96-507: Old Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville , Kentucky , United States. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture . It is also unique in that a majority of its structures are made of brick, and the neighborhood contains the highest concentration of residential homes with stained glass windows in
192-493: A mulecar line was extended down Fourth to Oak in 1865. The land south of Broadway that became Old Louisville was annexed by the city in 1868, as a part of larger expansion efforts. This annexation moved the southern boundary of the city as far south as the city's House of Refuge, an area which is now the University of Louisville campus and the southern border of Old Louisville. A year later, architect Gideon Shryock called
288-408: A 600 by 900-foot (270 m) enclosed exhibition building. The Exposition was opened by President Chester Arthur and attracted nearly one million visitors in its first year. The exhibition featured the first public display of Thomas Edison 's light bulb, as well as what was billed as the largest artificial lighting display in history with 4,600 lamps, in a time when electric lighting was considered
384-507: A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), and the historic commission or architectural review board may decide upon the changes. The COA process is carried out with all aspects of due process, with formal notification, hearings, and fair and informed decision-making. According to the National Park Service, historic districts are one of the oldest forms of protection for historic properties. The city of Charleston, South Carolina
480-444: A State Historic Preservation Office, not all states must have a "state historic district" designation. As of 2004, for example, the state of North Carolina had no such designation. Local historic districts usually enjoy the greatest level of protection legally from any threats that may compromise their historic integrity because many land-use decisions are made at the local level. There are more than 2,300 local historic districts in
576-410: A bachelor's degree are 28.4%. Females are 52.3% of the population, males are 47.7%. Households making less than $ 15,000 a year are 40.8%; although that is largely a function of the 27% of residents who are full-time college students. Ironically, Old Louisville has the youngest median age of any Louisville neighborhood and the highest percent of people between the ages of 20–29 (25%). Old Louisville's
672-699: A baseball park. The land was later cleared, buildings were erected, and it hosted the Southern Exposition from 1883 to 1887. The exhibition was held on 23 acres of open land south of Central Park. After the close of the Exposition, the buildings were razed, and William H. Slaughter began acquiring the land in 1889. By June 1890, the Courier Journal reported that William H. Slaughter purchased 52 lots of land between S. Fourth and S. Sixth Streets. The report also detailed his plan to develop
768-557: A couple decades of being built. The Great Depression in 1929, the Ohio River Flood of 1937 , and two World Wars accelerated the decline. By 1952 the deterioration in Old Louisville was obvious, but St. James and Belgravia retained much of their charm and distinctiveness. To reverse this decline and to market the value of the architecture, neighbors came together to start a fundraiser for St. James, and in 1957 they held
864-544: A decline in the early and mid-20th century. Following revitalization efforts and gentrification , Old Louisville is currently home to a diverse population with a high concentration of students and young professionals. Large-scale development in Louisville south of Broadway did not begin until the 1870s, nearly a century after what is now Downtown Louisville was first settled. The area was initially part of three different military land grants issued in 1773, and throughout
960-400: A faster rate than Louisville as a whole. This process has been described as gentrification . The area is now one of the most ethnically and economically diverse in Louisville. Crime is becoming less of a problem. While in 2003 there were 11.5 crimes per 1,000 residents, over twice the average for the city of Louisville as a whole, which was 5.0 crimes per 1,000 residents Old Louisville now has
1056-580: A federal designation, such as granting qualifications and tax incentives. In addition, the property can become protected under specific state laws. The laws can be similar or different from the federal guidelines that govern the National Register. A state listing of a historic district on a "State Register of Historic Places", usually by the State Historic Preservation Office , can be an "honorary status", much like
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#17327659357081152-484: A haven for the upper class, and was completely occupied by 1905. Described as "the epitome of Victorian eclecticism", the area included houses in such styles as Venetian , Colonial , Gothic and others. From 1890 to 1905 the area was home to the Amphitheatre Auditorium , which claimed the second largest stage in the United States and showcased many of the day's best actors. The structure, located at
1248-581: A historic district could comprise an entire neighborhood with hundreds of buildings, or a smaller area with just one or a few resources. Historic districts can be created by federal, state, or local governments . At the federal level, they are designated by the National Park Service and listed on the National Register of Historic Places ; this is a largely honorary designation that does not restrict what property owners may do with
