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JEFFERSON SQUARE A VISION FOR LOUISVILLE’S PREMIER CIVIC SPACE TECHNICAL REPORT | FEBRUARY 2019 Page intentionally left blank JEFFERSON RESQUARED Contents LOUISVILLE METRO Mayor Greg Fischer Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, Chief Executive Summary Louisville Forward Page 4 ES Gretchen Miliken, AIA, Director Office of Advanced Planning Michael King, Urban Planner, Project Manager Office of Advanced Planning Introduction 01 Tommy Clark, Economic Development Officer Page 6 Louisville Forward Sarah Lindgren, Public Art Administrator Office of Advanced Planning Existing Conditions Doug Hamilton, Chief Page 14 02 Public Services LOUISVILLE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP The Master Plan Rebecca Matheny, Executive Director Page 26 03 Patrick Piuma, Planning Director (former) CONSULTANT TEAM: MKSK Plan Of Action De Leon & Primmer Architecture Workshop Page 48 04 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Kolar Design Corn Island Archaeology Robert Pass & Associates 3 Executive summary THE SITE THE VISION Jefferson Square was created in the late 1970’s Downtown Louisville has seen significant growth as a public open space strategically located in residents, tourism, and employment over the adjacent to several civic and government last several years. The growth appeals to those buildings in downtown Louisville. The site is desiring to live, work, and play in a thriving urban currently surrounded on threes sides by city community. Great public spaces are essential streets (Jefferson Street, 6th Street, and Liberty for the health and prosperity of cities. Jefferson Street) and shares the city block with 300 West Square is centrally located as a significant Jefferson, a 31-story office tower. At .86 acres, cultural space in the community and is in need Jefferson Square hosts a diverse range of of a transformation. There is great potential for traditional park amenities including picnic tables, the space to become an active public space that benches, lighting, a water feature (no longer integrates seamlessly with its surroundings and functioning), trees, landscaping, sidewalks, and a reinforces its significance to the community. small stage. On the surface the operative terms framing this The site also contains several uniquely significant project are “Civic” and “Square”, however early features including memorial monuments devoted in the process we asked the question, “What is to fallen police officers and firefighters, sister the function of a civic space within today’s urban cities signage and flags. The site is currently the context?” Using feedback gathered from the focal point of “Light Up Louisville”, an annual community through public engagement activities, celebration on the Friday after Thanksgiving that this document re-imagines Jefferson Square as kicks off the holiday season with a dedication of Downtown Louisville’s premier urban space. Our the city’s Christmas tree and an illumination of vision for Jefferson Square embraces high-quality downtown. civic engagement desired by the community, while functioning as a flexible urban gathering Patrons of Jefferson Square predominantly space. The new Jefferson Square will do so by consist of a few people seated at picnic tables or operating as not only an urban park, but as a along elevated planting beds, pedestrians using stage, memorial, gallery, and as a sustainable the cross-crossing pathways through the square environment within Louisville growing urban heat to other destinations. The space is often the site island. of public rallies and gatherings due in part to its geographic location and visibility. Food vendors often setup on the periphery of the square during the lunch hour. 4 VIEW LOOKING SOUTHEAST VIEW LOOKING SOUTHWEST VIEW LOOKING NORTH 5 Introduction 6 DESIGN NARRATIVE JEFFERSON RESQUARED – RE-PRESENT THE PRIMARY CIVIC SPACE IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE AS A BEAUTIFULLY GREEN AND PERFORMATIVE LANDSCAPE THAT SERVES THE DIVERSE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL INFLUENCES OF THE CITY. THESE LOCAL TO GLOBAL THEMES ARE EXPRESSED IN A VARIETY OF METHODS IN THE SPACE THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS. INTERNATIONAL UNITY: Sister Cities recognition | Cultural celebrations Emerging/Present: Mexican, Vietnamese, Indian INTERNATIONAL Historic: German, Scots-Irish UNITY RIVER CONNECTION Settlement and immigration | Industrial port AL B Flood and proximity to Square | Metaphor for O L connectivity G RIVER CIVIC JEFFERSON CONNECTION PRIDE SQUARE LOCAL HERITAGE: L O C Present and past architecture | “On this place” A in Louisville history | Former landowners of the L Square | Sculptures surrounding the site CIVIC PRIDE LOCAL Police/Fire memorials | Public services around HERITAGE the Square | Freedom of speech | Protests and rallies 7 SITE HISTORY BUILT IN THE 1970’S, JEFFERSON SQUARE IS A RELATIVELY RECENT ADDITION TO DOWNTOWN, ONCE OCCUPIED BY VARIOUS BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES. GREEN