Historic Louisville Beer Brand Redeveloping Historic Properties

Louisville Sterling, LLC has purchased two city-owned historic properties at 1300-1306 Bardstown Road in the Highlands’ commercial district, with plans to open a small brewing operation and event space.

Louisville Sterling purchased the properties for $425,000 and plans to fully restore both buildings, which were built in 1900, returning approximately 15,000 square feet of commercial space into newly designed and productive use. Plans for the buildings include Sterling’s offices, a tasting room and gathering house, event space and small brewing operation.

“Whenever we can return vacant and historic properties to productive reuse and beautiful restoration, the community wins on many levels,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “These buildings will once again house an active use and bring people together on an already active commercial corridor.”

The buildings most recently were used as offices for the Communications division of Louisville Metro’s Emergency Management Administration. Metro Council declared the properties surplus in November 2015.

Louisville Sterling acquired the Sterling Brand in 2012, after the brand had changed hands many times and moved from Louisville to Evansville and ultimately was part of the Pittsburg Brewing Company.

Sterling Brewing started in Louisville in 1863 as one of several small breweries and grew to become a regional brand referred to by many as the “Beer of the South.” Now brewed in Stevens Point, Wisc., by the award-winning Stevens Point Brewery, Louisville Sterling’s goal is to restore the historical structures on Bardstown Road mainly for the purpose of establishing a craft house and tasting room. The company plans later to relocate production to its original home of Louisville.

The City of Louisville purchased 1300 Bardstown Road from the Louisville Ballet in 1995 for $235,000. The building was originally built as a telephone exchange for BellSouth, while 1306 Bardstown Road was built as a police station by the city, and has remained under city ownership until this transaction. The MetroSafe communications offices previously housed at this location were moved to MetroSafe’s Newburg Road facility in late 2012.