1344-596: A historic district per U.S. federal law , last revised in 2004. According to the Register definition, a historic district is: a geographically definable area, urban or rural, possessing a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united by past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development. A district may also comprise individual elements separated geographically but linked by association or history. Districts established under U.S. federal guidelines generally begin
1440-462: A house to receive members of society in the Victorian Era , the interior features elaborately carved fireplaces, stained-glass windows, high ceilings in parlors and dining rooms, with carved arched fretwork leading the way into these rooms from the reception hall with its large staircase. The interior woodwork is cherry , bird's eye maple , and golden oak . Known for its parquet flooring,
1536-481: A mesh of structures, streets, open space, and landscaping to define a historic district's character. As early as 1981, the National Trust for Historic Preservation identified 882 American cities and towns that had some form of "historic district zoning " in place--local laws meant specifically to protect historic districts. Before 1966, historic preservation in the United States was in its infancy. That year
1632-456: A new area of homes that would “result in the establishment of one of the most beautiful residence sites in this city of beautiful residences.” The announcement noted without explanation that this new area would be named St. James Court. Although not stated, the selection of the names St. James and Belgravia, with their connections to London, England, were meant to enhance the exclusiveness of this new area and these new homes. The plan announced in
1728-415: A novelty. During the 1880s, after the exposition ended, the area between Oak and Hill Streets rapidly developed and became one of the city's most fashionable neighborhoods. According to historian Young E. Allison , 260 homes valued at a total of $ 1.6 million were constructed in Old Louisville from 1883 to 1886. The dominant styles by this time were Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque . An example of
1824-460: A part of this effort. However, the plan did spur the restoration of over 100 buildings in other parts of Old Louisville. During the 1960s many low income residents downtown who were displaced as a result of urban renewal moved into the newly converted apartments, especially on the north side of the neighborhood. The area was now considered drug ridden and undesirable by most Louisvillians. The very term Old Louisville , first becoming associated with
1920-514: A price per square foot basis increased in value significantly more than non-designated properties. The original concept of an American historic district was a protective area surrounding more important, individual historic sites. As the field of historic preservation progressed, those involved came to realize that the structures acting as "buffer zones" were key elements of the historical integrity of larger landmark sites. Preservationists believed that districts should be more encompassing, blending
2016-431: A property. State -level historic districts usually do not include restrictions, though this depends on the state. Historic districts created by local municipalities, however, almost always protect historic properties by regulating alterations, demolition, or new construction within the district. Much criticism has arisen of historic districts and the effect protective zoning and historic designation status laws have on
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#17327659357082112-456: A separate process unrelated to zoning. Local historic districts are identified by surveying historic resources and delineating appropriate boundaries that comply with all aspects of due process . Depending on local ordinances or state law, property owners' permission may be required; however, all owners are to be notified and allowed to share their opinions. Most local historic districts are constricted by design guidelines that control changes to
2208-523: A similar number of calls for police assistance as other parts of Louisville. The Louisville Metro Police 4th Division is responsible for a large portion of Louisville beyond Old Louisville, but is conveniently located in Central Park in Old Louisville. It had 134 officers assigned to it in 2006. Most calls are related to car break-ins and non-violent crimes. Murders are still rare, with one or two per year. Overall crime rates for both Old Louisville and
2304-423: A specific definition in relation to the National Register. All but the eponymous district category are also applied to historic districts listed on the National Register. A listing on the National Register of Historic Places is a governmental acknowledgment of a historic district. However, the Register is "an honorary status with some federal financial incentives." The National Register of Historic Places defines
2400-476: A stable for homeowners to house their horses and carriages, and a club or restaurant for residential entertainment. In July 1890, Slaughter began working with a development group known as the Victoria Land Company to develop the court. The Victoria Land Company, composed of Messrs. John D. Taggard, John Stites, George H. Moore, and George Birob, acquired the entire tract of land from Slaughter for
