Development committee offering the public an opportunity to testify for or against the changes. On Tuesday, March 13, WFPL reported that nearly 20 people spoke. A second hearing on April 3 included testimony from 52 people, according to LEO‘s Fatlip blog, of which 48 spoke against the amendment:

One common complaint was that the commission has experts in this feild who understand the issue, and council members are not only lacking such knowledge, but might be tempted to side with developer/business interests in order to block a site from being landmarked. Many others also felt that the 1-mile radius on petitions was blocking people from joining the process arbitrarily, as everyone in the city should have a voice. But the overall theme of the dissenters could be summed up in this one-liner that was used: “Let’s remain Possibility City, not Parking Lot City.”

After the hearing, Yates responded to Courier-Journal reporter Dan Klepal’s questions about the overwhelming turnout against his amendment, but Yates was unphased. LEO ran the entire transcript, but here’s a small sample:

Klepal: “It was literally 10 to 1 against it tonight. 4 to 1 last time. What’s the point of open process if you’re not going to listen to them?”
Yates: “Remember Dan, this is an open process per law. I’ve had countless meetings in my office. I’ve talked to people on all sides. I’ve asked for experts to sit down and talk to me. I mean this has been going on for months and months.”
…
Owen: “Well, where are your people?”
Yates: “My people are for it.”
Welch: “They’ve already told us.”
Owen: “But they didn’t show up to speak.”
Yates: “If they’re happy with the way it is, why would you come up to give me ideas about how to change it?”
Owen: “Because this is a community testimony. And the whole community testified!”

The conversation reveals what appears to be Yates’ dissatisfaction that the most vocal preservationists live in a concentrated area, a fact LEO confirmed at least for those who testified. Metro Council member Tom Owen had opposed the amendment and dismissed concerns about where preservationists live, and at one point offered his own compromise amendment. “I’ve been trying to say to my colleagues that the people in the old city with strong views in this have been in the trenches,” Owen told Broken Sidewalk. Preservationists have been wary of such a geographic argument’s validity as well. Preservation Louisville noted the majority of signatures on recent Landmarks petitions are already from people who live closest to the properties in question, citing several examples.

The Peter C. Doerhoefer House, Landmarked in 2011, located at 4422 West Broadway, 40211: Out of a total 363 signatures, 172 of these came from the zip codes 40211 and 40212.

Twig and Leaf, Landmarked in 2011, located at 2122 Bardstown Road, 40204: Out of a total 679 signatures, 245 came from the 40205 zip code – well more than the 200 needed to grant a hearing in front of the Landmarks Commission!

Colonial Gardens, Landmarked in 2008, located at 618 West Kenwood Drive, 40214 showed widespread support for the landmark with 31 zip codes represented and approximately 124 of the signatures came from west of Poplar Level Road.

The petition for the Roscoe Goose House, 3012 S. 3rd Street, 40208…has a total of 350 signatures and 124 of these came from the zip code 40208 and the adjacent zip codes. This petition originated from the support of the South Louisville Neighborhood Council and has engaged the support of several Roscoe Goose descendants.

Despite Metro Council’s concerns over the process, there are very few Individual Landmarks being designated in the city. In 2011, for instance, only three Landmarks were designated and two of those were at the request of the property owner (Farmington and the Taylor-Herr House), the third was the Twig & Leaf diner. A fourth proposal, the Kenwood Drive-In Theater, was denied Landmark status. About 20 percent of the Individual Landmarks currently listed are government-owned buildings, such as City Hall, Metro Hall, and the Main Branch Library.

The Yates amendment narrowly passed committee on Tuesday, July 17 with a three to two vote and on Thursday, July 26, and Metro Council voted 16 to 7 in favor of the Yates amendment, with three council members absent. The vote was widely supported in the far-reaching areas of Jefferson County as indicated on the map below by Patrick Smith of MapGrapher. One notable exception being Councilmember David James who represents Old Louisville among other neighborhoods. In a letter to his constituents last week, James remarked, “I am proud to have supported the ordinance because I believe it is important to preserve individual property rights and uniformity in the Metro Government planning process,” adding that the Old Louisville Landmark District “is not impacted in any way.”

Geography of the Yates amendment vote (light red indicates an absence from the original vote proceeded by a vote to override the veto). (Courtesy MapGrapher)

Underscoring the divisive nature of the Yates amendment, Mayor Fischer vetoed the amended ordinance on August 2nd, coincidentally on the 50th anniversary of the famous protest in front of New York’s doomed Penn Station, whose demolition helped usher in New York City’s preservation laws and a new awareness of preservation nationwide. The mayor explained his decision in a letter previously posted on Broken Sidewalk. Finally, last Thursday on August 9, Metro Council voted 18 to 7 to overrule the veto, making the Yates amendment law six months after it was originally proposed and marking the first time a mayor’s veto has been overruled since the merged city-county government was established.

