Possibility City: The Guide to Greater Louisville 2012

The Guide to Greater Louisville

Appetite for accolades Local chefs, restaurants earn honors

Creative Possibilities City attracts talent in numerous fields 2012-13 | livability.com/louisville/ky sponsored by Greater Louisville Inc.

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The Guide to Greater Louisville

co nte nt s F e atu r e s 6 creative Possibilities City attracts talent in numerous fields

8 make yourself at home

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Homes, neighborhoods offer eclectic variety

12 Appetite for Accolades Local chefs and restaurants earn recognition

16 Here for the Party Louisville nightlife and festivals ensure there’s never a dull moment

22 innovation has it made in louisville Ford, GE investments, partnerships reviving industrial sector

d e pa r tm e nt s 4 Almanac 14 Local Flavor 18 Arts & Culture 19 Sports & Recreation 20 Education 25 Economic Profile 26 Health & Wellness 28 Community Profile on the cover Downtown Louisville Photo by Brian McCord

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Please recycle this magazine

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What’s Online livability.com/louisville/ky

The Guide to Greater Louisville

content Director Lisa battles Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinator Jessica Walker, Karen schwartzman Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Contributing writers Danny Bonvissuto, Carol Cowan, John Fuller, Laura Hill, Joe Morris, Chris Russell Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Kris Sexton, Jake Shores, Vikki Williams Graphic Designers Taylor nunley, Kacey Passmore Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, color imaging technician Alison Hunter Integrated Media Manager Ginny Ellsworth Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner senior V.P./Agribusiness Publishing Kim HOlmberg V.P./business Development clay perry V.p./External Communications Teree Caruthers V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens v.p./Travel publishing Susan Chappell V.P./Sales rhonda graham, herb Harper, Jarek Swekosky Controller Chris Dudley Senior Accountant Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman sales support Coordinator alex marks sales support project manager sara quint system administrator daniel cantrell Web creative director allison davis Web Content Manager John Hood Web designer II Richard stevens Web development lead Yamel Hall Web developer i nels noseworthy Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Creative Services Director Christina Carden Creative Technology Analyst becca ary audience development Director deanna nelson

Photos & Videos

New Media Assistant Alyssa DiCicco Distribution Director Gary Smith Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan

The Guide to Greater Louisville

See more great photos of Louisville in our online photo and video galleries. appeTiTe for accoLades Local chefs, restaurants earn honors

Facts Get the most up-to-date info on cost of living, top employers, schools, population demographics and more.

Living here Learn the basics about local neighborhoods, schools and health-care providers.

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creative possibilities City attracts talent in numerous fields 2012-13 | LivabiLiTy.com/LouisviLLe/ky sponsored by GreaTer LouisviLLe inc.

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Possibility City: The Guide to Greater Louisville is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through Greater Louisville Inc. and its member businesses.

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For more information, contact: Greater Louisville Inc. 614 West Main Street, Suite 6000, Louisville, KY 40202 Phone: (502) 625-0000• Fax: (502) 625-0010 www.greaterlouisville.com Visit Possibility City: The Guide to Greater Louisville online at livability.com/louisville/ky ©Copyright 2012 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

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Digital Edition Play

Here for the

Party LOUISVILLE NIGHTLIFE AND FESTIVALS

ENSURE THERE’S NEVER A DULL MOMENT

STORY BY CHRIS RUSSELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN MCCORD

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ouisville residents know how to party, taking good times to a greater level with nightlife entertainment and fun events.

Seemingly everything is celebrated here, from art and music to bright ideas, a famous horse race, a cult Hollywood movie, and even zombies.

Festival Force Louisville is best known for its

Derby Festival, which features more than 70 events in celebration of the Kentucky Derby.

A must-attend for music fans, Forecastle Festival focuses on music, art and environmental activism, says Forecastle First Mate Holly Weyler.

“Forecastle has a lot of personality. We’re always told that Forecastle has a really ‘family’ atmosphere: friendly, comfortable, communal,” Weyler says. “The

event features five stages and more than 70 acts across a variety of genres.”

The 2012 festival was a sort of homecoming for the rock band My Morning Jacket, whose original members hail from Louisville and currently reside in the city.

“This is something we’ve wanted to play for a long time,” says Jim James, My Morning Jacket lead singer, adding that participating in the festival has been “an PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLIE MACLEAN FROM BIRD’S EYE PHOTOGRAPHY

opportunity to show people what Louisville is all about and why this is such a special city.”

Other Louisville festivals include Abbey Road on the River; Lebowski Fest; Louisville Zombie Attack Walk; and IdeaFestival. nightlife venues Nightlife is hopping throughout The Highlands area, with many spots concentrated along Bardstown Road.

The Historic Frankfort Avenue Corridor is another area known for its independent boutiques and restaurants and has a novel way to check them all out with the Frankfort Avenue Trolley Hop, held every final Friday each month.

Fun seekers downtown will find it at Fourth Street Live! between Liberty Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard. The district includes restaurants, bars and shopping, all within walking distance to major attractions and hotels downtown.