2496-403: Is Richardsonian -Romanesque. Made of Bedford (Indiana) limestone , it cost "at least $ 35,000" to build. Its vertical framework comes from its heavy corner towers features and turrets that are one of three shapes: coned , hexagonal , and pyramid shaped. Randomly placed on the building are carving of animals, gargoyles , and other objects, fenestration, and intricate foliation. As fitting for
2592-606: Is about 1.7 square miles (4.4 km) in area, and its population density is 7,800 persons per square mile. The best preserved portions, between Kentucky and Hill streets, have a density of over 10,000 persons per square mile. Old Louisville is broken up into five different census tracts by the US Census Bureau. There are stark differences revealed by the different tracts from north to south. Old Louisville has eight different neighborhood associations, each of which provides different infrastructure. For example, on 4th Street
2688-583: Is bordered to the north by Louisville's Central Park . The area was the site of the Southern Exposition and now hosts the St. James Court Art Show which takes place annually the first weekend of October. Belgravia Court takes its name from Belgravia , an affluent district in London, England . Belgravia Court has no immediate street access for vehicles and is a "walking court" with a common green area and parallel sidewalks. St. James Court features two important houses:
2784-407: Is credited with beginning the modern-day historic districts movement. In 1931, Charleston enacted an ordinance which designated an "Old and Historic District" administered by a Board of Architectural Review. Charleston's early ordinance reflected the strong protection that local historic districts often enjoy under local law. It asserted that no alteration could be made to any architectural features
2880-447: Is distinctly different in two important ways, however. First, Belgravia is on a significantly smaller scale. Whereas homes on St. James may average around 7,000 sq. ft. per house, homes on Belgravia average around 3,000-3,500 sq. ft. The common spaces are also reduced in size. Those size reductions lead to the second distinction from St. James, and that is that Belgravia is strictly a pedestrian court. There are two parallel sidewalks running
2976-471: Is little more than recognition by the government that the resource is worthy of preservation. Generally, the criteria for acceptance to the National Register are applied consistently, but there are considerations for exceptions to the criteria, and historic districts influence some of those exceptions. Usually, the National Register does not list religious structures, moved structures, reconstructed structures, or properties that have achieved significance within
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3072-488: Is not involved, then the listing on the National Register provides the site , property or district no protections. For example, if company A wants to tear down the hypothetical Smith House and company A is under contract with the state government of Illinois, then the federal designation would offer no protections. If, however, company A was under federal contract, the Smith House would be protected. A federal designation
3168-454: Is well known for its architecture, with styles ranging from Federal to Queen Anne . Very few antebellum buildings remain, and the most impressive buildings were built in the late 19th century. There are a few Italianate , Beaux-Arts and Second Empire -style houses, but Victorian styles dominate. Victorian Gothic styles are commonly seen. Many styles in Old Louisville are united by their use of red sandstone trim, which became popular by
3264-584: The Conrad–Caldwell House , and the Pink Palace . The history of St. James and Belgravia Courts is part of the broader story of what is now known as Old Louisville . As the city continued to develop south of the Ohio River, areas like this were used for various purposes over time. The land that is today St. James and Belgravia was at one time used for truck-farming and by 1875 became the site of
3360-687: The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival every summer, the Actors Theatre of Louisville Production Studio, and the Conrad-Caldwell House . The area of 6th and Hill Streets in the neighborhood was the setting of the best selling novel Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch by Louisvillian Alice Hegan Rice . Today there is a non-profit counseling and services center, named Cabbage Patch Settlement House for
3456-565: The Society Directory of Louisville having Old Louisville addresses. The directory also listed the reception days and hours of Old Louisville's leading ladies, which varied by street (such as Tuesdays on Fourth Street or Thursdays on Second). Old Louisville gradually declined as many of its wealthy inhabitants moved to newer streetcar suburbs such as Cherokee Triangle or built estates in areas east of Louisville recently connected by railroad such as Anchorage and Glenview . Many of
3552-560: The U.S. Conference of Mayors penned an influential report which concluded, in part, that Americans suffered from a sense of "rootlessness." They recommended historic preservation to help give Americans a sense of orientation. The creation of the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, on the heels of the report, helped instill that sense of orientation the mayors sought. The mayors also recommended that any historic preservation program not focus solely on individual properties but also on "areas and districts which contain special meaning for
