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Representatives from State and Local offices joined together to celebrate the completion of the Urton Lane Bridge in southeastern Jefferson County. Phase I of the Urton Lane Project was first funded in July 2011 through an appropriation by Councilman Stuart Benson, seeks to develop more than 400 acres of land located in the southeastern portion of the Bluegrass Commercial Park. When all phases of the project are completed, the Urton Lane Extension will grant a new access route to Taylorsville Road and the Gene Snyder for persons seeking to transport goods or commute to work.
“The completion of the Urton Lane Corridor will take time, but when completed will lead to approximately 10,000 new jobs for the area and nearly two million square feet of office and industrial space.The jobs created as part of this project are expected to pay higher than average wages and demand well trained workers while releasing few if any emissions. The Urton Lane Corridor project is a great example of cooperative efforts by public and private partners that will be an economic boon for our community.” – Councilman Stuart Benson
The total cost for the completed portion of the Urton Lane Extension is $1.5 million. Additionally, the bridge was constructed with multi modal pedestrian traffic needs in mind. The north and south approach ramps will be constructed as the many acres of adjacent land are developed.
“The bridge project gets us closer to completion of the Urton Lane Corridor, which has been talked about for years. And it’s time to make it a reality. Connecting this bridge to Urton Lane and completing the Urton Lane Corridor will help us add up to 10,000 new jobs.” – Mayor Greg Fischer
In addition to funds pooled by the nine Republican members of the Louisville Metro Council, additional funding for the project was included in the FY17 Mayor’s Budget Proposal through use of System Development Charges. This funding source seeks to improve transit in some of the fastest growing parts of Louisville Metro and comes from fees paid each time a new home, apartment or townhome is constructed in southeastern Jefferson County.
“Transportation projects like the Urton Lane Bridge provide vital connections to keep Kentucky’s economy moving, I applaud the efforts of Councilman Benson, who worked tirelessly to make this project a reality. By placing economic development ahead of partisanship, we are confident that there will be further opportunities for new development and jobs in Jefferson County and throughout the Commonwealth.” – Governor Matt Bevin
About the Urton Lane Bridge Project:
- Project funding starting in July 2011 with the final funding for the project added as part of the
FY18 Budget. - Construction started in May 2017 and was completed in early April 2018.
- Total Project Cost: 1.5 million.
- When complete, the Urton Lane Extension is expected to help develop over 400 acres of land adjacent to the Bluegrass Commerce Park and help create more than 10,000 jobs with an expected average salary greater than the average for Louisville Metro.\
- Constructing a bridge over an existing railroad corridor brought additional obstacles and levels of approval than most public projects.
- Project was managed by Louisville Metro Public Works, Mindel Scott & Associates and included work with outside stakeholders from Hollenbach-Oakley, Norfolk Southern, American Contracting, LLC, Qk4 and Louisville Metro Council District 20.
For more information on this event or the Urton Lane Bridge Project, please contact Stephen Haag, Jr at 574-1204 or steve.haag@louisvilleky.gov .
Photo: Louisville Forward
In celebration of National Economic Development Week, Mayor Greg Fischer and Kent Oyler, president and CEO of Greater Louisville Inc., today announced that Louisville Forward, the city’s economic development organization, and Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), the region’s chamber of commerce, have been jointly recognized as a Top U.S. Economic Development Group for 2017 by Site Selection magazine. This is a back-to-back win for the two organizations.
Working together in 2017, with partners in two states and 15 counties, these two groups have helped the Greater Louisville region attract 62 projects, representing more than $1.7 billion in investment and nearly 6,000 jobs. GLI attracts leads looking at the region and transitions projects to the local economic development organization after the company has narrowed its search.
“This back-to-back achievement is further proof that our strategic partnership with GLI and our region is helping fuel Louisville’s tremendous economic momentum,” said the Mayor. “We are honored to be among the nation’s top regions as Louisville continues to punch above its weight.”
As the economic hub for the region, Louisville Forward had a banner year in 2017, locating 57 projects in Jefferson County, representing $1.68 billion in investment, and 5,096 new jobs. Louisville Forward also celebrated Passport Health Plan’s $130 million expansion and relocation of its headquarters to west Louisville, Ford’s continued commitment to the city with a $900 million investment at its Kentucky Truck Plant, and Diversified Consultants Inc.’s initial location and expansion into the Louisville market with a double-down on investment totaling nearly $20 million and creating 1,000 new jobs.