SPACES The history of this block is one of both loss and renewal. Originally, the narrow blocks between Gruen & Associates Plan W. Jefferson and Green streets had been planned as a row of parks, which explains the variation in block size. PREVIOUS STRUCTURES The Center Building, shown in the image on the right, once stood at the northeast corner of Jefferson Street and Center Avenue (now Armory Place). Its demolition in the 1970’s gave way to Jefferson Square. Other historic structures through the years include the Reidhar Building, which was owned by a German banking family. OTHER PLANS In the 1960’s, the urban design firm of Gruen and Associates conceived a master plan for this block that would vacate the 6th Street right-of-way and create a civic space similar to the current Jefferson Square. Center Building 8 NORTH 9 Sanborn Insurance Map, 1892 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT overview THE PLANNING TEAM ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY FOR FEEDBACK AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THE DESIGN PROCESS. BOTH STAKEHOLDERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE INVITED TO PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS AND IDEAS, WHICH WERE USED TO SHAPE THE DESIGN FOR JEFFERSON SQUARE, AND REFINE ALTERNATIVES. STAKEHOLDERS PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE The planning team met with representatives An open house was held in Louisville Metro Hall from Louisville Metro Staff, Fire Department and on February 26 of 2018, in which members of the Police Department. Through these conversations, Louisville community were invited to share their the planning team gained an understanding of feedback on three draft design concepts for the how the current memorials were perceived, park. The three designs gave the community a what improvements could be done to enhance range of options, and provided an opportunity for their visibility, and how this space could be their ideas to be incorporated into the final design. better utilized for both large and intimate events The meeting, attended by around 30 people, honoring public servants. resulted in a preferred design concept with a larger gathering area and enhanced memorial LIGHT UP LOUISVILLE wall/garden. Now in its 37th year, Light Up Louisville brings thousands of visitors to downtown from across PUBLIC SAFETY MEMORIAL FAMILY MEETING the region. The 2017 event was held on November The design team met with representatives from 24, and saw the return of the festivities to Louisville Metro Staff, Public Safety Officials, and Jefferson Square. The planning team set up a families of fallen public safety officials during table in the Vendors’ Village during the event, the initial conceptualization phase of the project. and talked to members of the community about The memorials play a significant role within the the potential future of the park. Participants existing Jefferson Square, and are intended to be were asked to fill out a comment card detailing incorporated and positioned prominently within their vision for the square. There were various the redesign of the space. This nearly two-hour suggestions for the future design, such as meeting resulted in great conversation about gathering areas, additional trees, a water feature, repositioning of the memorials themselves and and space for lunchtime and large crowds. These the design of the spaces in which they will reside. vision statements were used to guide the design through its initial stages, incorporating many of the community’s suggestions. 10 LIGHT UP LOUISVILLE (NOVEMBER 24, 2017) PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE (METRO HALL, FEBRUARY 26, 2018) MAYOR’S CONCERT SERIES (OCTOBER 4, 2018) 11 WHAT WE HEARD THE COMMUNITY WANTS A MORE INCLUSIVE, BETTER PROGRAMMED, AND MORE WELCOMING JEFFERSON SQUARE TO SERVE ALL LOUISVILLIANS. Through community events and an Open House, we asked members of the Louisville community to share their vision for Jefferson Square and to let us know if the potential redesign concept met their expectations. Shown in these pages are the results from these activities, in which the community overwhelmingly supported a transformation of the square, and suggested that it becomes a central gathering space for the city through inclusive programming. HOW OFTEN DO YOU VISIT WILL A REDESIGN MOTIVATE YOU TO VISIT JEFFERSON SQUARE? (11 responses) JEFFERSON SQUARE MORE OFTEN? (11 responses) Daily Once a Week Yes! Once a Month Maybe, depending Only for Special on events/ Events programming Never No WHAT EVENTS/ACTIVITIES WOULD YOU ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WE LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN JEFFERSON SHOULD CONSIDER AND INCLUDE? SQUARE? (9 responses) (4 responses) Christmas Market & Tree | Food trucks | Street trees on Jefferson Street, 6th Street, Concerts | Movie Night | Skating Rink | and Liberty Street, raised intersections Farmer’s Market | Art Displays | More green

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