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As National Historic Preservation Month comes to a close, Louisville Metro Government reports significant progress in implementing recommendations from the Historic Preservation Advisory Task Force’s May 2017 report to Mayor Greg Fischer.
The Task Force, comprised of preservation advocates, architects, developers and neighborhood representatives from across the community, received technical support from National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Green Lab.
Through a yearlong process, they reviewed research and best practices and then crafted a set of recommendations, including incentive programs, program improvements, policies and public engagement strategies—with the goal of improving the community dialogue and outcomes around historic preservation.
In response, the city so far has:
- Hired a Survey Coordinator for the Historic Preservation team to identify priority survey areas and inventory historic resources as recommended by the Task Force;
- Successfully pursued an African-American Civil Rights grant from the National Parks Service to stabilize the historic Quinn Chapel in the Russell neighborhood;
- Advocated with the Building Industry Association and other stakeholders for protection and expansion of the State and Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit;
- Developed a preliminary priority survey of historic buildings in the Russell neighborhood, which is a National Register Historic District; and
- Incorporated the Task Force recommendations into the Comprehensive Plan update.
The Task Force also recommended amending local ordinances to enhance Metro’s preservation efforts. The Landmarks Commission formed a subcommittee in October 2017 to develop recommended changes to the Landmarks Ordinance, and a draft of those amendments was presented to full Landmarks Commission on May 17, 2018.
Those proposed changes include:
- Authorizing the Landmarks Commission or Metro Council to initiate a landmark designation in addition to current initiation methods, which are community petition and property owner request;
- Creating more opportunity for property owners to provide input on designation requests;
- Improving and clarifying designation criteria;
- Linking designations to community surveys and other planning processes; and
- Updating and defining language for Certificates of Appropriateness and design guidelines for the city’s seven local preservation districts
To view the proposed changes in their entirety and to comment on them, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/planning-design/historic-preservatio…
The Commission will review the amendments and public feedback at its June 21 and July 19 meetings. When the Landmarks Commission completes its review, recommended changes will be sent to the Metro Council for review and approval.
Heaven Hill Brands announced today a partnership with Louisville Parks and Recreation to create a new outdoor recreation area at the California Community Center in West Louisville. Mayor Greg Fischer, Metro Council President David James, and Metro Parks Assistant Director Ben Johnson joined Heaven Hill Brands Chief Operating Officer Allan Latts to unveil plans including updated landscaping, permanent cornhole boards and chess sets.
Heaven Hill Brands first established itself as a community partner in the California neighborhood in 1999 with the purchase of the historic Bernheim Distillery, a site which has produced Bourbon since 1871. Rooted in Heaven Hill’s Corporate Charitable Giving Mission is the goal “to seek to improve the local communities in which our employees work and live by offering charitable support for education, health and well-being, and cultural enrichment.”
“As stewards of this long-standing facility, and as a family-owned and operated company, Heaven Hill recognizes the responsibility to the community that has been built around Bernheim, the community we have become a part of,” said Latts. “We are thrilled to continue this commitment to the California Neighborhood through a new outdoor recreation space for adults and children alike to enjoy.”
In West Louisville alone Heaven Hill has committed a substantial financial impact in the last two years to Dare to Care Food Bank, Simmons College, Reverend Elliott’s programs, Community Connections, Portland Elementary, Brightside, and more. Within the greater Louisville area, Heaven Hill has a longstanding history of partnerships with the Kentucky Science Center, The Louisville Zoo, The Speed Museum, Fund for the Arts, and many more throughout the city.
“This new park amenity fits right in with our city’s values of compassion, lifelong learning and health,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “I’m grateful to Heaven Hill for being not only good corporate partners, but good neighbors as well.”
To celebrate the announcement the Wheatley chess team joined local dignitaries and community members in a game of chess. Plans to begin construction on the new site at California Community Center are slated for summer 2018.
Louisville businesses and residents affected by the severe storms and heavy flooding from Feb. 21 through March 21, 2018, can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, officials announced Wednesday.
The loans were made available after the state of Kentucky on May 1 requested a disaster declaration by the SBA, which covered Jefferson, Hardin, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hart, LaRue, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby and Spencer counties in Kentucky, and Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties in Indiana.
