Why I love Louisville:

Old Louisville
Best Neighborhood in Louisville PERIOD
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I always feel comfortable in Old Louisville especially in the summer. When i lived on campus at uofl I used to walk all the way from belknap campus to broadway just o take pictures.

Baxtor Ave, and Bardstown Road.
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I love this section of Louisville because i used to go to Atherton high school before i transfered to Shawnee, and I would always walk around the highlands area. It was pretty amazing being 16 years old from the west end, and being able to get away from it all with a long walk around bardstown road and baxter ave. Iwouldn't trade a night in Ear-Xtacy with friends for anything.

The Near Park Duvalle
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I used to live in Park Duvalle when it was the Southwick and Cotter homes housing projects. Its a very different neighborhood today, and i'm proud to see sow it has improved. It still has a long way to go because it hasn't seen a lot of growth in businesses and liqour stores are still on the corners.

Shawnee Land
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I'm sure everyone knows about shawnee land, its composed mainly of the Shawnee PArk and Chickasaw park neighborhoods. These sued to be all white neighborhoods but a large portion of whites left during desegregation. Today it is pretty much all black but i'm sure anybody of any color woul denjoy living in Shawnee Land.

Why I hate Louisville.

Downtown Night Life Sucks.....

Sorry, but I haven't been to a club downtown in about 2 years. Why? Because there are no clubs that appeal to young black men like myself downtown. You can't convince me with a million dollars to go into the Red Chetah just so i can get a headache listening to Tecno music. O'meilly's corner used to be fun to go to...back when i was 16, but I hated having to walk across the country music dance floor just to get into the section that played hip hop music. And even that was pretty lame, because all the hip hop music they played was from the late 80's and early 90's...you can only listen to Sir-mix-alot for so long untill you vomit from the annoyance of his music.

Segregation of people, and businesses....

Yes, you can't deny it, its pretty obvious. I'd challenge any Louisville forumer on this site to ride a bus from Baxtor Ave & Broadway all the way to Shawnee park and back and see how segregated this city is...I used to do it everyday when i attended Atherton. If you take a bus from shawnee park up broadway a white person will probably not get on untill you reach 10th and broadway.

This city is so segregated it makes me sick sometimes. There are literally some neighborhoods in this city that if you lived in one and never came out of it your entire life, you would have never seen someone of a different race. There are schools in this city that you can go to and not have had a black teacher or classmate for the entire time you where there....there are stores in this city that black people have never stepped foot into because chances are they probably didn't know they existed because they are so far from the city.

The west end has about 120,000 residence, maybe more, yet the only large mall it has is Lyles Mall which was built in the 70's. Why is it that the highlands has all of the retail in the city when it has about the same, maybe less, residence than the west end? Why is it that the only movie theater built in the west end went bankrupt and is vacant on Broadway.
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Why is that everything is being done to improve everywhere but the West End? How much money did they put into 4th st. Live? Why is it that not even have of that was put into funding businesses in the West End?...I hate how everything built in the West End is second class. The broadway cinemas was nothing compared to the other theaters in the city. The new housing being built, even though it is helpful, is cheap as plastic.

Damn Soulbrotha, Louisville seems like such a cool city. That first pic is awesome. Are those houses? Louisville has some beautiful old buildings. Are you from Louisville? Your pics are great.

Hmmm...I might accept your challenge on the TARC, but I'd need someone else with me--I've never ridden on a TARC before in my life.

Unfortunately segregation is a fact of life in many cities, particularly those with an older urban core. Not saying it's right, but not even gentrification is helping out.

Ear-X-Tacy is one of my favorite record stores by the way....

Great pix, Soulbrotha. :)

Unfortunately segregation is a fact of life in many cities, particularly those with an older urban core. Not saying it's right, but not even gentrification is helping out.

Ear-X-Tacy is one of my favorite record stores by the way....

"Ear-X-Tacy", cool name. I like "Ear-gasm" better, though. LOL. :D

Hey not to sound like a prick but you keep asking "why" and i think i have your answers. People have tried to invest in the WEst End, but everything always goes bankrupt... why? If a store goes bankrupt you can't get mad that it shuts down, that's just good business sense.. example: Broadway Cinemas. I never went there... never had a reason to...but it seems the citizens in that area did not support the cinema enough to keep it alive. You can't expect people to drive to tthe West End to see a movie when there is a movie theatre closer to home. The same goes with a mall. Nobody that lives outside of the west end is going to drive there to go to the mall when there are 5 other ones that are closer.. i'm sure that some people will, but not enough to make a huge impact. If a business is built in the west end, it has to be supported by the citizens of that area, and i don't think that is happening. I have no idea how to fix this, but that;s how i see the problem... any other views?

Damn Soulbrotha, that's some powerful shiite. I think I might cry . . . :cry:

BTW, segregation is a problem everywhere. In downtown Augusta, there are some train tracks that divide the city.
On one side is the Hill and Medical Center, both very rich, and on the other side is some projects and low-income houses, very poor.
Guess which side is the home of most of Augusta's black population? :ohno:

Segregation is a fact of life, and we have to live with that. :(

On a lighter note, why don't you just blame your problems on crooked politicians like everyone else. :colgate:

Sorry, Soulbrotha. I share your sentiments, to an extint. Roanoke is pretty divided, for its population. You have to very distinct area where White's and Black's reside. Luckily, there have been some cool movements to restore the black district, and make it a sort-of 'tourist' attraction for African-Americans in the South. Partly becasue its one of the few cities that is focusing on revitalizing areas like that.
But I hope Louisville will soon see its problems, and at least try to correct them.

Hey not to sound like a prick but you keep asking "why" and i think i have your answers. People have tried to invest in the WEst End, but everything always goes bankrupt... why? If a store goes bankrupt you can't get mad that it shuts down, that's just good business sense.. example: Broadway Cinemas. I never went there... never had a reason to...but it seems the citizens in that area did not support the cinema enough to keep it alive. You can't expect people to drive to tthe West End to see a movie when there is a movie theatre closer to home. The same goes with a mall. Nobody that lives outside of the west end is going to drive there to go to the mall when there are 5 other ones that are closer.. i'm sure that some people will, but not enough to make a huge impact. If a business is built in the west end, it has to be supported by the citizens of that area, and i don't think that is happening. I have no idea how to fix this, but that;s how i see the problem... any other views?

I may be wrong, but didn't galleria go bankrupt, or nearly go? And look at it now. Why is the west end the only part of the city where people have to drive 10-30 minutes from just to see a good movie, or find a good grocery store.

I would consider moving if something bothered me that much. But, I don't really know the circumstances, etc.

It has to do with investors...no offense but no one wants to invest in such a risky area with such a high crime rate. Segregation happens and we are still feeling the ripple effects and this is one of them. The city can give tax breaks on something like fourth street live but a developer has to show an interest (common sense). The Highlands is the way it is because small business owners have invested and people frequent (there really arent many chains in the highlands, or city invested institution other than a library), if west end powers invested in their own local business and it succeeded you would feel the same effect. The city isnt in the business of starting businesses, they can give tax breaks and do in many cases, but like I said the interest has to be there.

I would consider moving if something bothered me that much. But, I don't really know the circumstances, etc.