“For the second year in a row, GLI is proud to share this prestigious award with our regional partners and Louisville Forward. We are clearly making an impact with our collaborative efforts around economic development. The future looks bright for our region and we will continue working together to attract even more employers to our 15-county region,” said Oyler.
In 2017, GLI assisted its partners in locating 12 projects for the 15-country region, resulting in projects representing $73.4 million in investment, and creating 809 jobs with an additional 25 referrals that resulted in seven locations, 556 jobs, and $21 million in investment. The region also hosted its first ever Familiarization Tour for 10 national site selectors with the assistance of the Advance Greater Louisville Regional Partners.
Louisville Forward was formed in July 2014 to unite economic development efforts and built environment functions, allowing business owners to go from concept to permit in one streamlined agency. To achieve its goals of raising the median wage across the city and growing the number of jobs, the Louisville Forward team focuses on five strategic business categories that are historic and contemporary areas of strength to Louisville: Advanced Manufacturing, Food and Beverage, Lifelong Wellness and Aging Care, Logistics and eCommerce, and Business Services.
Since its creation, Louisville Forward has helped businesses create nearly 22,000 new jobs in Louisville, representing an investment of $5.2 billion dollars. This award marks the fourth straight year that Louisville Forward has been recognized by Site Selection magazine.
GLI is focused on growing the regional economy. As the region’s largest convener of business leadership, GLI leads global economic and outreach strategies focused on business attraction; nurtures the entrepreneurial eco-system; and champions the development of the community’s talent base. As the voice of Greater Louisville’s business community, GLI advocates for a pro-business environment and facilitates businesses engagement on issues that impact regional competitiveness.
Site Selection magazine’s recognition is based on six criteria – total projects, total investment associated with those projects and total jobs associated with those projects; and those same three numbers calculated per capita for the metro area.
“Greater Louisville’s economic development success comes from a sense of all-for-one and one-for-all that transcends jurisdictional and organizational boundaries. Companies and institutions collaborate, corporations and startups convene, cities and even whole states cooperate and converge on challenges and opportunities as they arise,” said Adam Bruns, Managing Editor, Site Selection magazine.
Top projects for the groups that are featured in the May issue of Site Selection magazine include:
Ford Motor Company – continuing its commitment to Louisville, is investing $900 million in upgrades to the Kentucky Truck Plant to prepare it to manufacture the new Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. This investment is in addition to the $1.3 billion investment and creation of 2,000 jobs announced in 2015.
Aravato Bertelsmann – is quadrupling its logistics capacities with a $5 million investment, creating 250 new jobs.
ResCare – founded in Louisville in 1974, this leading health and human services provider is building its $34 million headquarters at the Shelbyhurst Office and Research Park, creating 200 new jobs.
W.W. Grainger – a Fortune 500 company, is investing $273 million for a large distribution center in south central Louisville. The company plans to grow 500 new jobs with this attraction project.
For more information about Louisville Forward, visit http://louisvilleky.gov/louisvilleforward.
For more information about GLI, visit http://www.greaterlouisville.com.
Mayor Greg Fischer proposed a 2018-2019 city budget that builds on the city’s momentum and commitment to public safety and growing jobs, despite the significant challenges of rising insurance costs and a $9.4 million bump in pension expense.
This $623 million general fund budget — with the theme “One City, One Future”— anticipates $26 million in new revenue, with 55 percent earmarked for public safety: LMPD, the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, the Louisville Fire Department, Corrections, Emergency Services, the Criminal Justice Commission and Youth Detention Services.
“Public safety is our No. 1 priority, as evidenced by this budget and the ones before it,” the Mayor said about his eighth budget presentation, adding that the investments, and the strategy that accompanies them, is returning tangible results.
“In 2017, we saw our numbers on crime overall and violent crime in particular start to decline,” he said. “And while there’s lots of work ahead, I’m glad to say that this positive trend is continuing in 2018.”