Other noted downtown hotspots are Theater Square Marketplace, a restaurant, bar, wine shop and market located in the Historic Kentucky Theater, and the bar at Proof on Main, offers more than 50 of Kentucky’s finest bourbons and seasonal cocktails. arts outings around Town One of the biggest events on the Louisville arts scene is the St. James Court Art Show, held in Old Louisville each October.

“The setting of the Victorianstyle neighborhood gives a fabulous backdrop for the art show,” says show director Marguerite Esrock.

At First Friday Trolley Hop on the Main and Market corridor, visitors can enjoy a street party style art show on the first Friday of each month from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Left: Forecastle Festival Top: st. patrick’s day celebration at Fourth street Live entertainment district downtown right: proof on main

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Almanac

Welcome to Louisville An introduction to the area’s people, places and events

Plenty of Sports to Support In 2012, the University of Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team competed in the NCAA Tournament, and both the men’s and women’s teams played in the Big East Conference championships.

The 2012 UCI Masters Cyclocross World Championships occurred in Louisville, and the 2012 Ironman Louisville was held in August. Spectators can also catch the Louisville Bats, with home games taking place at Slugger Field.

An Artful Transformation Focused on delivering an exceptional experience, Louisville’s Speed Art Museum is expanding its offerings. In 2011, the museum revealed plans to renovate and grow the facility, which will be completed by wHY Architecture.

According to Kirsten Popp Pfalzgraf, the museum’s communications manager, plans include creating a three-story building that will house exhibition galleries, a multifunctional auditorium, a cafe and a public piazza.

An exterior gallery is also in the works that will feature sculptures and other creations.

The new facility will be located on the edge of the University of Louisville’s campus, drawing foot traffic from more than 5,000 visitors each day.

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome Making diversity a priority, Louisville offers the Greater Louisville International Professionals, or G.L.I.P., a resource for newcomers, professionals and students in the area. The group helps facilitate business connections and showcases Louisville’s welcoming and inclusive nature by serving as a source of information, conversations and connections between international professionals and the region’s business community.

G.L.I.P. also offers a valuable forum for the area’s professionals or companies doing business internationally and thinking with a global perspective. For more information, visit www.LouisvilleInternationals.com.

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Fast Facts n The U.S. Conference of Mayors named Louisville the most livable large city in America in 2012. n Cyclists feel at home in Louisville, named one of America’s 25 Bicycle-Friendly Cities by Bicycling magazine.

This District is Happenin’ Louisville’s East Market District – also known as NuLu, a combination of “New” and “Louisville” – is located on Market Street between the city’s downtown area and the Highlands. The district comprises several art galleries, antique stores and eateries, as well as the Green Building, the first commercial building in Louisville to earn a LEED platinum certification.

Today, the Green Building houses a contemporary art gallery, event spaces and offices. NuLu also offers events throughout the year including the First Friday Trolley Hop, which is an art show and street party that takes place on the first Friday of each month.

n Louisville is the third Safest City for Kids in the U.S., according to the website ParentDish, and one of FreeBackgroundChecks USA.com’s 100 Safest Cities in America for 2010. n Popular Photography magazine named Louisville the fourth most photo-friendly city in America. n Louisville is among the Most Livable U.S. Cities for Workers, according to WomenCo.com.

Louisville At A Glance population Jefferson County: 728,091 Metro area: 1.275 million location Louisville is centrally located in the U.S., within a day’s drive of 2/3 of the nation’s population.

beginnings Col. George Rogers Clark made the first Anglo-American settlement in the vicinity of modern-day Louisville in 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. The area was later named “Louisville” in honor of King Louis XVI of France,

whose government and soldiers aided colonists in the war. for more information Greater Louisville Inc. 614 W. Main St., Suite 6000 Louisville, KY 40202 (502) 625-0000 www.greaterlouisville.com

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Possibility Nurtures

Creativity Louisville’s culture of possibility is attracting creators in a variety of fields, from life sciences to theater

Story By Laura Hill Photography By Brian McCord

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hen software entrepreneur Jeff Fedor and his business partner, Terry Goertz, went in search of the perfect place to grow their young business, they knew they wanted a community that offered investors, software developers, digital marketing expertise and something else – something hard to define,

but easy to find in Louisville.

“We looked at the general climate of the community and were impressed with the way people pay attention to arts and design, to creativity,” says Fedor, who chose Louisville as the headquarters of his and Goertz’s software company, ParkVu Inc. “We got caught up in the way this area was changing, that so many things were happening.

Above: Jeff Fedor, co-owner of ParkVu Inc., helped create the Monstro app.

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It was the kind of area we wanted to be involved in.”

Once in Louisville, ParkVu launched its first major success, a smart phone app called Music WithMe, in October 2011. The app allows Android users to wirelessly download their iTunes playlists to their device. The product is now in 100 countries, and the company recently launched its second innovative product, Monstro, a music/social media interactive program.

Family-Friendly Place to Live If the professional climate is nurturing, Fedor has also found Louisville a boon for his family, with plenty to do for his two children, from art lessons to the city’s numerous parks.

