Another one bites the dust

According to this article: Ri Ra restaurant at 4th Street live closes the Irish pub Ri Ra located in 4th Street live has closed. No indication as to why they closed, they have been open since 2008. I'm sure this will present another option for Cordish to bring in a restaurant they can control with more "help" from the taxpayers of Louisville!

...Welcome to the quarterly bash-Cordish post. Anyone have anything -new- to add this time ?

[Robin Garr]

...Welcome to the quarterly bash-Cordish post. Anyone have anything -new- to add this time ?

You want to stand up and praise Cordish? Just checkin ...

...Welcome to the quarterly bash-Cordish post. Anyone have anything -new- to add this time ?

You want to stand up and praise Cordish? Just checkin ...

Noooooooo...Not me Babaloui...I just haven't heard any fresh ammunition lately.

Like a lot of things...I'm pretty much on the fence with this whole 4th St. Live deal.

I think the addition of the Embassy Suites in the former Hilliard Lyons Center (4th and Muhammad Ali) will be a game changer, The new Hilton Garden at 4th and Chestnut will also add a boost. This area is transforming rapidly with many shops south of the Seelbach and nice streetscaping. I wouldn't send my condolences to the Cordish folk just yet.

Hilton isnt projected to be in for another 2 years at a minimum.

Ri Ra was trying to get out back when we made our exit, looks like they finally outlasted their lease.

Good for them!

[Robin Garr]

Ri Ra was trying to get out back when we made our exit, looks like they finally outlasted their lease.

Good for them!

Ronnie, do you feel that they had much to offer in a town with the Irish Rover, the O'Shea's restaurants, Molly Malone's, Shenanigans, etc.?

No. Especially not in the face of someplace like the Rover. They were nice people to have as neighbors in the complex, though. They were like many similar "Irish Pub" prefabs, decent but unspectacular.

A group of us who work on 4th Street just ate lunch there a week ago. It was my first time visiting. I got a pork belly BLT and fries. It was so bad I couldn't even eat it. Even if they hadn't closed it would have still been my last visit.

Hilton isnt projected to be in for another 2 years at a minimum.

You must be thinking of the grandiose Cordish proposal on 2nd St. The Hilton Garden Inn has already broken ground (official breaking is this Thursday). Go see it for yourself on 4th and Chestnut. It will add nice density to that block.

Hilton isnt projected to be in for another 2 years at a minimum.

You must be thinking of the grandiose Cordish proposal on 2nd St. The Hilton Garden Inn has already broken ground (official breaking is this Thursday). Go see it for yourself on 4th and Chestnut. It will add nice density to that block.

LOL That Cordish Center City project is never going to get off the ground. They just refuse to acknowledge reality and release the option back to the city to let someone else develop it.

Hint- They are trying to use another TIF in order to secure public funding for the project. Because its worked so well for the stadium and the other 20 TIFs we all have layered one on top of the other in that general area.

And quite frankly given how badly they have done managing 4th Street Live Im not sure I would trust them to do another sizable project downtown. They try to make all their decisions in Baltimore with little to no knowledge of the current conditions in the neighborhood, nor concern.

No the person I spoke with said the Hilton. I did note Business First claims they will be up and operating by summer of 2014. Maybe he knew something Business First didnt, or maybe they simply misspoke.

At this point, Cordish would be stupid to build anything new - they can't even fill what's vacant now.

The Pub space - empty
Red Star/Mozzeria/Quattro space - empty
RiRa space - now empty
Improv space - empty
Never-built health club/"The Tavern" space - empty
Back third of Borders space - empty
CVS space - soon to be empty when CVS moves to the Hilliard Lyons Center/Embassy Suites corner
Electronics Boutique space - empty
2 of 7 food court spaces - empty
Office Depot space - empty

That's got to be what, 30% of the existing 4SL square footage standing empty? 40%?

[Robin Garr]

That's got to be what, 30% of the existing 4SL square footage standing empty? 40%?

Suddenly I'm seeing images of the Galleria.

That's got to be what, 30% of the existing 4SL square footage standing empty? 40%?

Suddenly I'm seeing images of the Galleria.

Yeah, but the difference is that, unlike the days of the Galleria, there is a thriving block immediately to the north of 4SL and several up-and-coming blocks south of it, all of which have grown a little more organically.

When 4SL was the only game in downtown, Cordish could get away with its ridiculous leases, insane rents and commons charges, and poor services. Now that competition is available, it's their own fault if they don't adjust to be more competitive. I mean, for goodness' sake, two of their tenants have departed within two years for spaces next door, but off Cordish property. If that doesn't speak volumes, I don't know what does.