Roadtrip: Louisville

[Metro Jacksonville]

Roadtrip: Louisville



Louisville has more things in common with Jacksonville than the average person may think, but a struggling downtown isn't one of them.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/714

[copperfiend]

Looks great. It amazes me how far behind we are.

[avonjax]

It appears that the city government in Louisville is very committed to the successful revitalization of downtown, in my opinion ours is not. Our leaders appear to care nothing about history and would rather tear it down and leave our urban core desolate. We can't build a courthouse, we can't improve the Landing and our sign ordinance is HORRIBLE. All of these "Roadtrip" and "Learning From" posts should be required reading for our leaders.

[reednavy]

Louisville is a fantastic city in the lower north or upper south, which ever you wanna call it. The KY Int'l Convention Center is just one part of its sister, the KY Fair/Expo Center, one of the 10 largest meeting facilities in the U.S., with enough room for over 73,000 people in its total area! Their downtown has got it right, and the current tallest, AEGON Center, is a beautiful tower. Unfortunately, they will gain the hideous Museum Plaza by 2010.

[thelakelander]

Here's an image of Museum Plaza and the proposed arena from www.morethanderby.com (scroll to the right)

[reednavy]

I like the arena, it will definetly add a lot. Their Waterfront Park is amazing, a huge, sprawling "front lawn" for Louisville. I'm attempting not to toss my cookies, mini oreos to be exact, and Evian Water by seeing the jumbled mess of Museum Plaza. Also, a new 300 something feet tall building is proposed, Capital Plaza, between Museum Plaza and Humana Building. I saw it on SSP and it is very nice. Also, I know they are planning on reconfiguring the downtown junction of I-64 and I-65, and also build a new cable-stayed suspension bridge across the Ohio River for I-65. Also, they will complete the outer beltway at some point with another cable-stayed bridge out on the eastern edge of the city across to Indiana, completing the outer beltway. The Waterson Exwy is a very convenient way to avoid the downtown mess as well.

[adamh0903]

The oldest of the 6 southern baptist theological seminaries is also in Louisville, I have visited that campus, its very nice. 

[collard]

You should rent the movie Elizabethtown. Focus is on Louisville. Yes, their urban revival is much further along than ours in Jax........

[jeh1980]

You should rent the movie Elizabethtown. Focus is on Louisville. Yes, their urban revival is much further along than ours in Jax........

Looks great. It amazes me how far behind we are.

Roadtrip: Louisville



Louisville has more things in common with Jacksonville than the average person may think, but a struggling downtown isn't one of them.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/714

Are we that far behind? I kinda disagree(We all due respect) . It's amazing why we look at these photos of real cool cities like Louisville and still murmur and complain about why our downtown could've been that example. Ridiculous!

[thelakelander]

Are we that far behind?

Depends on how you look at the situation.

Urban Development:  YES, we lose in this department hands down.

Suburban Development: NO, we win in this department hands down.

It's amazing why we look at these photos of real cool cities like Louisville and still murmur and complain about why our downtown could've been that example. Ridiculous!

I think you miss the point of the comparison articles.  They are just to show what has been done in other cities to help encourage creativity and pride in our own city and its overlooked positives.  Closing your borders off and not realizing what other places are doing only sets you back further.

[stug]

It looks like they've done a wonderful job of intermixing old and new architecture. I wish the powers that be in Jacksonville would have had the foresight to preserve more of the older buildings downtown. But, noooo. Raze it and make it a parking lot instead! Or, hell, just leave the land vacant!
Louisville (or Luh-vuhl as my Kentuckian friend would say) looks like a really cool city. I was there once, for an outdoor music festival, but could only find a vacant motel room across the river in Indiana. Bummer.

[jeh1980]

Are we that far behind?

Depends on how you look at the situation.

Urban Development:  YES, we lose in this department hands down.

Suburban Development: NO, we win in this department hands down.

It's amazing why we look at these photos of real cool cities like Louisville and still murmur and complain about why our downtown could've been that example. Ridiculous!

I think you miss the point of the comparison articles.  They are just to show what has been done in other cities to help encourage creativity and pride in our own city and its overlooked positives.  Closing your borders off and not realizing what other places are doing only sets you back further.

Oh!...I see.