The budget also includes investments in affordable housing, paving and workforce development, and funding to complete the Northeast Regional Library. When it opens in 2019, 90 percent of city residents will live within five miles of a full-service library.
In his remarks, the Mayor acknowledged budget challenges, including the serious impact of the state’s pension crisis and a $9.6 million employer health care cost increase. Though the budget avoids layoffs, he said, 49 positions will be eliminated through attrition. “We’ve worked to implement cuts and reductions in a way that‘s fair and minimizes the impact on city services,” the Mayor said.
The Mayor opened his presentation by highlighting Louisville’s economic momentum, evidenced by more than 72,000 new private sector jobs, 2,500 new businesses and nearly $13 billion in capital investment happening throughout the city since 2014, including a record investment of $800 million in west Louisville.
(Read the Recommended Executive Budget for 2018-19)
That progress, along with the revenue growth and smart financial planning, “allows us to continue to invest in ourselves and in key development opportunities,” he said, ranging from the Russell neighborhood transformation, including the planned Track on Ali, as well the Soccer Stadium District in Butchertown and redevelopment of Colonial Gardens in south Louisville.
(Read Mayor Fischer’s full remarks)
The budget maintains a high level of local dollars — $22.5 million — in paving roads, fixing sidewalks and creating bike lanes in the city, which reflects a commitment to the “fix it first” strategy of Move Louisville. And it provides funding to relocate LMPD headquarters, as well as the city’s vehicle impound lot.
In accordance with the city’s recently released plan to address the impact of substance use disorder, the budget increases funding to the Living Room Project, a partnership with Centerstone that helps people struggling with opioids or other substance use get treatment and mental health support instead of going to jail or the emergency room.
“We also have to continue supporting efforts to make sure citizens can meet basic needs, like housing,” the Mayor said, noting that in last three years, the city has invested nearly $30 million in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Louisville Cares, and is continuing that commitment this year by investing another $12 million in affordable housing.
Other budget highlights:
- Proposes $2 million for the Office for Safe & Healthy neighborhoods to fund restorative justice and violence prevention programs, including Cure Violence
- Continues commitment to the Russell neighborhood with $750,000 for private development efforts and job creation.
- Funds SummerWorks, which employed over 5,200 youth in 2017.
- Buys $7 million in first responder vehicles and equipment, such as police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, computers, defibrillators and other equipment.
- Provides $6 million to complete a new animal shelter on Newburg Road.
- Funds $2.2 million in parks upgrades, maintenance needs and repairs including a $500,000 match for the Olmsted Parks Conservancy.
- Continues funding of $1 million to gain control of vacant and abandoned properties.
- Invests $600,000 to plant trees to combat urban heat island, and improve health.
Mayor Fischer cautioned that while he remains optimistic about Louisville’s future, the state pension crisis “will be a drag on our budget for the foreseeable future” without accelerated revenue growth.
“Our economic momentum and our readiness for the future require more substantive and comprehensive revenue-producing tax reform,” he said, stressing that reform must include more local control, so that Louisville’s citizens and leaders can craft and implement strategies that work for the city.
“It would be easy in a challenging budget cycle like this to just focus on the needs of the moment. And certainly we have to address the concerns and opportunities facing our citizens today,” the Mayor said. “At the same time, we have to also keep an eye to the future. That’s been our approach from Day One, and it’s helped us work with our partners across the city to create a growing economy with tremendous potential for our city.”
Thousands of Louisvillians will be volunteering and participating in acts of compassion — from neighborhood cleanups to donating canned foods for the hungry – as part of the Mayor’s annual Give A Day Week of Service, which kicks off Saturday.
Give A Day week, which runs April 14-22, has become the city’s annual showcase of compassion and service. Started in 2011 as a one-day call to serve others, it has extended to more than a week. Last year’s Give A Day Week produced a record 180,000 volunteers and acts of compassion. Mayor Greg Fischer said this year’s goal is to top that, with even more volunteers, donations and other good deeds.
Give A Day is also an official Kentucky Derby Festival event, and kicks off the festival season. Companies and organizations of all sizes will have employee teams in action, including Humana, LG&E, Brown-Forman, GE, UPS, Computershare and Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated. So will churches and community groups. Also participating will be students, who will be doing everything from collecting personal items for donation to cleaning neighborhoods. This year, every student from JCPS, Archdiocese and private schools will have the opportunity to participate in a kindness project.