The city’s family-friendliness is also high on the list of what biomedical innovator Cedric Francois loves about Louisville, where he earned his doctorate and has lived for 12 years. His 9- and 11-year-old children are students at Sacred Heart Model School, which he describes as “fantastic,” and enjoy the city’s museums, the

The Actors Theatre of Louisville is located downtown.

zoo, boat-watching on the river and visiting Churchill Downs.

Plenty to Do After Work “I love all the wide-open spaces, horses, the river, great nightlife,” says Francois, chief executive of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, which is developing a promising drug to treat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and asthma. “You have a lot of things happening here. A lot of out-of-the-box things go on in this community that you might never expect to find here.”

For Francois, Louisville offers

work/life balance with its blend of diversity and calm.

“If there’s too much distraction, it’s hard to make up your mind about anything,” he says.

“Louisville is very diverse, but here you have the quietness to actually focus on things you’d like to implement.”

Creative Cooperation For stage director Les Waters, who moved to Louisville from Berkeley, Calif., to assume the reins of the famed Actors Theatre of Louisville in early 2012, the city’s

friendliness and its atmosphere of cooperative creativity are attractive.

“There are lots of connections to be made in town between individuals and organizations.

I welcome getting into that, finding out how we can partner and support one another,” he says.

“The music, which I love, is wonderful here, the city has a strong visual arts scene, the food is terrific. It feels like a town that wants to talk to me. There’s something about Louisville that feels like home.” l i va b i l i t y. c o m / l o u i s v i ll e / k y

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Make Your

A mother and daughter take a stroll in the Historic Old Louisville neighborhood.

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self at home homes, neighborhoods offer true variety

Story By Danny Bonvissuto Photography By Brian McCord

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n Louisville, residents find their perfect personal spaces among sleek, modern condominiums and sprawling antebellum mansions, and virtually everything in between. This wide range of living styles blends together seamlessly, largely thanks to a park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted – the Father of American Landscape Architecture.

Those traveling into the city for work do so with ease, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, which named Louisville among its 10 Best Cities for Commuters. And when it comes to affordability and market stability, Louisville ranks high as well – Forbes.com named it the second-best housing market in the U.S. in 2010.

Here’s a snapshot of Louisville’s major residential areas and what each has to offer.

East End Louisville’s urban East End is historic preservation at its finest and the home of Cherokee and Tyler parks. The Highlands, one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in the city, features turn-of-thecentury homes framed by sidewalks shaded by century-old elm, oak and maple trees. The Highlands border a three-mile strip of Bardstown Road, a Louisville landmark known for its eclectic

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mix of locally owned shops, cafés, restaurants, and clubs.

Smaller homes – cottages and bungalows – can be found in the neighboring Clifton and St. Matthews areas, also within walking distance of Bardstown Road. St. Matthews is well known as one of the city’s major shopping areas and is the site of the state’s second and fifth-largest mall, as well as many restaurants.

A bit closer to downtown, historic homes in Butchertown are being preserved, renovated and converted into condos. It’s also home to the Louisville 10

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Extreme Park, a 40,000-square-foot public skatepark.

Historic Frankfort Avenue is a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood with easy access to independent and local shops, restaurants and galleries along the avenue.

Further east, Louisville has a wide selection of surburban neighborhoods and new construction. For example, Norton Commons is an allinclusive residential area, featuring classic architectural styles and a town center with retail stores, markets and restaurants within walking distance.

South End Located near Churchill Downs, the South End of Louisville is known for its affordability. It also includes Iroquois Park, which has a 2,400seat amphitheater and public golf course. Ethnic diversity abounds in the South End’s many communities including Valley Station and Shively. Known to Louisvillians as PRP, Pleasure Ridge Park is close to Fort Knox and Dixie Highway, a busy commercial strip.

Three of Louisville’s largest employers – UPS, General Electric and Ford’s Louisville Assembly

Clockwise from far left: A woman walks her dogs on West Main Street in downtown Louisville; The Holy Grale was built in 1905 as a Unitarian Church on Bardstown Road an d is now a restaurant and bar with 26 taps; People walk down West Main Street in downtown Louisville; Historic homes line the streets of Old Louisville.

Plant – are in nearby Okolona, which offers both starter and upscale homes.

West End Gentrification and active communities comprise Louisville’s West End that borders the Ohio River. Olmsted’s Shawnee Park is everyone’s backyard, which hosts formal gatherings on the Great Lawn and has a piece of Riverwalk Trail. The neighborhood of Shawnee has late 19th-century architecture and homes on shaded streets, while Kentucky’s waterfront history is featured at the Portland

Museum, and the neighborhood of Portland itself has preserved Steamboat Gothic homes. New construction is getting great buzz in Park DuValle, where town homes and apartments are the result of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of development.

Downtown Louisville’s downtown is a hot spot destination for those seeking a progressive urban environment.

Home to Fourth Street Live! and historic hotels, downtown is also enjoying a renaissance as locals and newcomers grab up lofts and

condos overlooking the Ohio River.

Just south of downtown proper, Old Louisville is full of Victorian architecture, cast-iron gas lamps and courtyards. St. James and Belgravia courts host the St. James Court Art Show annually.

Originally home to some of the city’s wealthiest residents, Old Louisville is now a hipster haven populated with students from the University of Louisville and Spalding University.