I find that many people in depressed area's of Louisville without transport (or even with) find it hard to get out, it is the same in many cities with mediocre job offerings (for those without 50000 degrees) to just up and leave so many peopel have to call certain places their home sheerly for it being affordable, and it sucks that certain people (neighbors usually) have to be so careless with their neighborhood and dont realize that even though they are economically depressed (white black cuban or asian) that they are not going to further their families by dealing/doing drugs or killing and in turn make the neighborhood bad for the rest of the populous. Not to mention crooked cops, and police stations full of people who say things such as 'oh that area is too bad let them fight it out' etc. (I have seen that first hand). Its all dog eat dog politics and it all goes back to why the pissed off people are pissed off and kill rob and steal....facts of life, unfortunately.

It has to do with investors...no offense but no one wants to invest in such a risky area with such a high crime rate.

the west end is full of money making industry...just not the kind that we need.
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All these companis making millions of dollars in rubbertown, yet we can have a little decent mall on west broadway or something?

Now the West End only has one major grocery store (Krogers).... thats pretty sad for an area with over 120,000 people.



Buehler will close four groceries
Former Winn-Dixies were acquired in fall
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Buehler Food shopper Samiyyah Sledge of the West End, with daughter Jemiyah Johnson, said destination shoppers tend to go to the suburbs. (BY KEITH WILLIAMS, THE COURIER-JOURNAL)
By David Goetz
dgoetz@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

Buehler Foods is closing four of the 16 groceries it bought from Winn-Dixie last fall, apparently because they couldn't pull their weight in sales.

The stores at 5252 Bardstown Road, 2809 W. Broadway, 3430 Taylor Blvd. and 1148 S. Fourth St. will begin liquidation sales shortly, the company said yesterday, and their closing dates will be announced soon.

Buehler didn't say how many jobs will be affected but promised to place as many workers as possible in its 12 remaining stores.

The small chain, based in Jasper, Ind., bought the Louisville stores after Winn-Dixie announced in April of last year that it was leaving Kentucky and other nearby states to concentrate on its stronger markets in the South.

The purchase was part of a larger deal for 40 Winn-Dixie stores brokered by Buehler's Kansas-based wholesaler and involved other independent chains.

Buehler President Kris Buehler Massat said the block of stores would give the company the "critical mass" it would need to enter the Louisville market in competition with Kroger, Wal-Mart and Meijer.

Massat also said in November that a chance to buy the stores came fairly quickly and that Buehler hadn't considered the status of each store as closely as it would have liked.

In a statement yesterday Massat said that in buying all the Winn-Dixie stores in Louisville "we took possession of some locations that, in our view, will not support our long-term plans" for the market. Neither Massat nor a company spokesman returned several calls seeking comment.

Shoppers at the Fourth Street store yesterday expressed mild surprise that it was closing so soon after Buehler took over, but not a lot of disappointment.

Melissa Badian, who lives in the neighborhood, said she liked the store as an alternative to the Kroger a few blocks away on Second Street because she could comparison shop.

Bill and Malika Hardin were at the Buehler store because Bill kept his prescriptions on file there when Winn-Dixie left. For grocery shopping they prefer the Kroger in Shively or Save-A-Lot. Buehler's prices are too high, Bill Hardin said.

People shopping for sales or using it as a convenience store aren't enough to make a full-sized grocery profitable. Such stores need destination shoppers who'll return weekly.

And those shoppers tend to migrate to the suburban megastores and discounters, said Samiyyah Sledge, a West End resident.

"If it was a little closer, I probably would go to Wal-Mart," she said. "Kroger's OK when they have their sales, but I don't care much for the Kroger's down here. … A lot of people like to go farther out because (the stores) are a little nicer. "
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Its crazy that people have to drive half way across the city to shop at a decent grocery store.

Get ready for another big ass vacant building to occupy Broadway.

the west end is full of money making industry...just not the kind that we need.
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All these companis making millions of dollars in rubbertown, yet we can have a little decent mall on west broadway or something?

Sadly a good deal of it has to do with the fact that a good many who work in the west end dont actually live there, which means ultimately they dont spend money there. No doubt that if there was even a chilis restaurant there (i know you dont like chains, but just reaching here) many people would probably go there, it is just the matter of bringing in the investers who bring these things in. Unfortunately since the suburbanization, people work in the city and live and shop in the burbs leaving it to die at night which is not right but the way things have gone.

Shame that Winn Dixie had to close down though, I had been there a few times and it was much nicer than the Kroger down there. Again I guess it is all about the ultimate ending profit and not the people.

The bigger the city, the WORSE the segregation! Name me one city that is not segregated. ATL, STL, Chicago, Detroit (BIG TIME). Don't single out Louisville.

I have lived in Chicago for almost a year. It is 10 times worse!!!! You think west Louisville is deprived of business? Ha! Come to Garfield Park or anywhere on the west side of Chicago. It looks like a bomb has hit. Unfortunately, America is messed up. But really, why don't you do something about it. Tell those thugs to quit slumming crack and killing each other. If you don't know them, try and form a community club for youth, or help the Reverend Coleman get kids off the street. If you don't like it, move. If you wanna see your neighborhood improve, do something about it.

I'm singling out louisville....because i live there clown....and you already gave me the whole speech about bad ol' chicago last year...save it, please....

Creating business in an area isn't about philanthropy, it's about business, companies will only invest in an area if they see a profit out of it. If I was an investor honestly there is no way that I would invest in the west end because the medium income is so low, especially if it were some kind of mall development. theres simply not the income to support that kind of development, especially compared to the Highlands, or just about anywhere east of Bardstown Rd.

Creating business in an area isn't about philanthropy, it's about business, companies will only invest in an area if they see a profit out of it. If I was an investor honestly there is no way that I would invest in the west end because the medium income is so low, especially if it were some kind of mall development. .


well, good thing you're not an investor...

tell that to Magic johnson.

ha, sorry it's not that I hate the west end or anything, but in they eyes of an investor, if there isn't a good chance of a profit, then there is no deal. I'm with you, I wish some companies would invest in some redevelopment in the west end, and perhaps create some middle class neighborhoods and get rid of the crime. It's sad that one area of the city sees so much crime and poverty.

Magic Johnson opened a top of the line 12-screen movie theater in south central los angeles (among other things) and didn't loose any money. And he just opened a 285,000 dollar computer center in Cincinnati's over-the-rhine (http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2004/09/06/daily30.html?jst=s_rs_hl)...beleive me, people in the inner city will support businessess, when they are good quality, and not cheap trash like the city allows the west end.

Magic Johnson opened a top of the line 12-screen movie theater in south central los angeles (among other things) and didn't loose any money. And he just opened a 285,000 dollar computer center in Cincinnati's over-the-rhine (http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2004/09/06/daily30.html?jst=s_rs_hl)...beleive me, people in the inner city will support businessess, when they are good quality, and not cheap trash like the city allows the west end.


First of all, we are not LA. West Louisville has between 100k and 150k depending on where you draw the line. (I am thinking the area bounded by 10th st on the east, algonquin on the south, and the river on the north and west. I am guessing south central LA has 500k in a similar area, and I believe this is their only mall. Even the south side of Chicago (proper) only has one mall, Ford City, and it is TRASH. This mall serves probabaly 750k people.