3648-530: The 1880s to the point that the Courier-Journal said that "few new residences are going up in Louisville in which it is not being used". Another common Victorian style in the area is Richardsonian Romanesque . Aside from the best represented styles of architecture listed above, Old Louisville also has several great examples of the Chateauesque style of architecture in select buildings throughout
3744-630: The 1920s, the Fergusons sold the home to the Pearson family, and it served as the Pearson Funeral Home until the mid-1970s. The house also provided the headquarters for John Y. Brown Jr. 's successful 1979 gubernatorial campaign. In 1986, the mansion became the headquarters of The Filson Historical Society . At its peak in the late 19th century, Old Louisville was the center of Louisville's high society, with nearly all persons listed in
3840-512: The 1960s. These developments are apparently unique to Louisville. Two of the three major four-year universities in Louisville are located adjacent to Old Louisville, with Spalding University to the north and the University of Louisville to the south. DuPont Manual High School , a public magnet school , and Presentation Academy , a Catholic girls' high school, are also located in Old Louisville. The neighborhood contains The Filson Historical Society , Louisville's Central Park, which features
3936-413: The 1990s. New residents were not just college students using the area as housing, but also young professionals who wanted to live in Old Louisville. The Courier-Journal 's Velocity weekly has reported the area as a hip, emerging center of culture in Louisville. This change is reflected in numerous coffeehouses, restaurants and bars opening in Old Louisville in the 1990s and early 2000s targeting at
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4032-567: The Courier Journal in June 1890 described the layout of the homes, sidewalks, streets, trees, and common green space. What would have been S. Fifth Street became an open green space that was 800 feet long by 125 feet wide and flanked by single lane streets flanking the green space. Homes were set back from the streets paralleling the central green space. The planned homes were fronted by sidewalks and rows of shade trees. In this original design,
4128-531: The Louisville architectural firm of Cobb and Dodd —the same firm responsible for designing the Seelbach Hotel and the new capitol building in Frankfort —to design his home in 1901. Construction of the mansion took four years (1901–1905) and cost $ 100,000, which was approximately ten times the cost of the neighboring Victorian homes. At the time, the mansion was the most expensive home in Louisville. In
4224-470: The National Register of Historic Places. If such an objection occurred, then the nomination would become a determination of National Register eligibility only. This provision is controversial because of the presumption that owners who do not file a formal objection support the designation, placing the burden on opponents. Most U.S. state governments have a listing similar to the National Register of Historic Places. State listings can have similar benefits to
4320-669: The National Register. For example, in Nevada , listing in the State Register places no limits on property owners. In contrast, state law in Tennessee requires that property owners within historic districts follow a strict set of guidelines from the U.S. Department of Interior when altering their properties. Though, according to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, all states must have
4416-479: The U.S. Many of the buildings are in the Victorian era styles of Romanesque Revival , Queen Anne , or Italianate , and many blocks have had few or no buildings razed. There are also several 20th-century buildings from 15 to 20 stories. Old Louisville consists of about forty-eight city blocks and is located north of the University of Louisville 's main campus and south of Broadway and Downtown Louisville , in
4512-499: The United States Historic districts in the United States are designated historic districts recognizing a group of buildings, archaeological resources, or other properties as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects, and sites within a historic district are normally divided into two categories, contributing and non-contributing. Districts vary greatly in size and composition:
4608-424: The United States is primarily based on arguments that such laws creating such districts restrict the supply of affordable housing, and thus the result of such districts is that of enforcing caste structures and class divisions by region and segments of urban areas. Several historic districts have been proposed not for a true preservation purpose but to prevent development. The issue of local historic districts and
4704-425: The United States. Local historic districts can be administered at the county or the municipal level; both entities are involved in land use decisions. The specific legal mechanism by which historic districts are enacted and regulated varies from one state to the next. In some areas, they are a component of zoning (where they are sometimes referred to as "overlay districts." In other places, they are created under