In Jefferson County, SBA’s representatives will be available at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center set up at T.J. Middle School’s First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Road, to answer questions about the disaster loan program and help individuals complete their applications. The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. (Closed on Memorial Day weekend). The Center will close on May 31st.
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets, according to SBA Kentucky District Director Ralph E. Ross.
For homeowners, loans up to $200,000 are available to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters also are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, according to the SBA.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Interest rates are as low as 3.58 percent for businesses, 2.5 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 1.8 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amount and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 23, 2018. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 22, 2019.
Louisville earned a bronze medal in an evaluation of whether its policies improve residents’ health and quality of life, according to the CityHealth initiative’s updated city ratings.
CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, offers a close look at whether the nation’s 40 largest cities have nine key policies in place that experts say help residents lead healthier lives and make communities thrive. For each of these nine policies, CityHealth awarded each city a gold, silver, bronze, or no medal, according to the quality of that policy. The group also awarded an overall medal to each city based on how many policy medals were earned.
The report shows which cities are leading the way on implementing policies shown to improve people’s health and quality of life. Louisville earned a bronze medal overall, meaning the city has a bronze, silver or gold medal in four of the nine CityHealth policies. Louisville is one of only five cities nationwide that increased its overall medal status in 2018. For more details on how Louisville performed in each policy area, please see the table below.
“Louisville has taken commendable steps toward giving everyone a fair shot at having a healthy, thriving life,” said Shelley Hearne, CityHealth’s president. “We hope this leadership continues. By adopting the gold standards of proven policies, Louisville can become the healthiest, most thriving place possible.”
CityHealth’s assessment provides more opportunities for Louisville to put policies in place to help make the city a more vibrant, prosperous place to live, and join 14 cities nationwide who have already earned a gold or silver medal. Louisville can show leadership by implementing these evidence-based policies that improve the well-being and quality of life for its residents.
CityHealth will update its ratings again next year. For more details on how Louisville stacks up against the other 40 cities, go to www.cityhealth.org.
CityHealth’s nine evidence-based policies address ways that cities can improve the health of their residents in areas of everyday life – from the workplace and school to housing and public transportation. Each policy is backed by evidence, supported by experts, and has a track record of bipartisan support. In addition to the medal ratings, CityHealth is available to provide technical assistance and support to cities as they advance these policies.
Louisville Metro Animal Services recently received a $40K grant from PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, to help reduce the pet population in Jefferson County. LMAS is using the grant to offer spay/neuter vouchers to Jefferson County residents, which can be redeemed at any Jefferson County Veterinary office or the Kentucky Humane Society SNIP Clinic.
“We are thankful PetSmart Charities awarded LMAS this grant so we can offer discounted vouchers to the public,” said shelter director Ozzy Gibson. “It’s another tool in our arsenal to maintain our hard-earned status as a No Kill Shelter for time and space. Reducing the pet population in Jefferson County is a key factor in keeping that title.”
By offering assistance for discounted spay/neuter surgeries, LMAS will increase in-house surgeries (2,700 in 2017) and those performed by outside providers. The voucher not only encourages responsible pet ownership, it helps reduce uncontrolled breeding of stray cats and dogs and allows LMAS to be proactive about future shelter overcrowding.
Female cats can breed up to four times a year and have an average of 4 kittens per litter. In just 7 years, an unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens; an unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce 97,000 puppies. With the grant from PetSmart Charities, LMAS can cover the entire cost, or provide a significant discount on spay/neuter surgeries for up to 400 cats and dogs in Jefferson County!
”By establishing this spay and neuter voucher program, Louisville Metro Animal Services is taking a proactive approach to preventing unplanned litters and reducing pet homelessness in the community,” said Kelly Balthazor, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. “Not only are they advocating for lives of local pets, they are further establishing themselves as a vital resource for local pet parents, too.”
The voucher covers up to $100 of the cost to spay/neuter a cat or a dog. Vouchers can be obtained at the LMAS Animal Care Center located at 3705 Manslick Rd. Monday-Friday between 12-6pm, or Saturdays 11-2pm; or at Animal House Adoption Center located at 3516 Newburg Rd. Tuesday-Sunday from 12-6pm. For more information about how to obtain a spay/neuter voucher from LMAS, email animals@louisvilleky.gov or call 473-PETS.