With that said, I believe that collectively, there is enough money in west Louisville to support a small power center development. Basically, you would have two anchors like Wal Mart/Target and maybe a Best Buy (although that lil independent store down there is alright.) Then maybe you could get a Dollar Tree, Fantastic Sams, and some sort of lower end restaurants that are still quality. Maybe a chinese place, or a Fazoli's, something like that. I am thinking something like a Chili's may even work.

Ultimately, investing in this area is a gamble, but perhaps someone in Louisville's black business community will stand up. Junior Bridgeman and even Derek Anderson come to mind.

However, I do agree with Soul on one thing. Besides a few nice housing developments (hey Park Duvalle and Fontaine Ferry Landings are nicer than most of the crap in the suburbs), the city does not promote the west side enough. Blame this on our lame duck mayor Jerry lLOSEBRAMSON. get him outta here!

First of all, we are not LA. West Louisville has between 100k and 150k depending on where you draw the line. (I am thinking the area bounded by 10th st on the east, algonquin on the south, and the river on the north and west. I am guessing south central LA has 500k in a similar area, and I believe this is their only mall. Even the south side of Chicago (proper) only has one mall, Ford City, and it is TRASH. This mall serves probabaly 750k people.

With that said, I believe that collectively, there is enough money in west Louisville to support a small power center development. Basically, you would have two anchors like Wal Mart/Target and maybe a Best Buy (although that lil independent store down there is alright.) Then maybe you could get a Dollar Tree, Fantastic Sams, and some sort of lower end restaurants that are still quality. Maybe a chinese place, or a Fazoli's, something like that. I am thinking something like a Chili's may even work.

Ultimately, investing in this area is a gamble, but perhaps someone in Louisville's black business community will stand up. Junior Bridgeman and even Derek Anderson come to mind.

However, I do agree with Soul on one thing. Besides a few nice housing developments (hey Park Duvalle and Fontaine Ferry Landings are nicer than most of the crap in the suburbs), the city does not promote the west side enough. Blame this on our lame duck mayor Jerry lLOSEBRAMSON. get him outta here!

We're not Chicago either, but somehow thats who you always choose to compare West Louisville's poverty problem to.

"I have lived in Chicago for almost a year. It is 10 times worse!!!! You think west Louisville is deprived of business? Ha! Come to Garfield Park or anywhere on the west side of Chicago."

And its not up to individual investors, Derek Anderson has done plenty in the West End, he's one person, he can't do it alone. The City needs to step up, as a whole. We've invested millions in 4th street live, and even in the highlands, but still little goes to the West End. And when it does, its not enough to build anything worth spending money at.

fantastic sam's..are you serious? One thing west Louisville does have plenty of is quality barbershops.

They need to revive the plan to build a mall on the old philip morris site. Which right now is a big heap of nothing taking up space. There are all kinds of buildings on west broadway that could be turned into something nice....want to see?

15th broadway
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there has to be someway to re-open broadway cinemas
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So someone can deal drugs in it and shoot it up...the city needs to work on getting the shit out of the street before or while they are developing somthing. Otherwise something like that will get ransacked again. Not saying it is concentrated there eaither, but most of the span west of 65, hell maybe it is because people dont have enough to do. Give the the community a mall and maybe some people will get jobs instead of dealing crack for all they make...fat chance though.

Broadway cinema's was never shot up, i don't recall any business in the west end being shot up..not even Lyle's Mall...you think little suburbian white kids don't bring drugs and guns in St. Mathews and riverfalls mall? That happends everywhere.

Leave it to you to make everything black and white, this is a money issue. And yes I know venues that attract youth are going to attract the druggies too. Broadway Cinemas may have never been shot up, but it did have its fair share of issues and run ins with the police. Ultimately you keep talking about the cinemas, what makes you think that they wouldnt fail again if re-opened. Personally I think it is a good location for a theater, if someone was smart though they would put one downtown to attract people at a greater radius.

This is a great thread and a great discussion. I think the West End problems are part of a greaer systemic problem in cities across the nation, and especially so in southern cities.

Leave it to you to make everything black and white, this is a money issue. And yes I know venues that attract youth are going to attract the druggies too. Broadway Cinemas may have never been shot up, but it did have its fair share of issues and run ins with the police. Ultimately you keep talking about the cinemas, what makes you think that they wouldnt fail again if re-opened. Personally I think it is a good location for a theater, if someone was smart though they would put one downtown to attract people at a greater radius.


Thats B.S., Broadway cinemas was a great place for teens. It never had any run-ins with the police. There where police officers there every night doing security work. Muhammad Ali even showed up for the grand opening.

I've already showed other buildings that the city just allows to stand vacant, look at the pictures. How long would those buildings be allowed to decay in the highlands?

The Highlands has very low vacancy simply because it is desirable, dont ask me why, it has just become that way. The city doesnt say OMG a music store moved out, lets go bribe some people in that business so they will put another music store in its place, nor do they pay a wendys or KFC to go in, it just happens, but it has really little to do with a city government.
By the same token if a desire to invest in those buildings as a mall or shopping venue was made then the city should have persued it full force as they did with 4th street live. However a dead mall in the middle of a downtown is probably more of a scar to them than a abandoned building in a sea of them.

I do think that West Louisville needs some kind of Power Center. I mean even for me Living Downtown it would mabye be convienient instead of Driving to St. Matthews. A Mall type development may be OK it could be anchored with a Target aka"tarsgee" (sorta French )like said before and smaller stores such as Footaction, Radio Shack, GQ Unlimited, Champs, ect... b/c that is what the community in and around the area would go to.. WHITES AND BLACKS. They need to open a state of the art movie theatre on fourth street and then it could be economically powered by the area from the highland's to portland. But Soulbrotha you are right about that area and what needs to be revitalized

Any development downtown benefits the entire city, especially the west end, which is one of the closest areas around. It's an overall good investment, thats why the city pumped money into things like 4th street live and so on. Anything like that in the west end would benefit, the west end, no where else. I agree that the city should give tax advantages to companies that develop in the west end, they should even buy up the large abandoned buildings as well as houses and perhaps sell them dirt cheep, or even give the houses to charities like habitat for humanity to fix up for a deserving family. First and foremost however money would need to be invested in a) education and after school activities the kids of that area, and even adult education programs , so they can get a decent pay check, and b) in lowering crime. I would support my tax dollars going into that sort of stuff. I would not support investing millions of dollars into some sort of mall or other retail that niether me, nor a majority of the rest of metro Louisville would ever see, much less enjoy. Truthfully I think it would just end up like Bashford Manor except, it wouldn't be redeveloped, more than likely it would remain vacant.
You can't just throw in a bunch of pretty buildings and some nice stores and expect the west end to blossom into someting comparable to the Highlands, heck even Okolona. The city needs to worry about crime and education in that area. Just improving those two things right there would greatly improve that area. Revitalizing an area the size of the westend would take hundreds of millions of dollars, as well as a huge community effort to improve aspects that money can't solve, it isn't going to happen over night. I don't think the city should invest anymore into that are than anywhere else as far as actual development goes. I'm sure the city doesn't invest that much into the west end as of now, but think about of tax money the city probably recieves from that area. Would it really be fair to invest tax money from other areas of the city into something that wouldn't either A) benefit the area as a whole (such as downtown), or B) benefit that area directly. Think about this at a state wide level, it would be comparable to how the tax dollars of Louisville get spread out throughout the state.
I am for improving the west end, through better education, programs to keep kids away from crime, and fighting the crime head on. As far as development goes, I think that businesses should be the ones to step up.