The Mayor said there are countless ways to participate, such as donating food and personal items to the Ronald McDonald House, helping serve dinner to kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Kentuckiana and even donating a story of cancer survival to Hope Scarves, whose mission is to share scarves, stories and hope with women facing cancer.
“We have made compassion one of our city’s core values, with the aim to lift each other up as a community,” the Mayor said. “The Give A Day Week of Service is the time for Louisville to shine and build on its reputation as one of the most compassionate cities in America.”
The Mayor will start the week visiting a series of projects Saturday, including one of the largest, the Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community Wide Cleanup. It takes place at locations across the city to help make Louisville a greener and cleaner community, by picking up litter and debris from neighborhoods, greenspaces and roadways.
Other weekend events include the annual Build a Bed on Saturday at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, a food truck event for the homeless and an Eastern Cemetery cleanup on Sunday.
Volunteers are still needed for projects of all kinds. To register, go to the website: www.mygiveaday.com and click on “volunteer for an existing project.” In addition, groups and individuals are urged to use the same website to report projects and good deeds they are doing on their own.
“We’re proud to support our community in solving problems through volunteer service all year round,” said Theresa Reno-Weber, president and CEO of Metro United Way. “As a part of that continuous work, we are excited to again serve as the backbone of Mayor’s Give A Day by connecting volunteers to meaningful opportunities to give back and address the needs of our neighbors. Connecting people with the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done is at the heart of what we do in our fight for the education, financial stability and health of every person in our seven-county region.”
The Mayor will also participate in the student-led WE Day Walk of Compassion through downtown as a Give A Day event on April 17. WE Day Kentucky, in partnership with WLKY, celebrates student service projects and invites the public to join thousands of students in a lunch-time walk, carrying signs of compassion.
“The Mayor’s Give A Day initiative is a great opportunity for our students and staff to make a difference in their schools and community,” said JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio. “I’m proud that 100 percent of our schools will once again be participating in this weeklong initiative – committing more than 1,100 days of service doing everything from cleaning up parks, playgrounds and roadways, to collecting food and toiletries for local food banks and shelters, to recognizing veterans and their families, among dozens of other projects. It says a lot about the culture of our schools and the commitment of our students and staff that they remain so dedicated to making an impact in their city.
Photo: AT&T Kentucky
AT&T is continuing efforts to drive economic development and investment in Kentucky. AT&T and local officials today announced that the Louisville & Jefferson County Riverport Authority, more commonly known as Riverport Industrial Park, has been designated AT&T Fiber Ready.
The AT&T Fiber Ready designation helps economic development leaders more effectively position their communities for site selection by emphasizing the availability of high-speed, fiber-based services.
In today’s world, connectivity is vital to new employers and businesses of every type.
“It is always encouraging when the business community comes alongside local leadership and provides a resource like this designation to highlight what our community brings to the table, when companies are making the important decisions on where they have the best chance to succeed,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Our community has many wonderful aspects to attract businesses looking to locate or move, and having the ‘Fiber Ready’ designation is a key tool in the toolbox to emphasize that we are ready to face the challenges of a modern economy.”
“The AT&T Fiber Ready designation provides a clear stamp to tell the business community that we have the fiber-optic infrastructure in place to meet the needs of businesses,” said Kent Oyler, president & CEO, Greater Louisville Inc. “I am grateful for the leadership of our elected officials here in the city and in our state legislature who have created a more positive, pro-investment environment in the Commonwealth.”
AT&T has been deploying high-speed, fiber-optic infrastructure across Kentucky for years, totaling nearly 980,000 strand miles of fiber-optics to date, and the AT&T Fiber Ready designation is a tool for economic development leaders to highlight the assets available in their facilities.
“For years, AT&T has invested in Kentucky to deliver high-speed Internet in urban and rural areas all across the Commonwealth using the latest wired and wireless technologies, and this announcement offers an opportunity to highlight AT&T’s fiber infrastructure in the Riverport Industrial Park – infrastructure that is helping local businesses drive job creation,” said Hood Harris, president, AT&T Kentucky. “AT&T Kentucky’s employees are working hard every day to deploy our fiber-based network that delivers the high-speed Internet access that Kentuckians want and need, and the fiber optic connectivity that is available in the Riverport Industrial Park is in place to meet the communications needs of businesses of all sizes.”
