How a Historic Business Will Anchor a New Cultural District in Louisville

Branden Klayko reports on the master plan that rejuvenated an area surrounding the historic location of the Stoneware pottery company in Louisville. Here Klayko explains the impetus for the master plan:

"But how does an early 19th-century stoneware operation stay relevant in the 21st century when the majority of its competition is made overseas at a fraction of the cost? Smith enlisted a team of architects, planners, and landscape architects led by Los Angeles– and New York–based architecture firm wHY to find out."

After focusing on the Stoneware facilities, the master plan also prioritized connections to the surrounding Paristown Pointe neighborhood. The challenges presented by the neighborhood is part of what makes this master plan stand out: "The triangular area is hemmed in by a channelized creek, elevated rail line, and steep topography. The creek historically spills its banks, inundating the low-lying area." The 50-acre neighborhood stands as a kind of secluded enclave in the city—so wHY thought it was primed for a new image.

The master plan proposes a new cultural district, "anchored by a performing arts center, a brewery-restaurant, and Smith’s stoneware company. Those three businesses define two blocks along a redesigned Brent Street, which will become a shared street that doubles as a gathering space during special events." The article includes a lot more design and planning details.