That evening, Marianne Zickhur, director of Preservation Louisville, said,” The fact of the matter is its a loss for preservation. It’s unnecessary to politicize the process as the experts know how to use the criteria in front of them.” Architect Steve Wiser agreed, “The enforcement aspect [of the Landmarks Ordinance] has been weekened by this process,” he said. “I see more deteriorating buildings and I only see that getting worse.” Wiser said after great turnouts by the preservation community at previous meetings, the final Metro Council meeting was poorly attended, with only five preservation supporters present. While disappointed with the outcome, Zickhur was ready to look ahead, “People that support preservation will continue to fight for preservation.”

Problems with Preservation Still Exist

Following along with the Yates amendment process and the rhetoric thrown around by Metro Council politicians, you might think that preservationists are among the most dangerous groups in town, threatening developers, the community, and all property owners with their willy-nilly attempts to control property rights and adversely affect home values by forcing people to save eyesores across the city. This (only-mildly-exaggerated) assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Louisville’s preservationists have been fighting an uphill battle since before the city’s Landmark Ordinance hit the books in 1973, and while those challenges continue, the hard work of those dedicated to Louisville’s heritage have made a positive impact. Tom Owen pointed to the Parkland Landmark District as one clear success story, “Central Parkland would have been dead long ago” without protected status. But still, preservationists are too-often derided as meddling do-gooders in Louisville.

On nearly every preservation battle, you’re bound to hear someone throw out the line, “If you want that building preserved, why don’t you go and buy it!” In many cases, this is already exactly what happens, such as a wealthy group of investors swooping in to save Whiskey Row, or another group led by Gill Holland buying the old Wayside site in Nulu. Louisville can’t continue to expect that preservation-by-patron will be a realistic or sustainable way to preserve the city’s built heritage forever.

Even before the Yates amendment, preservation in Louisville was structured to be difficult. Today, the financial bar for wrecking the city is significantly lower than that of attempting to save it. In order to file the petition that kickstarts (but doesn’t guarantee) the Landmarks process, a $500 fee must be paid, which can add up when multiple buildings are in play like at Whiskey Row. On the other hand, the two most common wrecking permits, depending on a building’s size, begin at $50 to $75 for the first 1,000 square feet with an additional $10 for every 1,000 square feet thereafter.

Today we’re dealing with a different set of preservation problems than we were in decades past as people are returning to the core city, mid-century modern architecture is becoming historic, and we continue to struggle with vernacular preservation of the city’s urban fabric. Significant challenges in preserving Louisville’s heritage remain. It’s telling, for instance, when six of Preservation Louisville’s Top 10 Most Endangered Places are broad typologies like “shotgun houses” or “corner stores” instead of individual structures. The city’s core urban fabric is threatened and the current process is ill-equipped to deal with the challenges that lay ahead as we continue to grapple with issues of vacant and abandoned property and the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis. It hasn’t been enough in the past to show that preservation promotes the economic well-being of communities, is more eco-friendly than building new, creates more jobs than building new, and creates a distinctive character of place that promotes psychological well-being.

Looking around Louisville it should be obvious what a boon preservation has been for building strong local businesses. When you think of your favorite local businesses, chances are they’re located in an old, renovated structure, perhaps even in a Landmarks District. Besides having the quirky character that keeps Louisville weird, the financial ease of renovating these already-existing structures as opposed to building new serves as a sort of economic incubator for the city’s entrepreneurs. A quick survey of Nulu, for instance, shows that nearly all of the new businesses have opened up in old buildings. But with the stock of easily-rehabbed structures dwindling in Nulu and across the city, preservation should be seen as directly linked to the economic well-being of our local economy. The more historic buildings we have, the more local business can occupy them.

A Comprehensive Preservation Fix

Instead, it’s time Louisville reconsider preservation altogether, not just the Landmarks Ordinance, and develop a comprehensive demolition and rehabilitation policy for the city. Lexington recently held a symposium on historic preservation, calling experts from around the country together to discuss the profession. Tom Eblen has a great write-up of what was discussed including a need for engaging disenfranchised communities not typically included in the discussion that are wary of preservation as a gentrifying force meant to displace existing residents, a decreased emphasis on “saving the homes of the rich and famous,” and even potentially changing the name of historic preservation altogether.

It was difficult enough to move through the Landmarks process, and now the Yates amendment has made it a little bit more so, but there are bigger issues that must be addressed. If the Metro Council members who voted for the Yates amendment were so concerned with public notification and review of a process that inherently is not destructive to the community (quite the opposite, countless studies show that preservation raises economic values of surrounding properties), they surely would be interested in increasing the transparency and review capability of the actual destruction of the city. Wrecking a property will clearly have just as much if not more impact on surrounding properties and neighborhoods as preserving one. Demolition review is already a common practice around the country, so let’s take a look at how it works.