"you think little suburbian white kids don't bring drugs and guns in St. Mathews and riverfalls mall?" I wonder where a majority of those drugs ultimately come from....... I can promise you that the amounts of guns brought into suburban malls are way less than they would be in a mall in the west end. C'mon don't make this a race issue you had to use "little suburban WHITE kids",you couldn't just say sububurban kids? So are you saying black kids don't live in the suburbs? You must not travel to the suburbs very often, my neighborhood has black people living in it. My neighbors are black(they're great people if I may add).

"you think little suburbian white kids don't bring drugs and guns in St. Mathews and riverfalls mall?" I wonder where a majority of those drugs ultimately come from....... I can promise you that the amounts of guns brought into suburban malls are way less than they would be in a mall in the west end. C'mon don't make this a race issue you had to use "little suburban WHITE kids",you couldn't just say sububurban kids? So are you saying black kids don't live in the suburbs? You must not travel to the suburbs very often, my neighborhood has black people living in it. My neighbors are black(they're great people if I may add).


No I said white suburban kids because you can't tell me the majority of teens that frequent St. Mathews and Riverfalls mall are black. Just like the majority of teens that would frequent a mall in the west end wouldn't be white...this is what happends when a city is segregated....I disagree with Schristpher and his saying a west end mall wouldn't work because someone would "deal drugs in it and shoot it up."Thats probably the dumbest shit i've heard. If they give the mall proper security like they have at all malls, then we wouldn't have that type of problem would we? But even with security, malls in the suburbs still have problems with drugs, so why would you expect the west end mall to be totally free of that stuff?

I mean we've already lost minority representation after the merger decreased the black population from 30% to like 17%. We've lost voices, and now the city is starting to overlook the west end. Its a shame too, becasue there are a lot of buildings down here that could be turned into something nice if the city just stopped letting them rott.

Soulbrotha, you act as if the city government is in the business of creating business. You. Are. Wrong.

Even if they were, the west end is a BAD INVESTMENT CHOICE. Lets look at facts, shall we?

The disposible income of those 100-150k people living in the west end of Louisville is quite lacking in comparison to those in other areas of the city. The crime rate is substantionally higher in the west end, especially violent crime.

You seem to like to stereotype suburban kids as white, but don't like when people stereotype the west end as a higher crime region. Well, it is. GET OVER IT.

You want to see the west end succeed? Look to your own community for it's problems. I have little pity for people who live in the west end and complain the government does nothing for them. GUESS WHAT? DO IT YOURSELF. If the community there valued success and education, guess what, your community would be educated and successful...

Do you not understand that the lack of retail is simply a symptom of the underlying social ills that plague the west end, that some new mall will not help, only be ruined by the community itself there?

Soulbrotha, you act as if the city government is in the business of creating business. You. Are. Wrong.

Even if they were, the west end is a BAD INVESTMENT CHOICE. Lets look at facts, shall we?

The disposible income of those 100-150k people living in the west end of Louisville is quite lacking in comparison to those in other areas of the city. The crime rate is substantionally higher in the west end, especially violent crime.

You seem to like to stereotype suburban kids as white, but don't like when people stereotype the west end as a higher crime region. Well, it is. GET OVER IT.

You want to see the west end succeed? Look to your own community for it's problems. I have little pity for people who live in the west end and complain the government does nothing for them. GUESS WHAT? DO IT YOURSELF. If the community there valued success and education, guess what, your community would be educated and successful...

Do you not understand that the lack of retail is simply a symptom of the underlying social ills that plague the west end, that some new mall will not help, only be ruined by the community itself there?

Stereotyping is when you say something that is not true...now are you sitting there straight faced telling me the majority of people in the suburbs of Louisville are not white? And since when can you stereotype people as white? WTF? That makes no sense. Do a demographics check on St.Mathews and tell me what you see. You'll maybe get .5% black lol..

Fact remains, we shouldn't have to look to our own community for help the city should be giving us. We pay taxes that help build things in the surburbs that we will never ever get to have in our own community.

To sit there and say this would happend or that would happend, when the fact remains, the west end has never been given the oppurtunity to build a real mall, so we don't know what the outcome would be. You'll never see what the outcome would be untill we actually take a chance and build these things in the west end.

There is a lack of effort by the city to motivate small businesses in the west end. There was just a article about this in the CJ.

If you look at the history of the west end, everyone knows it was all white before fair housing. And you'll see the majority of the businesses left with the white people. Either that or they where replaced with public housing.

Old Walnut street(Muhammad Ali blvd) probably had more businesses than the highlands does today.

http://www.pbase.com/soulbrotha4620/image/30822652.jpg
Untill they where replaced by village west and beecher terrace.

Who's fault was that? Maybe if the city had done better planning the future of the west end, we wouldn't be in this mess today.

Just for the fun of it, i'll do a comparison between St. Mattews and a section of West Louisville.


St. Matthews 40207
Total population 30,171
Male 13,992 46.4%
Female 16,179 53.6%
Race
White 28,484 94.4%
Black or African American 731 2.4%
Asian 596 2.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)320 1.1%

Social
Population 25 years and over 22,333

High school graduate or higher 21,096 94.5%

Bachelor's degree or higher 11,994 53.7%

Economic:
In labor force (population 16 years and over) 16,245 65.1%
Median household income (dollars) 54,050
Median family income (dollars) 70,853
Per capita income (dollars) 38,456
Families below poverty level 252 3.1%
Individuals below poverty level 1,389 4.7%

Housing
Single-family owner-occupied homes 8,906
Median value (dollars) 165,500



I'll use my own zip code for the West End.

West Louisville, Shawnee land 40203

Total population 23,553
Male 10,630 45.1%
Female 12,923%

Race:
White 719 3.1%
Black or African American 22,395 95.1%

Social
Population 25 years and over 14,147
High school graduate or higher 9,760 69.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher 1,133 8.0%
Disability status (population 21 to 64 years) 3,796 32.8%

Economic
In labor force (population 16 years and over) 8,957 52.65
Median household income (dollars) 21,906
Median family income (dollars) 26,021
Per capita income (dollars) 12,633
Families below poverty level 1,672 27.3%
Individuals below poverty level 7,476 31.8%

Housing
Single-family owner-occupied homes 4,704
Median value (dollars) 56,300
------------------------------------------------


Looking at these statistics, how do you find it justifiable to ask the west end to do what St.Matthews does on their own? Its not possible, we have no economic power compared to St. Matthews.. Rubbertown is not owned by us, and we see very little of the money that comes out of it. Rubbertown is probably the biggest industrial establishment in the city, yet the only thing west end residents get from it...is cancer.... It is impossible for West Louisville to improve without help from the city, the state, or the federal government. Thats the dead truth.