4800-411: The Victoria Land Company to Oscar Turner Jr. The Phillips Investment Company began developing this lot in 1895 into a five-story apartment building. Dr. L.S. McMurtry filed suit against Turner and Phillips Investment Company to prevent the development of the apartment building on the grounds that it violated the terms of the deed transfers for St James. The case alleged that when the property was subdivided
4896-668: The Vieux Carré Commission and authorizing it to act to maintain the historic character of the city's French Quarter . Other localities picked up on the concept, with the city of Philadelphia enacting its historic preservation ordinance in 1955. The regulatory authority of local commissions and historic districts has been consistently upheld as a legitimate use of government police power, most notably in Penn Central Transportation Co. v. City of New York (1978). The Supreme Court case validated
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#17327659357084992-496: The activists' efforts, the area was made a historic preservation district in 1975. The area has continued to improve, with new restaurants and shops opening and many students, and young professionals moving into the area. Property owners, who once cheaply converted the old houses to apartments, have invested more in improvements since the 1980s, and several properties have been converted into luxury condominiums. The median home value more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, increasing at
5088-558: The area "a growing and beautiful suburban locality". By 1876 about a quarter of the area was occupied. Development continued as lots were sold southward to present day Oak Street, about a third of the way between Broadway and the House of Refuge. The principal road through the suburb at this time was Central Plank Road, which became Third Street. The emerging area was called the Southern Extension by this time. Growth south of Oak
5184-526: The area as early as the 1830s, and some of Louisville's great early mansions, predominantly in the Italianate style, were built along Broadway, very near Old Louisville, before the Civil War. Development from 1850 to 1870 occurred between Broadway and Kentucky Street, the northern extreme of what came to be called Old Louisville. North-south city streets were extended throughout the area in the 1850s, and
5280-412: The area in the 1940s, had mostly negative connotations initially, as historian Samuel W. Thomas put it, "In an Era where architectural styles were changing dramatically, old meant out of fashion". One of the first to take an active role in preserving and revitalizing Old Louisville was Louisville Courier Journal writer J. Douglas Nunn. In 1960, he began a vigorous public information campaign concerning
5376-518: The area. For example, one of these examples is a residential building, a mansion, at 400 Belgravia Court, which is a "walking court" where the mansions face a park like walk rather than a street. This specific building was completed in 1897 and one of its first residents was William H. Wathen, M.D., an eminent medical educator in Louisville from a family of successful distillers. Although some portions have been razed, many entire blocks remain almost untouched, and historian Theodore M. Brown said "it remains
5472-558: The area. Nunn compared it to neighborhoods such as Georgetown in Washington, D.C. and Beacon Hill in Boston. In 1961 Nunn took a leave of absence from his job and started "Restoration, Inc.", a group that restored ten homes in Old Louisville's Belgravia Court in 1961. This spurred interest in preservation that led many local activists to move to the area, and led to the first use of the name "Old Louisville" in print in that year. With
5568-664: The building were damaged by fire in February 1912, and the building was refurbished and redesigned with only the current three stories. Most homes on St. James (and Belgravia Court) were built between 1892 and 1905. Unfortunately, it was not long after the area was developed that the seeds of its decline took root and grew. A longer summary of the decline of Old Louisville provides more detail, but those same factors quickly affected St. James and Belgravia Courts. Changes in transportation (autos, street cars, and rail) and increased costs for domestic help made these homes less desirable within
5664-514: The central portion of the modern city. The neighborhood hosts the annual St. James Court Art Show on the first weekend in October. Old Louisville was built as a suburb of Louisville starting in the 1870s, nearly a century after the city was founded. It was initially called the Southern Extension, and the name "Old Louisville" did not come into use until the 1960s. Old Louisville was initially home to some of Louisville's wealthiest residents, but saw
5760-513: The city as a whole increased sharply in 2005 over the 2004 rate, although there was a decline again the first half of 2006. Old Louisville features the largest collection of pedestrian-only streets of any U.S. neighborhood. Eleven such "courts", where houses face each other across a grass median with sidewalks, were built in the neighborhood from 1891 to the 1920s. Most of the courts are centered off of 4th Street. Belgravia Court and Fountain Court were
5856-569: The community." Local, state, and federal historic districts now account for thousands of historical property listings at all levels of government. St. James Court 38°13′49.2″N 85°45′45.5″W / 38.230333°N 85.762639°W / 38.230333; -85.762639 The St. James–Belgravia Historic District , within Old Louisville , was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It comprises St. James Court (north) and Belgravia Court (south). It
