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fresh new eyes with young blood and sweat equity if not real equity. I feel like, with a little bit of urban acupuncture in a couple of blocks, you could see a positive ripple effect.” Habitat for Humanity has also moved its Louisville headquarters to the Portland neighborhood. In addition to its normal mission of building homes, Habitat is also working with the New Direction Housing Corporation to use federal grant money to help current homeowners renovate their properties. The program, called Portland Pride, is part of a three-year partnership PHOTO: BRIANBOHANNON.COM between Louisville Metro Members of Portland Now meet monthly at Neighborhood House on North 25th Street to discuss develGovernment and Portland opment projects and other neighborhood issues. Made up of several groups, the organization is workNow, the area’s neighboring to better coordinate improvement efforts in the Portland neighborhood. hood association. Portland is the first Louisville neighborhood to receive a federal designation as a Neighborhood West Louisville was itself a desirable address before the Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA) from the U.S. Housing 1937 flood and desegregation led to white flight. Many and Urban Development Department. It will be the first of blue-collar white families that couldn’t move away ended up many neighborhoods to try new approaches in revitalization. in Portland. The area is 72 percent Caucasian and 24 percent The city of Louisville is also purchasing a 30-acre former African American. For many years, Portland tried to distance National Tobacco property at 30th and Muhammad Ali itself from the predominantly African American neighborBoulevard for $1.2 million. The property will be used for hoods farther west. But that is changing. economic development. Mayor Greg Fischer has said that one Portland Now President Danny McDole says his neighborof the most important initiatives of his administration is to hood must join forces with other West Louisville communihelp revitalize Western Louisville and attract jobs, retail and ties to battle mutual problems like crime, the abundance of new housing to Russell, California, Portland, Chickasaw and liquor stores in the area and vacant homes. Portland Now Shawnee. “When we began to talk to companies about investwould also like to see the K&I railroad bridge transformed ing in Western Louisville, we ran into the same obstacle time into a pedestrian bridge similar to the Big 4, so West Louisand again – there was no significant amount of land to build ville residents can walk across the river to New Albany. The a plant, a factory or an office,” Fischer said in a press release project would need the votes of council members from other announcing the purchase in January. communities. Holland says West Louisville has the ingredients for a “Anyone who says Portland is not the West End is stupid,” successful redevelopment, but he feels that entrepreneurs are McDole attests. “We can’t go it alone. There are projects that overlooking opportunities in the area because of its reputawill benefit the whole area and we need to lobby for them as a tion for high crime, drugs and problems with vacant houses. group.” One solution is to start a rebranding campaign to change per Portland Now has joined a new umbrella organization ceptions. Holland has dubbed 15th Street the East Portland called the West Louisville Dream Team to achieve mutual Warehouse District, and he hopes to turn Bank Street into goals. McDole is excited about people like Holland and the an artists’ row with cheap studio space. He has spent a lot of Rhemas seeing the potential in West Louisville. “Portland time raising West Louisville’s web presence, and says two new has plenty of stock if we can get it away from the banks,” he web sites are on their way to completion. says. “We need people. I don’t know how all of this interest in “I’m putting up all the great photos of existing assets Portland got started, but I’m happy it is happening.” because I feel like for a long time the neighborhood has let the The Rhemas are already talking to the city about purchasmedia run with negative stories as opposed to accentuating ing five or six lots next to the current properties they own. all the positive ones,” Holland says. “Part of it is just educatIf the gallery and trauma center are successful, they hope to ing the people that don’t live west of Ninth about all the good build other businesses to serve their clients. But they might things, and all the assets that are there, because I think a lot have some competition. of people are kind of oblivious.” “Every day since I’ve been working there, I get someone Portland was founded in 1811 by General William Lytle, knocking on the door, asking if they can buy the property,” who also founded Cincinnati, Ohio. Portland was a wealthy Dan says. “Then others want to know when The HUB is going rival to Louisville because of its location downstream from to open back up again. There is a lot of interest in buying in the Falls of the Ohio. Steamboats had to unload their cargo in Portland right now. It’s an exciting place to be.” R Louisville and take it by wagon to Portland. After the Louisville Canal was built in 1830, however, Portland began to Contact the writer at Blueshound2000@gmail.com. decline.
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SEPTEMBER 2013
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