For urban professionals, condos like the trendy and eco-conscious SoHo Lofts and upscale Mercantile Lofts are gaining popularity. l i va b i l i t y. c o m / l o u i s v i ll e / k y

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Appetite for

Accolades Louisville restaurants & Chefs earn national recognition Story By Joe Morris | Photography By Brian Mccord

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gourmand’s paradise, Louisville is where nationally known restaurants and chefs are commonplace, and many people come to town purely to sample the cuisine.

Chef Edward Lee/610 Magnolia One must-stop locale is 610 Magnolia, where Chef Edward Lee brings his Korean-American background to the menu. Lee visited Louisville during Derby week more than 10 years ago, and within a year had taken over at 610 Magnolia. A James Beard semifinalist, Lee has appeared on

Food Network’s Iron Chef America and Bravo’s Top Chef.

Anthony Lamas/Seviche Louisville became home for Anthony Lamas in the early 1990s, and by 2005 he’d brought his Latin heritage to the table at Seviche.

The honors and accolades have been nonstop, including mentions in USA Today and Esquire, while Lamas has been a James Beard semifinalist twice and won the Food Network’s Extreme Chef competition.

Dean Corbett/Corbett’s: An American Place The city’s antebellum history

meets its current cooking scene at Corbett’s, which is housed in the 1850 Von Allmen Mansion. Corbett has been in town since 1982, and his four-star ratings have appeared everywhere from local newspapers to publications such as Food Arts, Southern Living and Wine Spectator.

He also is a member of the Honorable Order of the Golden Toque, the nation’s highest honor for chefs.

Shawn Ward/ Jack Fry’s Restaurant For more than 30 years, Shawn Ward has created unique dishes.

He took over at Jack Fry’s Restaurant in 1995, and the rave reviews followed. His recipes have been in Bon Appétit, Southern Living, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications.

Claudia DeLatorre/ Cake Flour Dessert is front and center at Cake Flour, which boasts a dazzling array of all-natural treats.

After wrapping up her education at the French Culinary Institute, Claudia DeLatorre set up shop in Louisville. Her green approach to the culinary arts means not just the freshest ingredients, but also everything from eco-friendly

Grilled “White Marble Farms” Pork Chop at The English Grill

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People dining on the outdoor patio at Seviche Restaurant in Louisville, KY.

paints and building products to compostable cups, utensils and packaging.

Lynn Winter/Lynn’s Paradise Café If you’re of the belief that breakfast is the day’s most important meal, there’s no better place to kick off your morning than Lynn’s Paradise Café. Lynn’s has been featured on the Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay, as well as in the pages of USA Today, Southern Living and more.

Bruce Ucán/Mayan Café From street cart to national honors, the Mayan Café is one of Louisville’s best “worst-kept secrets.” Rave reviews are justly applied to the Mayan cuisine created by Chef Bruce Ucán, who relies heavily on local producers for his ever-changing menus.

Laurent Géroli/ The English Grill The Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville is famous for its Hot Brown, a turkey sandwich with

bacon and a Mornay sauce, still served in the hotel’s English Grill from its kitchen directed by Chef Laurent Géroli.

Michael Paley/ Proof on Main At Proof on Main in the award-winning 21c Museum Hotel, Chef Michael Paley blends the flavors of Italy and the American South. The food, not to mention the décor, have popped up in Food & Wine, Esquire, GQ and Wine Spectator.

Louisville Originals Louisville has diverse mix of independently owned restaurants with innovative menus that provide a true taste of local flavor.

Here are just a few Louisville original restaurants. Visit LouisvilleOriginals.com for more information.

Asiatique August Moon Baxter Station Bar & Grill Bistro 301 Bistro Le Relais Bristol Bar & Grille (5 locations) Buck’s Restaurant Cafe Lou Lou (2 locations) Come Back Inn Cumberland Brew

De la Torre’s La Bodega Equus

Palermo Viejo Authentic Argentine Restaurant

Hiko-a-mon

Rivue Restaurant & Lounge

L & N Wine Bar & Bistro

Seviche

Lilly’s Bistro

Sweet Surrender Dessert Cafe

Limestone Restaurant Mayan Café

The Irish Rover

Meridian Café

Uptown Cafe

Napa River Grill

Vincenzo’s

North End Café

Winston’s Restaurant

The Irish Rover, Too

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Ingredients for Success Farmers markets ensure fresh, unusual ingredients

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it comes to fresh produce, artisan meats and cheeses, jams, jellies and much more, the farmers markets are the places to go.

The only trick is figuring out which one to hit, since there are about 24 or so at the height of growing season.

St. Matthew’s Farmers Market If you’re new to the world of farmers markets, then the St. Matthew’s Farmers Market is a great place to get your feet wet.

The market kicks off in May and runs through October. In 2011, it had more than 60 vendors, and 2,000-plus eager shoppers hit the stalls every week. In addition to the fruits, vegetables and artisan products, the market also has weekly live chef demonstrations and music.