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#17327659357085952-609: The corner of 4th and Hill Streets, was razed after its owner William Norton Jr. died. Another form of entertainment in the area was baseball, with the game first being played by 1860 and an early ballpark at Fourth and Ormsby emerging after the Civil War . By 1875, a new park had been built near St. James Court. Old Louisville is also home to the Ferguson Mansion , built by Edwin Hite Ferguson. Ferguson commissioned
6048-421: The designation process through a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register is the official recognition by the U.S. government of cultural resources worthy of preservation. While designation through the National Register does offer a district or property some protections, it is only in cases where the threatening action involves the federal government . If the federal government
6144-511: The designs mimic quilt patterns and feature the woodwork in the room. The St. James Court Historic Foundation, Inc, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, has owned the building since 1987, and uses it for a museum. The building complex also offers rental spaces for a variety of uses. Located at the corner of St. James and Belgravia Courts, the Pink Palace, built in 1891, was not originally a home, but an exclusive Gentleman's Club and Casino for
6240-432: The early and mid-19th century the land passed through the hands of several speculators while much of it was used as farmland. Some of the land south of Broadway was still in its natural state during this time, such as the 50-acre (200,000 m) tract between Broadway and Breckenridge, known as Jacob's Woods, a popular picnic ground as late as 1845. A major attraction was Oakland Race Track. Country estates had been built in
6336-408: The first St. James Court Art Show . Belgravia Court was also developed by the Victoria Land Company simultaneously with St. James Court. St. James runs north and south between Fourth and Sixth Streets, while Belgravia runs perpendicular to St. James and crosses it near the south end Hill Street intersection. There is little documentation for the design and planning of Belgravia, and it appears that it
6432-420: The first ones to be built in 1891 and are the most well known. Later ones included Reeser and Kensington (1910), which were built with large Victorian styled apartments instead of single family homes; and Eutropia and Rose Courts, which were the last ones built in the 1920s and featured small, single story houses. Belgravia and St. James Court were partially rehabilitated as a part of the urban renewal that began in
6528-528: The historic designation process has in many places been hijacked by NIMBY homeowners to block housing. The first U.S. historic district was established in Charleston, South Carolina in 1931, predating the U.S. federal government designation by more than three decades. Charleston city government designated an "Old and Historic District" by local ordinance and created a board of architectural review to oversee it. New Orleans followed in 1937, establishing
6624-521: The housing supply. When an area of a city is designated as part of a 'historic district', new housing development is artificially restricted and the supply of new housing permanently capped in area so designated as 'historic'. Critics of historic districts argue that while these districts may offer an aesthetic or visually pleasing benefit, they increase inequality by restricting access to new and affordable housing for lower and middle class tenants and potential home owners. Housing advocates have argued that
6720-627: The impact on property values concerns many homeowners. The effects have been extensively studied using multiple methodologies, including before-and-after analysis and evaluating comparable neighborhoods with and without local designation status. Independent researchers have conducted factual analysis in several states, including New Jersey, Texas, Indiana, Georgia, Colorado, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and elsewhere. As stated by economist Donovan Rypkema, "the results of these studies are remarkably consistent: property values in local historic districts appreciate significantly faster than
6816-409: The landscape plan also called for three fountains, although only one was eventually installed. The orientation of the long, wide central green space and the tall shade trees lining the perimeter echo the pattern of the central nave of a cathedral with trees forming columns and a canopied vault overhead. Walking the length of the central green space delivers a sense of progression and expansiveness given
6912-594: The large homes in Old Louisville were converted to boarding houses during the Great Depression , and the Ohio River flood of 1937 caused many of the remaining wealthy households to move above the river's flood plain. The gradual abandonment of Old Louisville by the wealthy was a reflection of changing lifestyles brought on by technology. Many homes of Old Louisville were originally built as mansions that would require several servants to maintain. Because of