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) will host the first in a series of meetings for public discussion on the proposed Highlands Management District on Monday, March 26th.
“We spent more than a year researching and planning for a business improvement district for the Highlands.” Now it is time to bring people together and let them ask questions and explain how this proposal will move forward,” says Coan. “I encourage everyone to come out and take advantage of these meetings.”
The first meeting is set for HopCat on Monday, March 26th at 1064 Bardstown Rd beginning at 1:00pm.
The next two meetings are at:
- The Highlands-Shelby Park Library (inside the Mid City Mall) Thursday, March 29, 6 pm
- The Douglass Community Center Gymnasium Monday, April 2, 6 pm
Councilman Coan believes the proposal to establish a Highlands Management District is a transformational opportunity to make Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue safer and cleaner, and to ensure the economic vitality and sustainability of District 8’s – and Louisville’s – premier commercial corridor.
To learn more about the proposal go to: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council-district-8/highlands-m…
For more information about the meetings, contact Councilman Coan’s office at 574-1108.
Photo: Louisville Forward
‘The Barrel,’ a creative urban attraction designating the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets as the center of the Bourbon District, was unveiled today. “The iconic Barrel will function as a gathering space for visitors to the Bourbon District, as well as serve as a new and exciting showpiece to celebrate the bourbon renaissance in Downtown Louisville,” said Rebecca Matheny, Executive Director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership (LDP). “We expect it will join the bat at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory as a must-do photo opp. activity in Downtown.”
“‘The Barrel’, which launched the second phase of the Bourbon District, is meant to be walked through, as if one is passing through the entire history of the bourbon industry,” said Cynthia Torp, President and Executive Director of Louisville-based Solid Light, Inc. who designed, created and installed ‘The Barrel’. The piece has five hoops — the two smallest hoops are 9’3” in height, 11’3” in width, progressing to two larger hoops that are 10’3” in height and 13’4” in width, with the middle hoop reaching 11’3” in height and 15’4” in width. The path through ‘The Barrel’ is ADA compliant.
The materials used to create the enormous feature are meant to reflect those of an actual oak barrel. The hoops are made of cast concrete with a “stave wood” engrain. Actual reliefs of wood were pressed into the concrete to give it an authentic wooden texture. The outside is lined with corten steel, reflecting the metal hoops used on a bourbon barrel. The inside of the hoops are lined with a black powder coated aluminum, imitating the char found in barrels after they are fired, an essential step in the bourbon-making process.
At the entrance of ‘The Barrel’ is an interpretive sign that gives an overview of the bourbon industry in Downtown Louisville. The sign also includes a map showing all of the bourbon historical sites and attractions in the district.
Featuring historic signs, destination signs, banners and a pop-up event scape, the Bourbon District is a collaborative effort led by LDP, Louisville Metro Government, the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau (LCVB), and the Louisville Water Company, in cooperation with Downtown’s bourbon community.
The renaissance of bourbon has sparked tourism and development in Downtown Louisville. “While Louisville’s bourbon story originated in the late 1700’s, it’s only been in the last decade that bourbon tourism has become a defining point of our city’s authenticity. We believe the Bourbon District helps share this cultural heritage with locals and visitors, and enhances their appreciation of Louisville’s unique destination experience,” said Karen Williams, LCVB President and CEO.
“Bourbonism® is thriving in Downtown Louisville, with four distillery experiences already open, and three more slated to open within the year. Our hope is that ‘The Barrel’ becomes an iconic landmark photographed and shared all over the world, further defining Louisville as the home of the bourbon industry,” said Mayor Greg Fischer.
LDP drives economic growth in Downtown and adjacent central-city neighborhoods for the benefit of the entire region, as well as oversees multiple on-street enhancements that help establish Downtown Louisville’s distinctive character and widespread appeal. LDP believes the economic engine of any great city starts with a strong Downtown. For more information, go to: LouisvilleDowntown.org.
LDP can be contacted at 556 S. Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40202; (502)584-6000.