The booming popularity of farmers markets isn’t limited to one area of the city, so no matter where you are there’s likely to be one nearby. In fact, farmers markets are so popular that the

Brian M c Cord

hether it’s in one of Louisville’s many outstanding restaurants or a home-cooked meal with friends, the tables here offer up some amazing variety. And while some of that is due to clever chefs, a lot of the credit goes to the long list of farmers markets and other spots to find fresh and novel ingredients.

There’s no shortage of commercial grocery stores here, and the international market scene is thriving as well. But when

Residents and visitors enjoy shopping at the Bardstown Road Farmers Market in Louisville.

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city keeps an updated listing of them, along with their related activities, online at LouisvilleKy.gov/HealthyHometown.

Farm To Table Program Louisville is so plugged in that it recently snagged top honors from the U.S. Conference of Mayors for its efforts.

In 2011, the organization gave its Outstanding Achievement City Livability award to Louisville’s Farm to Table program, which brings together area farmers with the local community. The program’s chief goal is to see more local food production and distribution. To make that happen it holds public forums and more to connect city dwellers to local and regional growers.

– Joe Morris

What’s Online Read more about Louisville’s food scene at livability.com/louisville/ky.

Click “Things To Do,” then “Food.”

Photo Courtesy of Helen Dorroh

St. Matthew’s Farmers Market

Play

Here for the

Party Louisville nightlife and festivals ensure there’s never a dull moment

Story By chris russell | Photography By Brian Mccord

L

ouisville residents know how to party, taking good times to a greater level with nightlife entertainment and fun events.

Seemingly everything is celebrated here, from art and music to bright ideas, a famous horse race, a cult Hollywood movie, and even zombies.

Festival Force Louisville is best known for its

Derby Festival, which features more than 70 events in celebration of the Kentucky Derby.

A must-attend for music fans, Forecastle Festival focuses on music, art and environmental activism, says Forecastle First Mate Holly Weyler.

“Forecastle has a lot of personality. We’re always told that Forecastle has a really ‘family’ atmosphere: friendly, comfortable, communal,” Weyler says. “The

event features five stages and more than 70 acts across a variety of genres.”

The 2012 festival was a sort of homecoming for the rock band My Morning Jacket, whose original members hail from Louisville and currently reside in the city.

“This is something we’ve wanted to play for a long time,” says Jim James, My Morning Jacket lead singer, adding that participating in the festival has been “an Photo Courtesy of Willie Maclean from Bird’s Eye Photography

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opportunity to show people what Louisville is all about and why this is such a special city.”

Other Louisville festivals include Abbey Road on the River; Lebowski Fest; Louisville Zombie Attack Walk; and IdeaFestival.

Nightlife Venues Nightlife is hopping throughout The Highlands area, with many spots concentrated along Bardstown Road.

The Historic Frankfort Avenue Corridor is another area known for its independent boutiques and restaurants and has a novel way to check them all out with the Frankfort Avenue Trolley Hop, held every final Friday each month.

Fun seekers downtown will find it at Fourth Street Live! between Liberty Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard. The district includes restaurants, bars and shopping, all within walking distance to major attractions and hotels downtown.

Other noted downtown hotspots are Theater Square Marketplace, a restaurant, bar, wine shop and market located in the Historic Kentucky Theater, and the bar at Proof on Main, offers more than 50 of Kentucky’s finest bourbons and seasonal cocktails.

Arts Outings Around Town One of the biggest events on the Louisville arts scene is the St. James Court Art Show, held in Old Louisville each October.

“The setting of the Victorianstyle neighborhood gives a fabulous backdrop for the art show,” says show director Marguerite Esrock.

At First Friday Trolley Hop on the Main and Market corridor, visitors can enjoy a street party style art show on the first Friday of each month from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Left: Forecastle Festival Top: St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Fourth Street Live entertainment district downtown Right: Proof on Main

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Imagination Runs Wild Arts and culture community thrives in louisville

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Museums & Galleries The Louisville Visual Art Association and LOOK, a consortium of approximately 45 fine arts galleries, help keep the city’s creative vibe going strong. As for the state’s oldest and largest museum, Louisville is home to the Speed Art Museum.

Meanwhile, visitors may admire works by over 600 Kentucky and regional artists at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.

Additional museums in the area include the Frazier History Museum, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Muhammad

Ali Center and the 21c Museum Hotel.

Performing Arts Actors Theatre of Louisville, which presents about 20 productions annually, is also responsible for the world renowned Humana Festival of New American Plays.

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts features traveling Broadway productions as well as live events, including performances by the Louisville Orchestra, Kentucky Opera and Louisville Ballet.

– Kevin Litwin

Brian M c Cord

ouisville’s creative, clever minds may all think to the beat of different drums, but they all think alike when it comes to supporting and promoting the city’s huge arts scene.

Louisville is one of only nine cities in the country with all five major performing arts represented, with a theater, orchestra, children’s theater, opera and ballet.

As impressive as the city’s arts and culture offerings may be, they would never succeed without the sustained energy of arts-minded residents who show their support as patrons and participants in this thriving scene.

Guests explore 21c Museum Hotel’s art museum, which is situated in the heart of Museum Row in downtown Louisville.

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staff photos

Play

From left: Waterfront Park; Bikers ride the 100-mile Louisville Loop.