Cities have a variety of codes and regulations that govern how land and buildings are used. Zoning codes, for instance, can prohibit certain uses from certain areas. If someone wants to build a toxic dump in a residential neighborhood, the “If you didn’t want a toxic dump on this property, you should have bought it” line seems pretty silly. The spectrum ranges from building and fire codes that provide for basic public safety to zoning, overlay, and preservation rules that govern how communities are built, look, and feel. Individual buildings and properties in cities don’t exist in vacuums and can externally affect the surrounding community, for good and bad. Some buildings might be worth preserving, but can’t muster support to be declared a Landmark (or rightly shouldn’t be elevated to Landmark status). Other cities have dealt with this issue by implementing a demolition review process that can provide transparency and some protection for historic buildings under threat.

Before and after preservation in St. Louis. (Courtesy Crown Square)

Under St. Louis’ demolition review policy, if a building is listed or is eligible for listing on the National Register or sits in a National Register District, any demolition permit requested is put on hold for 45 days and the demolition permit applicant is required to photographically document the structure in question. During that time, the city’s Cultural Resources Office or Preservation Board can review the permit application and issue a written opinion to the Building Commissioner. The Preservation Board holds a public hearing and a panel of non-political experts decides to approve or deny the permit based upon preset criteria such as the condition of the building, the proposed redevelopment plans and urban design, the architectural quality of the structure, its potential for reuse, or the effect on the surrounding neighborhood. These hearings can be contentious, and it’s no guarantee that a historic building will be preserved. Like Louisville’s Landmarks Commission, St. Louis’ Preservation Board is a panel of experts, not a group of preservation zealots. This review opens up the demolition process to be more inclusive and transparent. If a permit is denied, there’s also an appeal process built into the system.

Right now, each Ward (like a Metro Council district) in St. Louis can opt in to the review program, and most do, but a recent demolition of an old theater in an area without review has sparked anger and calls for city-wide preservation review.

Sometimes what results in these cases is the Board will choose to deny the demolition permit until the time that a building permit is issued. That could avoid cases like what happened at the D&W Silks building across from Slugger Field that was demolished for a parking lot that is supposed to give way at some time to an office tower. With better preservation options, Metro Louisville could have conditionally approved the demolition of the structure once the developer was ready to build on the property. A demolition review process also helps cities prevent more surface level parking lots from being built downtown.

Could this type of demolition review work in Louisville? Absolutely. In fact, the Landmarks Commission has recommended and requested such a program for at least the last six years (the only annual reports available online). It’s time Louisville brings its preservation policy into the 21st century and joins the ranks of cities like St. Louis to preserve its built heritage. Until Louisville gets serious about preserving its history and building stronger, more sustainable communities, buildings like this townhouse and more significant buildings all across the city can be torn down without oversight and with impunity.

[Note: These before and after views from St. Louis are unrelated to this call for demolition review, but demonstrate what can happen when a city is not so trigger-happy with the wrecking ball. In Louisville, all three of these examples likely would have been torn down and never considered for rehabilitation and anyone suggesting otherwise likely scoffed at. More info on these projects here and here and here.]

Before and after preservation in St. Louis. (Courtesy Vanishing STL)

Before and after preservation in St. Louis. (Courtesy Crown Square)

Dino Update: Louisville’s Triceratops Once a Traveling Celebrity

Branden Klayko — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:05:33 +0000

Sinclair Dinoland.

We noted in June that the dinosaur once located behind the Louisville Science Center was found three-and-a-half years later hiding out in Park Hill, but a keen eyed commenter noted that there’s more to the story. It turns out Louisville’s Triceratops is quite the celebrity, appearing in the Sinclair oil company Dinoland exhibition at the New York Worlds Fair in 1964 and 1965 (and on the cover of a book on the subject). That could be him up in that drawing above.

The dinosaur when it was located Downtown. (Branden Klayko)

According to a brochure on the display, “Life-size replicas of nine different types of dinosaurs are shown…as life-like and authentic as modern science and painstaking research can make it.” Other dinosaurs included a 70-foot-long Brontosaurus, a Tyrannosaurus, and a duck-billed Trachodon. Each was created by animal sculptor Louis Paul JonasThere were actually two Triceratops at the fair, the larger of which is now located at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

After the fair, the dinosaurs hit the road for a nine-month tour, visiting 40 shopping center parking lots in 18 states. After two subsequent tours, the dinosaurs were distributed across the country from Texas to Utah to Wisconsin, many ending up as roadside attractions.

In a speech at the opening of Dinoland, Robert Moses, the famous highway builder from New York among other distinctions, remarked on the future of transportation as viewed from the 1960s: “Perhaps we are rubber rather than rail people. We make no apology for that either, but certainly companies like Sinclair are the ones we have had to look to, to solve the transportation problems of the United States.” From the outset, the dinosaurs of the ’64 world’s fair betrayed the fair’s idealistic ambitions, and in Louisville, continued to prove ironic sitting next to the elevated riverfront expressway.

