Revitalization
“The Fort Nelson Building, dating to the 1870s has been standing strong over Louisville … The cast-iron, limestone, and brick structure has been vacant for decades as a series of proposals fell by the wayside over the years … Now with plans to open a small bourbon distillery on the site, the building is assured new life … With Michter’s bold vision of returning bourbon production to Louisville, a city once replete with distilleries, perhaps other brands will take note and form a sort of “Bourbon Embassy Row” in the area to further expand the already thriving Urban Bourbon Trail.” – Branden Klayko on the revitalization of the Fort Nelson Building at 9th and Main on his blog Broken Sidewalk, July 12, 2011.
Revitalization of downtown Louisville has been a priority for several decades, but proposed long-term solutions have not always been effective. Downtown destinations such as 4th Street Live! have been continually reimagined to encourage tourism and revive the area. A holistic approach that considers funding, zoning, transportation, historic preservation are considered by many urbanists to be the path forward. Preserving and revitalizing historic significant structures has driven more recent revitalization efforts, with Museum Row and Whiskey Row as examples of successful projects.