21st Century Parks Louisville’s park system keeps residents, visitors active

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utdoor enthusiasts love Louisville. With more than 120 parks covering some 15,000 acres, the city is home to more parkland per capita than any other city in the United States.

21st Century Parks Initiative Louisville’s 21st Century Parks Initiative calls for the acquisition and development of 3,800 additional acres of parkland. Part of the initiative, the Parklands of Floyds Fork, includes 100 miles of new hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, as well as 19 miles of children’s playgrounds, walking paths, dog parks and more.

Another element of the parks initiative is the Louisville Loop – a paved, 100-mile, multiuse trail around the community. The trail will wind through five physiographic regions including the Ohio River Valley, the Knobs, the Shale Lowland, the Floyd’s Fork Watershed and the Limestone Belt.

OLmsted legacy

Iroquois Park

Many years before the 21st Century Parks Initiative was realized, Frederick Law Olmsted laid the groundwork for the city’s park system. Louisville has one of only four park systems designed

by Olmsted, who is famous for works such as New York City’s Central Park and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.

The concept earned Olmsted a commission to design three major multipurpose parks for the city of Louisville: Cherokee, Iroquois and Shawnee. Ultimately, Olmsted and his successor firm developed plans for 18 parks and six parkways that comprise the city’s park system today.

Iroquois Park features hiking and equestrian trails in a rugged setting. Many clubs make use of Iroquois Park amenities, including the Iroquois Hill Runners and Louisville Disc Golf Club.

Cherokee Park Cherokee Park features a 2.4-mile loop, a dog park, tennis courts, playgrounds and a public golf course. The Olmsted Parks Conservancy provides a MP3 audio tour of the park, downloadable at www.olmstedparks.org.

Shawnee Park The riverfront location and expansive Great Lawn of Shawnee Park make it a popular spot for major city gatherings and events.

It also features a state-of-the-art athletic complex and the RiverWalk hiking and bike path.

Waterfront Park Louisville’s Waterfront Park offers a grand view of the river, space for concerts and festivals, and the Great Lawn, along with the promenade along the river and the Lincoln Memorial at Waterfront Park. The “urban park” has hosted crowds of up to 350,000.

– Carol Cowan l i va b i l i t y. c o m / l o u i s v i ll e / k y

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Learn

Committed to the Greatest Degree 55,000 Degrees initiative gains momentum

M

ary Gwen Wheeler hopes that 50 percent of Louisville’s population aged 22 and older will have a college degree by the year 2020.

Wheeler is executive director of 55,000 Degrees, an initiative aimed at creating a more collegeachieving culture in Louisville.

“After looking at census numbers, an additional 40,000 bachelor’s degrees must be earned by 2020, along with 15,000 associate degrees to reach our goal of 55,000,” Wheeler says.

Wheeler says the Community Foundation of Louisville is a key

Jefferson County Public Schools

backer of 55,000 Degrees, and Mayor Greg Fischer is the 55,000 Degrees board chairman.

“We all know that our education system is important, since the youth in schools today will be the leaders in jobs tomorrow,” Fischer says.

“Through our 55,000 Degrees program, the city and area universities are working to help our students get the knowledge they need and the degrees necessary to become a key player in our economy.”

Other aspects of education in Greater Louisville include:

Louisville is home to Jefferson County Public Schools, which have 100,000 students in 155 schools and learning centers.

There are more than 6,400 teachers, with 83 percent of those teachers holding a master’s degree or higher.

Visit www.jefferson.k12.ky.us to learn more.

Private and Parochial Schools Louisville’s Christian Academy School System serves nearly 3,000 students from preschool through 12th grade on four campuses.

The Archdiocese of Louisville also offers several Catholic schools in the area including 39 elementary schools and nine high schools. To learn more visit www.archlou.org.

Colleges and Universities The Greater Louisville area is home to several colleges and universities such as the University of Louisville, Bellarmine University, Spalding University, Sullivan University, and Jefferson Community and Technical College.

– Kevin Litwin

Brian M c Cord

What’s Online

Students work in the computer lab at Central High School in Louisville.

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Read more about Louisville’s diverse learning environments online by visiting livability.com/louisville/ky/education.

Work

Innovation Has It Made in Louisville major investments, new partnerships highlight growth in city’s advanced manufacturing economic cluster

Story By John Fuller

T

more advancement and growth for in this economic cluster.

Ford, GE Make Big Louisville Investments Ford Motor Co. announced it will make $1.2 billion in new investment and add 3,100 jobs at its Louisville facilities. The investments will occur at both

the Louisville Assembly Plant and Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant.

“We have choices when it comes to where we will focus our operations and manufacture our products,” says Mark Fields, Ford’s President of the Americas. “We have continued to choose to invest in Kentucky, and specifically in Louisville, because it has proven

Photo Courtesy of GE Appliances

echnological innovation and major investments are taking advanced manufacturing to a whole new level in Louisville, where globally recognized companies such as Ford and General Electric are expanding significantly while new publicprivate partnerships form to ensure

GE Appliances’ GeoSpring™ Hybrid Water Heater manufacturing facility at Appliance Park in Louisville

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Made in Louisville

An employee works on an engine at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville.