7008-406: The last 50 years. However, if a property falls into one of those categories and are " integral parts of districts that do meet the criteria", then an exception allowing their listing will be made. Historic district listings, like all National Register nominations, can be rejected based on owner disapproval. In the case of historic districts, a majority of owners must object to nullify a nomination to
7104-591: The latter, which was known for its turrets, towers and bay windows , was the Conrad house at St. James Court. These styles became less prevalent in the 1890s as the remaining southern portions of Old Louisville, between Ormsby and the House of refuge, were filled in, predominantly with buildings in the Chateauesque and Renaissance Revival styles. This included one of Old Louisville's most famous sections, St. James Court, developed starting in 1890 and envisioned as
7200-443: The length of the court that mirror the one-way streets on St. James, but no access for carriages in the 1890s or later for automobiles. The architect Philip Johnson , who toured Belgravia in 1952, said that Belgravia was “a wonderful place”. He appreciated Belgravia because “of the sense of enclosed space you get in there. And no cars honking, tearing the spaces apart.” The Conrad–Caldwell House , once nicknamed "Conrad's Castle" ,
7296-545: The market as a whole in the vast majority of cases and appreciate at rates equivalent to the market in the worst case. Simply put – historic districts enhance property values." In a 2011 study Connecticut Local Historic Districts and Property Values , it was found that "property values in every local historic district saw average increases in value ranging from 4% to over 19% per year." Similarly, in New York City between 1980 and 2000, local historic district properties on
7392-401: The neighborhood, from around Kentucky Street to Broadway, was razed. Many buildings south of Lee Street, and nearly all south of Avery Street (renamed Cardinal Boulevard) were razed for the construction of Noe Middle School , expansions to DuPont Manual High School and the University of Louisville , and expansions to industry east of Floyd Street. From 1965 to 1971, 639 buildings were razed as
7488-613: The novel, on 6th Street at Magnolia Avenue, which serves children of low-income families. During the Christmas holiday season a number of private homes are toured in the Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour. Old Louisville's boundaries are Kentucky Street to the north, Avery Street (Cardinal Boulevard) to the south, I-65 to the east, the CSX railroad tracks to the west. Originally, the neighborhood extended all
7584-441: The only nineteenth-century segment of the city that is mostly intact". Some American Craftsman style houses can be found in Old Louisville, which were built as infills. As of 2000, the population of Old Louisville was 11,043, of which 55.9% are white, 35.0% are black, 6.3% are listed as other, and 2.3% are Hispanic. College graduates are 24.5%, people without a high school degree are 22.6%, and people with college experience without
7680-443: The overall proportions. The cathedral pattern continues with the dual streets forming aisles, a second row of trees providing additional columns, and the homes themselves forming proportional chapels along the perimeters. None of the surviving reports note a designer nor a specific precedent. The overall design, symmetry, and proportions of all the elements harmonize well together. Slaughter's plan in 1890 included later developments of
7776-399: The price of $ 300,000. Leading residents of the city acquired lots from the Victoria Land Company and built homes over the next decade. Each home is unique and represents a distinctive expression of Victorian architecture and of Louisville's prosperity and growth. Nearly all the lots were sold and developed into single family homes. One lot directly across from the central fountain was sold by
7872-467: The properties included in the district. Many local commissions adopt specific guidelines for each neighborhood's " tout ensemble " although some smaller commissions rely on the Secretary of Interior Standards. For most minor changes, homeowners can consult with local preservation staff at the municipal office and receive guidance and permission. Significant changes, however, require homeowners to apply for
7968-435: The property owner's consent or compensation for the historic overlay. Historic districts are generally two types of properties, contributing and non-contributing. Broadly defined, a contributing property is any property, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make a historic district, listed locally or federally, significant. Different entities, usually governmental, at both
8064-516: The protection of historic resources as "an entirely permissible governmental goal." In 1966, the federal government created the National Register of Historic Places, soon after a report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors had stated Americans suffered from "rootlessness." By the 1980s, there were thousands of federally designated historic districts. Some states, such as Arizona, have passed referendums defending property rights that have stopped private property from being designated as historic without
8160-713: The public could view from the street. Local historic districts, as in New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia , predate the Register by ten years or more as well. Local historic districts are most likely to generate resistance because of the restrictions they tend to place on property owners. Local laws can cause residents "to comply with (local historic district) ordinances." For example, homeowners may be prevented from upgrading poorly insulated windows unless they spend tens of thousands of dollars on identical styles. Criticism of historic districts in Chicago and elsewhere in
