Doc Crow's

We stopped in last night before our Valentine's dinner at 732 Social for a cocktail and snack. The space is beautiful, especially the HUGE bar area. Our martinis were spot on, and the steamed clams were great. We'll be back soon to try more of the menu.

I've heard no mention of a parking lot and it doesn't sound like anything will be done with these buildings for a long time. I can see this situation being tied up in the court system for years.

They are not talking about tearing down the buildings to run an interstate through downtown. They are going to use the space to revitalize and grow the area. Everyone is admitting the buildings are in horrible shape, but uses the historical argument to keep them from being torn down. I just don't see the history and would rather see the space put to use then continue to be an eyesore and waste.

Everyone I have spoken to that has been in and around the buildings says they clearly can't be used.

http://www.whas11.com/news/local/Groups ... 24669.html

Here is the problem - city of Louisville and developer of Whisky Row came to an agreement earlier this month. Developer Todd Blue bought the buildings four years ago and wants to develop them into a hotel. Yet, they remain untouched as they’re tied up in this battle and some local business owners say it's time to do something.

In a court settlement, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer agreed to allow Todd Blue to tear down the buildings..if the city gets a chance to save the facades.

However, the drama doesn't end there. Preservation groups plan on asking a judge to reconsider the settlement or even file a lawsuit in State Court.

We stopped in last night before our Valentine's dinner at 732 Social for a cocktail and snack. The space is beautiful, especially the HUGE bar area. Our martinis were spot on, and the steamed clams were great. We'll be back soon to try more of the menu.

Steamed clams!! Just checked their menu in hopes they served the Steamer Clams, a/k/a Piss clams, that I fondly remember from school days in New England. Although I'm sure their steamed little neck clams are very good, now I've got a Jonesing for some really fresh steamers.

Speaking of shoddy arguments Joel, bake sales, while a nice thought, aren't particularly necessary. You just need to do what New York did for Soho (your example). Come up with a plan in time and then issue a few municipal bonds to fund your endeavor. Unfortunately "in time" was probably 20 years ago. While I think Mayor Jerry was a pretty good mayor and didn't suffer for lack of vision (your mileage may differ), with regards to Whiskey Row, the citizenry didn't exactly hold city government's feet to the fire to come up with a solution when it counted.

A town the size of Louisville probably has a Billion Dollar annual budget. A couple of million funded over several years to preserve those buildings would have been easily doable. But nobody was hollering for it when it needed to be done. But now it's some developer's fault.

Against my better judgment I am wading into the fray. The first home we bought in Louisville was in the Clifton Preservation District. Much to my chagrin I quickly realized that any improvements I wanted to make to the structure were well beyond the means of my young broke self. Returning to Louisville some 11 years later we purchased in Crescent Hill and in the past three years have put quite a bit into improvements. If you drive down my little street, you will see similar gentrification efforts in progress at several properties and quite frankly it looks good! Meanwhile poor Clifton sags under the sad burden of it’s historical significance. We make the past a little bit every day as we try to build the future.

PS. I really look forward to sampling Doc Crow’s!

We make the past a little bit every day as we try to build the future.

Without wading into the fray on this, I do like this statement. Well said.

Does everybody realize, when folks mention these buildings' historical value, it's not because of what they contained, but because of their architecture? Other than Soho, Louisville has (getting ready to be HAD) one of the last remaining concentrations of cast-iron facade buildings in the country.

[Robin Garr]

Does everybody realize, when folks mention these buildings' historical value, it's not because of what they contained, but because of their architecture? Other than Soho, Louisville has (getting ready to be HAD) one of the last remaining concentrations of cast-iron facade buildings in the country.

Like.

Yeah, that was my point, Marsha. These buildings aren't historic because of what their prior use was, and their prior use doesn't negate the need to preserve them. I'm not sure how I could make that any clearer.

Though I would make the point that one of the buildings, the one that housed the Zodiac Club and the Mercury Paw, has quite a substantial amount of Louisville music history associated with it, and that's one reason aside from its architecture that I'd like to see it preserved.

As to Dan's point, I actually agree that to some degree that Louisvillians themselves are responsible because they/we/whatever didn't hold our political leaders accountable. But Louisville isn't much different from other places in that the people with the money are the ones with the power. Todd Blue crying that he just can't save these buildings just doesn't ring true to me. Just look at Doc Crow's!

Ok, I'd call the cast iron facade as being rare or unique, but I guess historic might sneak in. Regardless if it is rare or historic, I just don't see it bringing any money to our city. New hotels, bars, and restaurants bring money; old cast iron buildings, not so much.

These building have sat empty and rotted for years and no one cared. Now someone wants to do something with them or the space and Hell is freezing over. If I was an outsider looking in, Louisville would be low on my list of cities to invest in. I love the city and would put it up against any in the country, Trader Joe's and/or NBA team or not, but give me a break. There has to be a time to move on and it didn't happen in the last 20(?) years. I'd love to see these building restored to their former splendor, but I don't want to pay for it or force other to. These buildings need a funeral, not a wake.

Was there not an agreement to keep the facades and restore them at tax payers expense?
The preservation’s don't think that is good enough and are pushing for a total rehab job. Could it be done, doubtful/maybe, but at what cost, 3-4-5 times the cost of a total demo? What about the facades being restored at the expense of the preservation groups and let the developer invest in the interior?

Does everybody realize, when folks mention these buildings' historical value, it's not because of what they contained, but because of their architecture? Other than Soho, Louisville has (getting ready to be HAD) one of the last remaining concentrations of cast-iron facade buildings in the country.

Like.

They could be Cast-GOLD buildings and it wouldn't change a pea-pickin' thing.

I guess you guys are right after all. Screw history and heritage! Let's put up cinderblock and concrete buildings everywhere! They are more economical and we can just knock them down every 7 years and put up new ones.

Stuff I'll bet you didn't know, but I do, because my first job in this city was in the 121 Main building: The same guy owned that entire block for over 25 years, but went batty in his twilight years and REFUSED TO SELL IT. He used to be our landlord where I worked back then. He tried to get an equity loan in the 90s from me when I was a loan officer, but the buildings were already in major disrepair.

Always remember...you don't know everything.

He tried to get an equity loan in the 90s from me when I was a loan officer, but the buildings were already in major disrepair.

So, it really is all your fault!

He tried to get an equity loan in the 90s from me when I was a loan officer, but the buildings were already in major disrepair.

So, it really is all your fault!

LOL! I guess, in a way...you're right

I abhor strip-like establishments, and am waiting patiently to see what the "lawsuit" for the pavement plant is supposed to produce in the Clifton. I have a feeling it's more strip housing.
That being said, neighborhood ordinances are a real pain in the ass for anyone trying to not buy into the prefab housing market.
If we hadn't had new storm windows in place by 2007 we wouldn't have been able to do it. And we have poured thousands into improving our insulation and clabbards and such. Even with lead contamination issues from our backyard we had to dance between the city and the health dept. And they don't mesh.....at all. KBC (lou lou beginning) lies fallow at the end of my block due to historic regulation.
The city doesn't make it easy to update old housing. Much less buisinesses. If I were an upstart I'd do everything I could to begin at the beginning! I love an old building. But I would rather see it razed with regulations than see it crumble to dust with no one around to improve on it.