Photo: Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Service
With the arrival of warmer temperatures, KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living is once again teaming up with Louisville Metro Office for Aging & Disabled Citizens (OADC) to collect electric fans for seniors and persons with physical disabilities. The fans will be distributed to qualified individuals within the KIPDA region including Jefferson, Bullitt, Henry, Shelby, Oldham, Spencer, and Trimble Counties. Donations of new box fans will be collected through June 11 at:
KIPDA, 11520 Commonwealth Drive (Lou., KY 40299)
WLKY Studio, 1918 Mellwood Ave. (Lou, KY 40206)
Drop off hours are Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase fans. Make checks made payable to KIPDA, Attn: Fan Fair Program and mail to the address on Commonwealth Drive listed above postmarked by June 11. If you would like to make special arrangements for a donation or need further information, please contact Sarah Teeters (502) 574-5092 at the OADC or Jennifer Craig (502) 266-5571 at KIPDA.
Last year, over 500 fans were distributed to residents in need thanks to fan or monetary donations given by community organizations, churches, businesses, and private citizens. Local station WLKY TV32 provided both on-air and on-line advertising, in addition to serving as one of the drop-off locations, and will provide similar support to this year’s efforts.
On June 16, a “Fan Fair” will be held from 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. at the Edison Center located at 701 W. Ormsby Ave. to distribute the collected fans to seniors 60 and older, as well as to individuals with physical disabilities, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Qualifications to receive a free fan will be:
- Person 60 years or older
- OR documentation verified by a physician of a physical disability
- Must be a resident of Jefferson, Oldham, Henry, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble or Bullitt Counties
- Proof of address and age will be required
- One fan per household
“We are excited to be partnering with Louisville Metro Office of Aging & Disabled Citizens again this year, helping older adults and persons with disabilities stay comfortable during the summer months, stated Barbara Gordon, director of the KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living. “I am proud of all of the community partners who support this effort and help to make it happen.“
Coinciding with the Fan Fair will be a health/resource fair open to all ages to provide various health checks and information from local area resources. Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness and LMPD will be on hand to facilitate a prescription drug toss so that attendees can properly and safely dispose of unwanted or expired prescription medications.
“Our annual fan drive and fan giveaway event goes beyond just fans; it provides another avenue for our teams to connect with some of our most vulnerable residents”, stated Gena Redmon Harris, director of Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services which oversees the OADC. “We are so grateful for all of the fan and monetary donations and various kinds of community support, and are looking forward to another great event this year.”
For more information about the fan donations or Fan Fair, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/resilience-and-community-services or www.KIPDA.org.
Mayor Greg Fischer is pleased to announce that Jeana Dunlap, Louisville’s Director of Redevelopment Strategies, has been named as a member of the 2019 Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Each year the Fellowship selects a group of exceptional mid-career practitioners who influence the shaping of the built and natural environment, for a year of independent study at Harvard University.
“I am incredibly excited for Jeana to receive this remarkable opportunity,” Fischer said. “Her recognition in this elite fellowship is further proof of her remarkable work in community development, in equitable investment and, specifically, in Russell. Jeana will represent Louisville among an incredibly skilled, international class of fellows.”
The fellows receive living accommodations and virtually unlimited access to the educational resources at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to fortify their perspective and expand vision, all in the service of improving the future of the built and natural environment.
This year’s Loeb Fellowship class includes architects, urban planners, public artists, civic leaders and journalists from New York, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Vancouver, Boston, Amsterdam and San Jose (Costa Rica), who all arrive to the Fellowship with one common purpose—to strengthen their ability to advance positive social outcomes and support a more equitable collective future.
“It’s a great privilege to be selected for the Loeb Fellowship and to spend the next year in Cambridge,” Dunlap said. “Although it may be hard leaving the people and places I love, I’m also looking forward to expanding my professional network, collaborating with amazing people and engaging thought leaders from around the globe. I fully intend to invest the fellowship year taking my work to the next level.”
In addition to her cross-functional work in the Russell neighborhood, Jeana most recently has led a community-wide dialogue on the historic and current-day impact of redlining practices in underserved neighborhoods. She collaborated with local urban planner Joshua Poe to publish “Redlining Louisville, The History of Race, Class and Real Estate,” a story-map that depicts the impacts that 1930s-era redlining practices had on modern-day Louisville, using such data sets as poverty, race, property values, vacant properties, home ownership and mortgage lending.
Jeana will start her year-long fellowship in Cambridge, Mass. in August.