•

Louisville Slugger Baseball Bats –Hillerich & Bradsby

• Disco Balls – Omega National Products

Jeff Adkins

• Ford Escape – Ford Louisville Assembly Plant

to be a location where we have a skilled, knowledgeable workforce and where we can be competitive.”

Early in 2012, General Electric announced the grand opening of a hybrid water heater manufacturing facility at Appliance Park. The $38 million investment in the new product and revitalized facility is part of a GE commitment to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Louisville and create more than 1,000 jobs by 2014.

“We made the decision to build these products in Louisville because of the strong support from our state and local governments, and the cooperative spirit of our union leadership and our employees at Appliance Park,” says James Campbell, GE consumer & industrial president and CEO. “This clearly indicates GE’s vote of confidence in this facility and our employees as a place where we can invest in our future, continuing our 50 plus-year history.”

“The advanced manufacturing sector is starting to take off, with these recent announcements by Ford and GE,” says Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who added

that these recent successes are “the foundation of our regional movement, the Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement (BEAM).”

BEAM and Network Boost Manufacturing Prowess BEAM is a partnership with Lexington “that is focusing on innovative and out-of-the-box thinking that takes companies to the next level,” according to Fischer. BEAM’s goal is to develop a joint regional business plan supporting the growth of jobs in advanced manufacturing.

Another major effort to boost manufacturing in Louisville is the Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Network, a creation of Greater Louisville Inc. The network helps manufacturers and distributors in the community improve their business performance and strengthen Louisville as a globally competitive manufacturing and logistics center.

Additional manufacturers in Louisville include Raytheon Missile Systems, BAE Systems, LINAK and MedVenture.

• Ford F-250 - F-550; Ford Super Duty, Ford Expedition & Lincoln Navigator – Ford Kentucky Truck Plant • GE Dishwashers, Hybrid Electric Water Heaters, Bottom Freezer Refrigerators, Front Load Washers & Dryers • Early Times Bourbon, Old Forester Bourbon – Brown Forman •

Whiskey Barrels – Brown Forman Cooperage

• 90% of the World’s Copper Stills – Vendome • Falls City Beer – Falls City Brewing Company • Sports Bleachers – Dant Clayton • Mattresses & Pillows – Louisville Bedding Company • Bourbon Flavored Food – Bourbon Barrel Foods • Rooibee Red Tea

What’s Online For more stories on the people, places and events that define Louisville, visit livability.com/louisville/ky.

l i va b i l i t y. c o m / l o u i s v i ll e / k y

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Work

Four Clusters Make Work for Louisville Business groups have good mix of multinational and smaller firms

L

Louisville Clusters Here’s a brief profile on each cluster: Advanced Manufacturing – Louisville has a rich history of successful manufacturing firms and has some of the most well known names in the business world such as Ford, General Electric and Raytheon. There have been recent developments in which these businesses have made renewed commitments to the city in terms of expanded investments and additional employment opportunities.

Lifelong Wellness & Aging Care – Louisville is home to a diverse and expanding list of companies and organizations in the aging care industry including Humana, Kindred Healthcare Inc. and Signature HealthCARE, which are among the largest health

care-related firms in the nation.

Food & Beverage – More than 120 food and beverage companies are located in Louisville. Some of the most-recognized names in the food and beverage business are based here including Papa Johns, Texas Roadhouse, BrownForman Corporation and Yum Brands, the world’s largest restaurant company.

Logistics – The city has three interstate highways, the Ohio River and major railroad lines passing through it, as well as an international airport. The UPS Worldport at Louisville International Airport is the largest fully automated package-handling facility in the world. More than 140 companies have located in Kentucky to be close to the Worldport including Zappos, CafePress and Geek Squad.

– John Fuller

Staff Photo

ouisville’s leadership has placed a focus on four innovation clusters – each has contributed greatly to the city’s economy and each holds great promise for the future of the community.

Those clusters are advanced manufacturing, lifelong wellness & aging care, food & beverage and logistics.

“Louisville is seeing the end of the tunnel of the national recession, with new projects and investments being announced and starting to appear,” Mayor Greg Fischer says. “The number of companies we are working with for local and state incentives is on the rise, many of which are in our business clusters that we focus our economic development efforts on, due to our competitive advantages in those sectors.”

Louisville-based Yum Brands, the world’s largest restaurant company and cornerstone of the city’s thriving Food and Beverage cluster, has naming rights for KFC Yum! center, a $238 million arena on the Ohio River.