And that was just one zip code from the west end, others get worst. Not only should you come away from those statistics knowing there is a very wide gap between the economy of the west end and St. Matthews, but you should also see the huge lack of diversity in both sections...pretty sad.

Segregation is the biggest stain on the city of Louisville, and the only way it'll change is if people stop saying "its a fact of life."
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en

You did the demographic data for me Soulbrotha...the west end has a very low attainment of education, therefore low wages. Jeez. You think the west end should just have the governemnt hand you things. No. No, they never will. SO SHUT AND AND STOP COMPLAINING. Do something about it. No. SERIOUSLY. Convince your community to value constructive rather than destructive behaviors.

Business is a private venture, and I'll be damned if I am going to watch my tax money be wasted on a section of this city that cannot recognize why it is failing and try to fix itself. The government has been trying to educate it for years, but it only gets worse. The social ills are staggering there, and the governemnnt cannot fix your problems.

You want to know how we'll stop segregation SoulBrotha? The day that the community in the west end learns there is something to be gained from education, they will start to be integrated. The day they put down their guns and their crack and pick up a book is the day we will start to be integrated.

And you complain to high heaven about JCPS, but I know for a FACT that education begins at home, and the community, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, does not value education. They value many other destructive things. I have VERY little pity for the west end. Go to school. Pick up a book and learn, Better yourself. Only then will you see the community of the west end begin to rise again.

Soulbrotha... you say that no one has ever given the West end a chance with a mall. Why would someone? A movie theatre couldn't even be supported. That means that a mall would probably fail just as quick. I am just pointing out the facts... that doesn't mean I'm racist or prejudice.. it's just the FACTS.. sorry they're not in your favor.. but the government can't cure everything, the community itself has to do something

The movie theater is privatley owned, and is supposed to open back up soon.

Louisville JAke, how many times have you been to the west end recently? let me guess 0, thanks :).

And last time I checked, segregation started after whites moved out of the west end, when blacks moved next door to them.

And just so you know, even movie theaters in the highlands go bankrupt. i.e Showcase Cinemas ...and not to mention Bashford Manor Mall...

why is it that Bashford manner mall goes in the red and is replaced by a Walmart, but when a businness goes under in the west end it just sits there and decays?

You did the demographic data for me Soulbrotha...the west end has a very low attainment of education, therefore low wages. Jeez. You think the west end should just have the governemnt hand you things. No. No, they never will. SO SHUT AND AND STOP COMPLAINING. Do something about it. No. SERIOUSLY. Convince your community to value constructive rather than destructive behaviors.

Business is a private venture, and I'll be damned if I am going to watch my tax money be wasted on a section of this city that cannot recognize why it is failing and try to fix itself. The government has been trying to educate it for years, but it only gets worse. The social ills are staggering there, and the governemnnt cannot fix your problems.

You want to know how we'll stop segregation SoulBrotha? The day that the community in the west end learns there is something to be gained from education, they will start to be integrated. The day they put down their guns and their crack and pick up a book is the day we will start to be integrated.

And you complain to high heaven about JCPS, but I know for a FACT that education begins at home, and the community, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, does not value education. They value many other destructive things. I have VERY little pity for the west end. Go to school. Pick up a book and learn, Better yourself. Only then will you see the community of the west end begin to rise again.

I couldn't have said it better myself LouisvilleJake. I don't think soulbrother will be happy until Louisville becomes a Communist State. Segregation, while yes it WAS more of a race issue in the past, today it's more of a economic thing. If you can afford to live in a nice neighborhood, why the hell would you move to the west end? A house in St.Matthews cost a lot more than the west end, as it should due to it's location. Yes you could develop mixed income housing in the higher end areas of town, but is it really fair for someone who works thier way through years of schooling to pay $300,000 for a house next to someone who paid a small percentage of that?I know I wouldn't be very happy, I am a firm believer in working for what you have, if you don't like the way things are YOU should make a change and work to make things better, not the government.

Soulbrotha, do not act like you know where I go when I am in Louisville.

Thank you very kindly, but I have an aunt and uncle who live on Duncan Street in the lovely west end. A cousin who lives 2 blocks over from their house. I have been to the west end VERY recently, AKA, YESTERDAY YOU FOOL. So do not act like you know me. You do not. End of story. THANK YOU.

You wonder why they replace Bashford Manor? THERE IS MONEY TO BE HAD BY REPLACING IT. Why is this so hard to understand for you? REALLY? There is money to be made in The Highlands, hence why there is business there. There is not money to be made in the west end. It is all about money...and the west end does not have it.

To make money and change the physical infastructure of the west end you have to change the mentality first. You have to convince people to stop their destrucive behavior and change for the betterment of the whole community. Change happens from withen, you expect the government to fix it or you. Good luck with that. Keep crying to people who cannot do anything for you.

Soulbrotha, do not act like you know where I go when I am in Louisville.

Thank you very kindly, but I have an aunt and uncle who live on Duncan Street in the lovely west end. A cousin who lives 2 blocks over from their house. I have been to the west end VERY recently, AKA, YESTERDAY YOU FOOL. So do not act like you know me. You do not. End of story. THANK YOU.

You wonder why they replace Bashford Manor? THERE IS MONEY TO BE HAD BY REPLACING IT. Why is this so hard to understand for you? REALLY? There is money to be made in The Highlands, hence why there is business there. There is not money to be made in the west end. It is all about money...and the west end does not have it.

To make money and change the physical infastructure of the west end you have to change the mentality first. You have to convince people to stop their destrucive behavior and change for the betterment of the whole community. Change happens from withen, you expect the government to fix it or you. Good luck with that. Keep crying to people who cannot do anything for you.

It has nothing to do with changing mentalities, its about provided people with a quality product. You poll people in the west end, about the quality of goods we receive compared to other parts of the cities with the same stores. You can't compare the krogers in west Louisville to the krogers at bardstown and taylorsville road. It has nothing to do with the people, the people's mentality doesn't determine if the apples at the krogers in the west end are rotten, or if the lettace have mold. The Company does. Provide the west end with the same quality shopping centers that are found in St.Matthews and the people will come. Stop giving people down here second class bull shit. You have a life long west end resident telling you this right here.

Soulbrotha, do not act like you know where I go when I am in Louisville.

Thank you very kindly, but I have an aunt and uncle who live on Duncan Street in the lovely west end. A cousin who lives 2 blocks over from their house. I have been to the west end VERY recently, AKA, YESTERDAY YOU FOOL. So do not act like you know me. You do not. End of story. THANK YOU.

You wonder why they replace Bashford Manor? THERE IS MONEY TO BE HAD BY REPLACING IT. Why is this so hard to understand for you? REALLY? There is money to be made in The Highlands, hence why there is business there. There is not money to be made in the west end. It is all about money...and the west end does not have it.

To make money and change the physical infastructure of the west end you have to change the mentality first. You have to convince people to stop their destrucive behavior and change for the betterment of the whole community. Change happens from withen, you expect the government to fix it or you. Good luck with that. Keep crying to people who cannot do anything for you.


You have family in the west end, yet you just called people in the west end "destructive", gun crazy crack dealers...i guess thats minus your relatives though lol.