8256-413: The relatively high wages offered by manufacturing jobs, servants were no longer affordable to all but the wealthiest families by the mid-20th century. Interurban rail lines, and increasingly automobiles, meant that the wealthy no longer had to live so close to their businesses, and many chose to live in what had previously been summer homes in the county's east end. The lifestyle that created Old Louisville
8352-525: The state and national level in the United States, have differing definitions of contributing property, but they all retain the same basic characteristics. In general, contributing properties are integral parts of a historic district's historical context and character. In addition to the two types of classification within historic districts, properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places are classified into five broad categories. They are: building, structure, site, district, and object; each one has
8448-412: The street lights are designed as old lamp posts and trash cans are ornamented with fleurs-de-lis , while on St. James Court there are gas lamp posts, 3rd and 2nd Streets have small light posts on the sidewalks, and Ouerbacker Court has cast iron decorative gates. After years of decline with abandoned buildings and high elderly populations, the demographics of Old Louisville began to change noticeably in
8544-429: The terms stipulated that the lots should be “used exclusively for the erection of private residences, according to a plan of uniformity and symmetry”. Neighbors objected not only to the height of the structure, but also to the nature of rental units and a proposed restaurant in the basement of the building. The apartment building was ultimately built with all five stories and stood eighty-two feet high. The upper floors of
8640-521: The way to Broadway on the north, Attwood Street on the south, and Floyd Street on the East; but the northern part was mostly razed for parking lots and light industry , the southern area between Attwood and Avery Streets (now Cardinal Blvd) was razed when the University of Louisville doubled the size of its main campus, and I-65 was built through the area in the 1960s, which created a physical barrier between it and Shelby Park neighborhood. Old Louisville
8736-495: The younger crowd. Old Louisville is one of the most liberal neighborhoods in Louisville and the state of Kentucky. In 2004 , it voted for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry by a 60% margin and against a successful proposal to amend the state constitution to define marriage as "between one man and one woman" by a 66% margin. 38°13′48″N 85°45′47″W / 38.22995°N 85.76297°W / 38.22995; -85.76297 Historic districts in
8832-447: Was an author and political appointee under President Grover Cleveland.) From those first houses in 1891 through 1901/1902, buyers purchased lots and built homes in a variety of late Victorian styles. Belgravia's design copies that of St. James with a central common green space that is flanked by parallel sidewalks and two rows of tall shade trees. It also resembles the cathedral pattern of nave, aisles, columns, and side chapels. Belgravia
8928-535: Was built 1893 by Arthur Loomis for Theophile Conrad and his wife, Mary. Mr. Conrad found his fortune in the tanning business. After Conrad died on February 13, 1905, William E. Caldwell bought it for his family's residence and called it their home for 35 years. In 1947 the local Presbyterian church acquired it, and for the next forty years it was the Rose Anna Hughes Presbyterian Retirement Home. This building's style
9024-561: Was effectively obsolete. In the interwar period , many of the neighborhood's old mansions were hastily converted into apartments to house the growing labor supply, a practice encouraged by the federal government at the time through low-interest loans. However, after World War II, with the housing shortage solved by large-scale suburban development affordable to the middle class, vacancy rates in Old Louisville surged. To attract renters, landlords in Old Louisville had to lower rents dramatically, attracting less affluent tenants. A large section of
9120-557: Was simply part of the larger plan for the St. James area. The Courier Journal reports deed transfers contemporaneous with those of St. James from the Victoria Land Company to individuals who purchased lots and built homes. The first three houses built on the court were originally numbered 3, 7 and 9 but are now numbered 504, 510 and 512. Mr. Southern K. Davie, a dealer in leaf tobacco, built the home at 504. The first residents of number 510 were newly weds Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin H. Ridgely. (Mr. Ridgely
9216-631: Was very slow until the Southern Exposition was held annually in the area from 1883 to 1887. At the urging of Courier Journal editor Henry Watterson , the city held the Southern Exposition, which in the words of Watterson, was meant to "advance the material welfare of the producing classes of the South and West." It was held on 45 acres (180,000 m) at the heart of Old Louisville, where St. James Court and Central Park (originally Dupont Square) would eventually be located, and included
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