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Work

Economic profile business climate With its pro-business attitude, low cost of doing business and low taxes, Greater Louisville offers a supportive and progressive climate for business. The region’s dynamic, diversified economy has outperformed the U.S. in job and income growth on a per capita basis throughout the last decade.

cost of living

Interstates: I-65, I-64 or I-71

US Average = 100

Public Transportation:

Overall, 89.0

Transit Authority of River City (TARC) (502) 585-1234 www.ridetarc.org

Grocery, 88.7 Housing, 77.5 Utilities, 100.0

top private sector companies

Transportation, 93.8 Health Care, 89.5

ECONOMIC ResourceS

Miscellaneous, 94.2 United Parcel Service 20,288 employees Humana, Inc. 10,017 employees Norton Healthcare 9,421 employees

sales tax

6% County & State Sales Tax

Jewish Hospital Healthcare 5,819 employees

transportation

Kroger Co. 5,313 employees

Air:

Ford Motor Co. 3,847 employees GE Appliances 3,988 employees Baptist Healthcare System Inc. 3,952 employees

Louisville International Airport (SDF) 600 Terminal Dr. Louisville, KY 40209 (502) 367-4636 www.flylouisville.com

Greater Louisville Inc. – The Metro Chamber of Commerce 614 W. Main St. Louisville, KY 40202 (502) 625-0000 www.greaterlouisville.com Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development Old Capitol Annex 300 West Broadway Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 564-7140 www.thinkkentucky.com Sources: Onboard Informatics, www.greaterlouisville.com

University of Louisville Hospital 2,307 employees Kindred Healthcare Inc. 2,297 employees

Income

$26,390 Per Capita Income

$61,843 Average Annual Household Expenditure

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Thrive

From left: Kosair Children’s Hospital in Brownsboro; Norton Brownsboro Hospital in Louisville

photos by Brian M c Cord

Doses of Good Medicine Health-care excellence is a longtime tradition

L

ouisville has a long tradition of health-care innovation and a national reputation for excellence.

Some of the city’s state-of-theart facilities include:

Kosair Children’s Hospital Kosair Children’s Hospital has served children in Kentucky and Southern Indiana for more than 100 years. The 263-bed hospital is the primary pediatric teaching facility for the University of Louisville School of Medicine and in 2012 ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s top pediatric facilities in the nation .

Kosair Children’s Medical Center-Brownsboro is also open as the first outpatient medical

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facility in Kentucky devoted solely to the care of children.

Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare JHSMH was established in 2005 when Jewish Hospital HealthCare Services and CARITAS Health Services joined together.

Today it oversees 70 health-care facilities with more than 1,400 licensed beds including the 462-bed Jewish Hospital.

Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center In conjunction with Jewish Hospital and the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center made headlines in 1999 when doctors there performed the first hand transplant in the United

States. Other achievements include the world’s first reported repair of a digital artery, and a national award for research in blood flow to the nerves in the hand.

University of Louisville Hospital University of Louisville is home to specialty-care centers focusing on high-risk obstetrics, trauma, stroke and cancer. The James Graham Brown Cancer Center is a community of oncology physicians and cancer researchers, and is home to the world’s first preventative cancer vaccine for cervical cancer.

Baptist Hospital East Baptist Hospital East features a Baby Steps program that focuses

on maternity classes and questions from conception to birth and beyond, while its Center for Behavioral Health helps patients with emotional problems and addictions.

Clark Memorial Hospital Clark Memorial Hospital includes 241 beds and has developed a reputation as a specialist in orthopedics. Other specialties include cancer, geriatrics, kidney disorders and neurology.

Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services, located in New Albany, Ind., offers services provided by more than 600 physicians and employs 2,000 associates. – Kevin Litwin

l i va b i l i t y. c o m / l o u i s v i ll e / k y

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Ad Index

C4 Commonwealth Bank & Trust

15 Floyd Memorial Hospital

C3 Jeffersontown Economic Development Authority

C2 Marriott Louisville Northeast

21 Oldham County Chamber of Commerce

3 SawyerOne

27 YMCA of Greater Louisville

Thrive

community profile Snapshot With over 1.3 million residents in its MSA, Louisville offers big-city amenities like world-class performing arts, sports and dining while maintaining hospitality, warmth and smaller-city advantages like a lower cost of living.

cost of living

Transportation

$48,731

19 minutes

Median Household Income

Median Travel Time to Work

$128,560

resources

Median Home Price Driver’s License: www.louisvilleky.gov/ Residents/drivers_license.htm

$773 Median Rent for a Two-Bedroom Apartment

Climate

87° July Average High

25°

Household Information Age:

38 Median Resident Age

January Average Low

37”

47% 20-54

time zone

26%

Eastern

55 and Over

Voter Registration: elections.jeffersoncounty clerk.org Water: Louisville Water Company John L. Huber Building 550 S. Third St. Louisville, KY 40202 (502) 583-6610 www.louisvilleky.gov/LWC

27% 19 and Under

Annual Rain Fall (vs. National Average Annual Rain Fall of 37”)

Vehicle Registration: Jefferson County Clerk’s Office 527 W. Jefferson St. Louisville, KY 40202 (502) 574.5700 www.jeffersoncountyclerk.org

Utilities: Louisville Gas & Electric www.lge-ku.com/lge

visit our

advertisers Commonwealth Bank & Trust www.cbandt.com

Oldham County Chamber of Commerce www.oldhamcountychamber.com

Floyd Memorial Hospital www.floydmemorial.com

SawyerOne www.sawyerone.com

Jeffersontown Economic Development Authority www.jeffersontownky.com

YMCA of Greater Louisville www.ymcalouisville.org

Marriott Louisville Northeast www.marriott.com/sdfri 28

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