You think adding stores to the west end is going to solve anything? People will still be un-educated, crime will still be a problem. How does the city have anything to do with the apples at Kroger? It doesn't, the city doesn't control Kroger's inventory, nor does it control the business climtate in the west end or any part of the city. Business in the west end would be better if they were better off economically, it is simply a bad area for investment. If the per capita income is at around 12,000, how much extra income could people in that are actually have to spend at a mall?

You think adding stores to the west end is going to solve anything?

YES!

The city has the ability to make sure stores in the west end are up to standard, and if they aren't they have the ability to force them to improve the quality of their goods.

what did west end residence say in the Bueler Closing article?

"If it was a little closer, I probably would go to Wal-Mart," she said. "Kroger's OK when they have their sales, but I don't care much for the Kroger's down here. … A lot of people like to go farther out because (the stores) are a little nicer. "
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050415/BUSINESS/504150351/1003

Opening more businnesses in the west end will also give people job oppurtunities closer to home.

You think so one sided, right now, give me, give me, GIVE ME.

You are not even willingto admit thatthe residents of the west end are not like residents of the east end. They are less educated, care about their community less, have more crime, have more drugs, et cetera...and you think a few stores will help?!?

Jeez. All that will do is have a hoodlum filled rat hole of a mall, and the west enders will complain of how terrible it is and why are the police officers not stopping the crime that now just oozes from their new shopping paradise.

Soulbrotha, you sound like you are a perpetual victim...always the victim of someone else. GET OVER IT. The west end is the way it is because of the people inside of it, not the people outiside...sadly, you seem to only think that if the west end had stores with meager paying jobs, no clients, and crime syndicats roaming, things would be peachy keen in western Louisville.

I think the problem could easily be solved if the ol' Ohio flooded and washed the West End out.

Dontcha think?

You think so one sided, right now, give me, give me, GIVE ME.

You are not even willingto admit thatthe residents of the west end are not like residents of the east end. They are less educated, care about their community less, have more crime, have more drugs, et cetera...and you think a few stores will help?!?



absolutley, and nothing you just said proves a few stores, and new jobs won't help...although i've found it hard to find data supporting your claim that people in the west end "care about their community less"

Being a victim, and asking for more help and support to make the west end better are two different things.

Last time I checked crime was a city wide problem, no matter where it occurs. But I guess you want people in the west end to become detectives and solve murders too?

Drugs...I can go to any part of this city and buy drugs...south end, west end, east end and southern indiana. you think the west end is the only part of the city with drugs? Think twice.

Never mind. Seriously. You are hopeless. Seriously just hopeless. You think a few stores will save the West End, well good for you. here is a cookie.

It won't work and it will not happen. Oh well. Too bad. I will not lose any sleep and I feel no pity for west enders and their plight. They bring it on themselves.

Never mind. Seriously. You are hopeless. Seriously just hopeless. You think a few stores will save the West End, well good for you. here is a cookie.

It won't work and it will not happen. Oh well. Too bad. I will not lose any sleep and I feel no pity for west enders and their plight. They bring it on themselves.

I think a few stores, good quality stores, will drastically improve the economy and self esteem of the west end. There should be no reason why people can't visit a decent grocery store in their own community. Especially people who depend on tarc, Which most of the people in the west end do. I don't like the fact that my mother has to go to New Albany, Indiana just to go to wal-fucking-mart. There should be one right on broadway just a few blocks from my house. People would support it, as long as people have mouths to feed and children to clothe, you can bet your ass they will support it.

Poeple wouldnt look towards the W. end for a mall right now anyways they would looks towards Valley Station, Pleasure Ridge Park, Fern Creek, and S. Bardstown Road. Would it be to bad to have to drive to the mall on Dixie Highway or Greenbelt Expwy. There is also supposed to be a Walmart going up at Terry Rd. @ Cane Run Rd.-Greenbelt. I mean I think that you could handle that. Right?

People in the west end, 125,000 of them, would look towards a mall in their own neighborhoods.

ON TARC.

I don't think we're ever going to get anything across to soulbrother and his socialistic ranting, so heres a thought, lets just stop replying. Theres no point in dragging this out.

And i still love and hate the city...funny how none of you fockers said anything about the things i like about this city.

Double post.

I'd just like to inject a little of our experience here in Milwaukee to this debate. Someone earlier had said that successful developments in South Central LA are not good comparisons with what can happen in Louisville because LA and Louisville are so different. Well, from what I've read here I'd say Louisville and Milwaukee are quite similar ... about the same size with many of the same problems.

When Magic Johnson first invested in Harlem USA, a huge retail development in Harlem, most observers saw it as philanthropy. But guess what -- he made a bundle of money and in the process showed that there is most definately a market for quality retail in urban African American communities. He then proceeded to do the same thing in African American neighborhoods all over the country -- not just in NYC and LA, but here in Milwaukee as well.

One of the first indoor malls built in Milwaukee was called Capitol Court. Built in the 1950s, by the 1990s it had truly hit the skids. The mall was mostly vacant, crime and the perception of crime were rampant. The neighborhood had turned its back on Capitol Court -- it was seen as a menacing place.

In the late 1990s Capitol Court closed. Many around the area saw this as evidence that retail in Milwaukee's mostly African American North Side was doomed to fail.

A group of investors led by Magic Johnson aquired the Capitol Court site and redeveloped as the hugely successful Midtown Center.

I couldn't find any good pics, but here's a link to a PDF. (http://www.mkedcd.org/business/pdfs/busmmMidtown.pdf)

Midtown Center was not a government-sponsored mall that dropped out of the sky and landed in Milwaukee's north side. It was a business venture that some saw as a huge risk (given the spectacular failure of Capitol Court) but ended up being a cash cow for those involved. Including local Black investors.

And the population served by Midtown Center is not exclusively middle class. The shopping center serves a huge swath of Milwaukee's north side .. which sounds remarkably similar to Louisville's west end. I live nearby and shop there at least 2 or 3 times a week -- the crowds at Midtown are huge.

Did Midtown solve the deep-seated problems plaguing the Black community in Milwaukee? No. But it made the neighborhood a hell of a lot better, and proved once and for all that quality retail will be well patronized by people, no matter what their income levels.

Thank you, I know people who spend their whole paychecks at the sub-par Krogers we have in the west end. I'm sure if we got a quality wal-mart, or some other kind of shopping center they would be happy to shop there for a better product...I can't beleive I'm getting called a communist and socialist just for asking the city to do a better job developing the west end.

Whenever I say "black" or "white" everybodies eyes automatically stick to those words like a magnet on a metal refrigerator. Everyone here agrees that the city of Louisville is segregated, thats one of the reasons I hate it, is that bad or good? Certainly no one should love their city because it is segregated, so I assume everyone from Louisville shares my feelings on the issue of segregation, and can understand why that is one of the reasons I hate the city. Or does anyone from Louisville feal happy that the city is segregated, if so, wtf?

I'm not a prejudice person, I contribute to businesses from the west end, to the highlands...i.e. ear-x-tacy...How many people from Louisville can say they frequent businesses in all parts of the city? Its probably unlikely. I don't let the fact that I live in the west end keep me from going to the highlands, and I don't let the fact that the highlands has the better businesses keep me from supporting stores in the west end. I just whish i could find the same quality businesses in the west end that are in the Highlands.