Sinclair oil is still around today, but there are no locations in Kentucky or Indiana.

800 Block Retail Update On East Market

Reflecting on the Lost Schnitzelburg Trolley Loop

Branden Klayko — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:33:47 +0000

The old Schnitzelburg trolley loop. (Courtesy G-town/S-burg Blog)

Schnitzelburg was once defined by a trolley loop connecting it with Downtown and beyond. The one-way tracks followed the route described in the amazing graphic above from Shelby Street onto Burnett Avenue to Texas Avenue, rounding on to Goss Avenue before heading North again on Shelby. In her 2011-book Louisville’s Germantown & Schnitzelburg, Lisa Pisterman noted that while Germantown’s borders have moved over time, “the boundaries of Schnitzelburg have always been defined by the trolley loop that circled the community,” demonstrating how important the trolley once was for the community.

Snow and slush in 1945 on Shelby Street, showing trolley tracks. (Courtesy UL Photographic Archives)

In fact, the trolley loop is in many ways the reason Schnitzelburg exists. The neighborhood grew rapidly as a streetcar suburb of Louisville after the loop opened in 1891, but the route was closed sometime after World War II and the tracks and cobblestones were torn out or paved over. The loop route was generally preserved in the 1961 route 11 of the Louisville Transit Company, but the loop doesn’t exactly exist as a modern TARC route. Bus service to the area is largely defined by route 43, which passes through the area on its way to the farther suburbs.

Today Germantown and Schnitzelburg are as lively as ever, but imagine life along the Schnitzelburg Loop if it existed today. Could some modern version of the loop connecting to the Medical Center, Nulu, Downtown, and beyond via the Logan and Shelby street corridor help create a better city?

More information on Germantown & Schnitzelburg on Facebook and on this blog.

Trolley tracks on a cobblestone Burnett Avenue in 1937. (Courtesy UL Photographic Archives)

A group from St. Elizabeth’s Church stands in front of a trolley on Burnett Street. (Courtesy G-town/S-burg Facebook)

Cyclist Struck Near New Albany

Branden Klayko — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:31:53 +0000

3600 block of Scottsville Road, about 4.4 miles from downtown New Albany. (Courtesy Google)

Monday night, a cyclist was severely injured on the road above when a motorist driving an SUV rear-ended his bicycle. The collision occurred at 9:10 p.m. on Scottsville Road, about 4.4 miles outside downtown New Albany, Indiana. The 27-year-old man was airlifted to Louisville in critical condition with severe head injuries. Fortunately the fire department, located just down the street, arrived quickly to care for the cyclist.

Even though it’s still fairly light out in the summer at 9:00 p.m., the driver said it was too dark to see the cyclist and and that he was blinded by the headlights of an oncoming car. The road has a posted speed limit of 30 mph, which means a 60 percent survival rate for struck pedestrians and cyclists, according to America Walks. Police said there’s no evidence the driver was speeding. The two-lane road is narrow and lightly lined with houses. The collision took place near a commercial intersection with several businesses including an ice-cream shop.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured cyclist during his recovery.

3600 block of Scottsville Road, about 4.4 miles from downtown New Albany. (Courtesy Google)

The Paper Off to A Great Start in Second Year

Branden Klayko — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:00:20 +0000

(Courtesy The Paper)

Congratulations to The Paper, Louisville’s newest print monthly covering neighborhood news and issues, on their first year, which was celebrated over the weekend at Nachbar in Germantown. The first issue of their new year looks to be one of the best yet. My friend and colleague Patrick Piuma, Director at the Urban Design Studio, wrote an editorial in the issue called “It’s Our Density, I Mean, Our Destiny,” which is a must read. Here’s a sample:

The phrase “quality of life” is subjective and can evoke different visions for different people. However, there are elements related to our built environment – such as parks and open spaces, access to amenities, a sense of place, neighborhood options, and transportation – that touch every corner of our city.
…
Three major quality of life issues related to our built environment come to mind almost immediately. There are great neighborhoods throughout the city that offer a wide range of variety in form, housing options, and amenities, but we lack a truly dense, walkable urban neighborhood. We also need to improve the existing walkable areas throughout our community to offer more variety outside the urban core. And it is no secret that we are incredibly reliant on the car to get around the city. Aside from a bus system that is stretched to the very limit, we currently lack substantial alternative modes of transportation. All of these issues affect the region and all are tied to the form of our built environment.

Read the entire article here. Be sure to also check out Chris Ritter’s “Visualizing Change,” Colleen Stewart’s “Figuring Out Food from Field to Fork,” and more at The Paper website. Or grab your own copy at businesses around Louisville.