Whiskey Row, the cast-iron buildings at 105-121 West Main Street, which have been at the forefront of historic preservation debates since the owner of the properties, Todd Blue of Cobalt Ventures announced his intention to demolish the structures to make way for new development, has officially received status as a Local Landmark in Louisville.
This is largely the result of the efforts of one of Louisville's most active historic preservation organizations, Preservation Louisville, who said in a press release concerning the landmarking:
"It is a great victory for the Louisville community that these buildings have been designated Local Landmarks, but we must remember that this act was just the beginning of a process that will hopefully lead to the preservation of these significant historic resources and the continued economic development of Main Street."
Due to the location and Local Landmark status, the next step in the process for the future of the buildings will be for the owner or developer of these properties to submit a proposal or plans for the future projects they would like to complete. Any proposed project or plan for these properties will have to be reviewed by two Metro organizations, the Landmarks Commission and the Waterfront Development Corporation.
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Comments
Great (rolling eyes), Let the obstructionists force the owners into salvaging buildings that are delapidated beyond any reasonable and salvageble measure. Did these obstructionists visit and tour the structures? or were they too scared to walk into them for fear of something collapsing? (as has happened in the past) Just another case of an ownership group being denied the rights to update and upgrade the fabric of our community by obstructionists who feel that anything built in our city should be honored regardless of its significance, condition or level of safety. Nevermind that the developers intended to honor the structures by rebuilding their facades while providing new and modern amenities behind them this city sorely needs. Now the owners must grapple with finding engineers and architects willing to risk their liability by signing off on repairs to these old structures that are a danger the health safety and welfare of the community in the name of "preservation".
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