The problems of the west end of Louisville are America's problems, so my 2 cents, for what it's worth:

I think some of the problems that SoulBrotha has with Louisville are that the city spends money to revitalize downtown without spending the money to revitalize the west end, while both areas are considered--at least by some standard--to be economically distressed, or in need of assistance. Certainly, of course, the west end is in much worse shape--not meaning to imply that downtown Louisville is as bad economically.

Yet, the government spends money on downtown, but not on the west end. Why government does that seems to be a legitimate question.

It's easy to argue that businesses would go to the west end if the residents had the money to spend, and so forth. In other words, let the free market decide.

At the same time, FourthStreet Live was heavily subsidized by government. It's not a free market creation. Why not apply the same standard to the west end? Why does the west end have a free market standard while downtown has a subsidized ("communist" for those of you who used that term for the west end) standard?

On a related matter---I am presuming that much of the west end was the traditional black area of Louisville. With fair housing legislation, much of the middle and upper class black population most likely left the west end for what they considered "better" areas. The outcome was a concentration of the poor--one of the ironic outcomes of desegregation.

Just for the fun of it, i'll do a comparison between St. Mattews and a section of West Louisville.


St. Matthews 40207
Total population 30,171
Male 13,992 46.4%
Female 16,179 53.6%
Race
White 28,484 94.4%
Black or African American 731 2.4%
Asian 596 2.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)320 1.1%

Social
Population 25 years and over 22,333

High school graduate or higher 21,096 94.5%

Bachelor's degree or higher 11,994 53.7%

Economic:
In labor force (population 16 years and over) 16,245 65.1%
Median household income (dollars) 54,050
Median family income (dollars) 70,853
Per capita income (dollars) 38,456
Families below poverty level 252 3.1%
Individuals below poverty level 1,389 4.7%

Housing
Single-family owner-occupied homes 8,906
Median value (dollars) 165,500



I'll use my own zip code for the West End.

West Louisville, Shawnee land 40203

Total population 23,553
Male 10,630 45.1%
Female 12,923%

Race:
White 719 3.1%
Black or African American 22,395 95.1%

Social
Population 25 years and over 14,147
High school graduate or higher 9,760 69.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher 1,133 8.0%
Disability status (population 21 to 64 years) 3,796 32.8%

Economic
In labor force (population 16 years and over) 8,957 52.65
Median household income (dollars) 21,906
Median family income (dollars) 26,021
Per capita income (dollars) 12,633
Families below poverty level 1,672 27.3%
Individuals below poverty level 7,476 31.8%

Housing
Single-family owner-occupied homes 4,704
Median value (dollars) 56,300
------------------------------------------------


Looking at these statistics, how do you find it justifiable to ask the west end to do what St.Matthews does on their own? Its not possible, we have no economic power compared to St. Matthews.. Rubbertown is not owned by us, and we see very little of the money that comes out of it. Rubbertown is probably the biggest industrial establishment in the city, yet the only thing west end residents get from it...is cancer.... It is impossible for West Louisville to improve without help from the city, the state, or the federal government. Thats the dead truth.

And that was just one zip code from the west end, others get worst. Not only should you come away from those statistics knowing there is a very wide gap between the economy of the west end and St. Matthews, but you should also see the huge lack of diversity in both sections...pretty sad.

Segregation is the biggest stain on the city of Louisville, and the only way it'll change is if people stop saying "its a fact of life."
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en

First, I am pretty sure you meant 40213 for the zip. 40203 is Old Louisville, Smoketown, Shelby Park, etc. Second, your ignorance astounds me. 70k median income in 40207 versus 22k in 40213. Tell me where you'd open your business.

Ultimately poor people, not just blacks, are slaves to welfare. We give ito waaaay to many people who just use it for drugs and have no eucational motivation. IMO it is a form of modern slavery. Potentially, West Louisville could be the coolest hood. such great architecure and design. its too bad.

First, I am pretty sure you meant 40213 for the zip. 40203 is Old Louisville, Smoketown, Shelby Park, etc. Second, your ignorance astounds me. 70k median income in 40207 versus 22k in 40213. Tell me where you'd open your business.

Ultimately poor people, not just blacks, are slaves to welfare. We give ito waaaay to many people who just use it for drugs and have no eucational motivation. IMO it is a form of modern slavery. Potentially, West Louisville could be the coolest hood. such great architecure and design. its too bad.


Well 22 thousand dollars is a pretty good amount of money in my eyes. My mother makes around 17 thousand a year working as a teacher. And you can't get welfare if you make over 22 thousand dollars.

I'd open my business at the location people most frequent...which is probably around 29th and broadway, around that area...how would I do this? Statistical surveys, word of mouth, marketing. Give the people what they want, instead of worrying about your pockets first, the money will come.

you have a whole sections of wig shops on 4th street....what more does the city of louisville need to make you happy?

Pish posh thats synthetic...I wish for human hair that they get in such ritzy places as NEW ALBANY! LOL

I Pity the fool who learns from the teacher who taught you that a city should open a Wal-Mart in a distressed area, coz something closed from lack of business.

you have a whole sections of wig shops on 4th street....what more does the city of louisville need to make you happy?


A new mall, located at 29th & broadway in the old windixie/buhlers building.

LOL *rubs hands on eyes...move you little bitch waah waah waah

No.

No what? You think the city should invest in a delapidated area and build a MALL!? Why should they step in and do that since developers havent. The mentioned walmart isnt very picky they will go in pretty much anywhere. Theft risks arent very attractive though.

No what? .

No, i'm not moving out of the west end. And I will continue to ask for improvement from the city thru emails, letters and photos untill we get the things we need.

LOL what do you want abdul...a walmart? Write developers you ditz, the city isnt in the art of building things otherwise itd be perfect.

LOL what do you want abdul...a walmart? Write developers you ditz, the city isnt in the art of building things otherwise itd be perfect.


I want more attempts from the city to enourage businesses to move to the west end. If they have to do that with tax incentives, and tax breakes thats good. If they can do it with more advertising thats good as well, however they choose I will be happy. And will happily photograph every day of construction.

Why should they do that? The developer doesnt give a crap about anywhere. Eveen in Okalona there is no bookstore...why should someone be given money to move to the west end....

Why should they do that? The developer doesnt give a crap about anywhere. Eveen in Okalona there is no bookstore...why should someone be given money to move to the west end....


Its called encouragment.

Encouragement? These are multi million dollar companies not elmo from sesame street.

Encouragement? These are multi million dollar companies not elmo from sesame street.

Give encouragement to all buildings, not just multi million but small ones as well. West Louisville has the most vacant buildings in the city that are just waiting to be occupid by small businesses.

If they are JUST WAITING to be occupied...developers about to pee their pants...then why ARENT they occupied LOL?

If they are JUST WAITING to be occupied...developers about to pee their pants...then why ARENT they occupied LOL?

There is a lack of encouragement for these businesses to move into the west end...thats what i said three pages ago.

Developers see investment not someone saying some area is distressed and they should be there...good lord. LOL you think the city of Louisville should say HEY we need a GOOD kroger that isnt ransacked heres a mil ... build a good one. HAAHHAHAHHHA

Developers see investment not someone saying some area is distressed and they should be there...good lord. LOL you think the city of Louisville should say HEY we need a GOOD kroger that isnt ransacked heres a mil ... build a good one. HAAHHAHAHHHA


dEvelopers have to be gathered by the city, and given a reason to move into any area. The City isn't doing enough to encourage businesses to move into the west end. They could do this by given them tax breaks, or incentives. Or by other means, and if they don't get outside businesses they should support people in the west end who need loans to start their own businesses. I would like to see more workshops like the ones held in the nia center. And more advertising.

If thats what you think...... developers have nothing to do with the city unless you live in Atlanta ....

If thats what you think...... developers have nothing to do with the city unless you live in Atlanta ....

Sure they have to do with the city, when a person buys a vacant building they pay the city. When a person takes out a subsidized loan they take it from the city or state. These programs need to be advertised more towards the west end.

Yeah coz it is such a deserving area?

Its an area in need.

why don't we just build the arena in the west end? lol

why don't we just build the arena in the west end? lol


That isn't such a bad idea. When they built the Lexington Legends Applee's Park here in Lex, the first idea from the city was downtown near Rupp Arena, but instead it was built off North Broadway...this in turn brought new business and money to fix up older business. The area has boomed in turning around from a low economic base.

I do not live in L-ville so I really don't have too much say but I will state this....city gov. does have a lot of pull and power to where new developments and growth take place. Lexington for years had turned its head from the North/ Northeast area of the city, even failed to look at some of it's center urban core and focused on the South area. Lexington is now turning back and improving conditions in the areas it had left behind. The city also has set a plan in place to give "equal treatment" in developing the entire city so all its people have nice places to live, shop, and play. The city has realized that all of its parts are connected to one another, if one side falls we all fall.

The west end has about 120,000 residence, maybe more, yet the only large mall it has is Lyles Mall which was built in the 70's. Why is it that the highlands has all of the retail in the city when it has about the same, maybe less, residence than the west end?

You could hear the same complaints form folks in Southwest County about lack of good shopping opportunities, tho things are not as dire there as they are in the West End. I remember folks from the West End taking the bus down Dixie to go shopping in PRP & Valley Station...can you imagine the hassle of taking a bus that far out due to lack of retail in town?


And its not like Louisville can't concieve of in-town shopping..there is a brand new in-town strip center w. I think a grocery over near Churchill Downs on what looks like the old American Air Filter site...and, from an earlier era, the "Mid City Mall" off of Bardstown Road...but that new center by Churchill Downs is a good example of what could be done on the West End, perhaps at the old Phillip Morris plant site. And there lots of examples in Chicago of using TIFs to redevelop derelict industrial sites for in-town retail.

Yes, i frequent ebgames over at that new shopping center by papa johns cardinal stadium.

I pass by that shopping center everday on my way to U of L, the area directly around it is a relatively low income area, though not quite as bad as the west end. If you look at it, it's still relatively empty. It's been completed for about a year. This would be an example of what would more than likely happen to a similiar development in the west end. Though the development is a nice addition to that area, it really hasn't helped the area economically, now what has, is U of L, Churchill Downs and the rebirth that going on in old Louisville which is just north of this area.
I keep hearing about the terribly grocery stores in the west end, why not contact them, they would be the ones who could do something about it. As fas as the store being dirty, and so on, thats more the fault of management, perhaps soul, you could contact them. If you got enough people together you could probably get that kroger's remodeled at least, if there is really 120000 or so people living in that area, I would say you could probably get some decent statistics together that could show that the area needs another grogery.

I thought that the Portland Kroger was going to be remodeled and expanded and that Market or Bank and 28th or 32nd or 48938495th street was going to be made two-way or signalized because of it.

I pass by that shopping center everday on my way to U of L, the area directly around it is a relatively low income area, though not quite as bad as the west end. If you look at it, it's still relatively empty. It's been completed for about a year. This would be an example of what would more than likely happen to a similiar development in the west end. Though the development is a nice addition to that area, it really hasn't helped the area economically, now what has, is U of L, Churchill Downs and the rebirth that going on in old Louisville which is just north of this area.
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Its not that bad over there, i'd say that area is the most diverse in Louisville. You have hispanics, Sudanese immagrants, blacks, whites, it really seems like a different city. Here is my gallery.

http://www.pbase.com/soulbrotha4620/south_central_louisville

That area isn't that bad, but directly around churchill downs ( the area around taylor blvd, south of central), I swear on my way from Dixie Hwy I pass by half the porn shops and strip clubs in Louisville, but once you get to central it gets better, especially if you continue north. I wasn't refering to the quality of the area, but it's residential income level. I don't have any statistical info or anything and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I would say that the area I just mentioned is probably below the median income levels for Louisville.

getting back to the thread header, what I like about Louisville is pretty much the same thing Soulbrotha likes, but id add Louisville neighborhoods in general are really good, maybe not as "hip" as Bardstown Rd, but nice. Southern Pkwy & the South End, too...Soulbrotha already mentioned Shawneeland....and I posted those pix of Portland...so you can see Louisville has pretty interesting and distinctive neighborhoods. They really are the strenght of the city.

I'd add the parks...Cherokee, Shawnee, and Iroqouis....those are a great assett to the city, and the Jefferson County Forest is nice to have so close by too, for rugged hill country hiking and place to get away (Tom Wallace Lake..if you don't know about it you should...great spot...a little lake up in the Knobs!). I'd add Bernheim Forest to the parks list too.

What I hate about Louisville is the absolutely gross suburban sprawl. Sure, thats everywhere, but its particularly awful in Louisville. The city has almost NO nice suburbs (and I don't mean big houses off in some subdivision...Louisville has plenty of that). Anchorage & whats left of Middletown comes close (Middletown dodged the bullet a bit, but the Shelbville Rd strip mars that community), but nearly all of the older suburban or rural villiages or towns have been so screwed-over and overwhelmed by postwar auto-sprawl that they are unrecognizable as distinct places or have been totatlly trashed and lost nearly all character.

Especially tragic as you can see from old photos, aerials, maps, and the few remaining buildings that the Jefferson County countryside was once a true garden spot.

I guess I don't share the same hatred with the rest of the people on here regarding the suburbs, however with that said I would prefer to live in the Highlands, Old Louisville, or downtown over any part of they city. As far as no good suburbs I'd have to say I disagree, what about St.Matthews, it's mostly suburban (at least thats what I consider it to be). Yes you have the common traffic problems, but the area still has character. I would also consider Prospect and perhaps Jeffersontown and Highview (take away the cheaper subdivisions where everything looks the same as in Springview). Jeffersontown still keeps it's identy in my opinion, through all it's development, to me it still has that small town appeal. I am sure there are some other suburban areas in the city that are nice that I can't think of right now (it's 2 am), like I said I don't really have a problem with the suburbs, so I'm guessing there will be differences in opinion on this thread. I just see suburban sprawl as more of a trend than anything, if controlled I don't consider it that bad, again thats also something that one could debate either way(please lets refrain from that one).One thing I hate that is more prevelant in the suburbs is cheap development. Personally I hate all Dominion Homes neighborhoods. I wish the city would enforce stricter rules on development quality.