Louisville is booming... What do we need next? (mover, mortgage)

[cobolt]

Yes, stx is a gem...I need to bump up his rep points.

I don't know that getting an IKEA is a good thing. I think their stuff is cheaply made and of marginal quality at best.

[censusdata]

The problem with the light rail proposal was it didn't connect areas with a highest population densities. At line along Eastern Park (connecting Old Louisville and The Highlands) would be alot more practical, as would as street car line going down Bardstown Road and Frankfort Ave

Many of the TARC lines don't go into shopping centers, which is also a problem. Currently you have to carry your groceries 50 yards to the bus stop and then wait 10 minutes in the cold - no thanks!

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by louroclou

... Are we really getting a Trader Joe's...?

Crew Chief let me know that there is an Ikea opening in Cincy in March. Talk about mixed emotions. It looks like it'll be about ten miles north of the bridge, so an hour and a half - two hour drive. We should have gotten that Ikea. They wouldn't locate another store this close. It's surprising they - and other similar enterprises - don't set up business in say Williamstown or Lawrenceburg or even Frankfort to hit customers in Greater Cincy, Greater Louisville, and Greater Lexington all at once. Nobody ever asks me. (what am I saying? I'm an urban living, urban spending booster!)

Speaking of urban living... My son sent me a couple of great links: Consuming Louisville and backseat sandbar ... CL is just full of good writing and good images - and big love for the 'Ville. BS is more regional, but for a film and indie music fan like me, full of great info. There have been, thanks to the tireless stx, stickies for louisville photos, but maybe we need a thread for links to Louisville-related websites, sites that really reveal the flavor and character and activity here.

Speaking of stx... thanks for the Taste of Cherry reminder. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it. That 21C showing is part of the Louisville Film Society's efforts. I'd love to hear what kind of turn-out the showing got...

The ratinonale for locating IKEA in Cincy makes perfect sense. IKEA's closest stores are currently two in suburban Chicago and one in the new mixed used development in midtown Atlanta. By locating in Cincinnati's wealthy north suburban trade area, they will draw from Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexington, Dayton, and Columbus with regularity. Combined, this is a population of around 10 million or, roughly largey than metro Chicago, which supports two stores.

That said, I have emailed IKEA before. They are very interested in the Louisville market, but have no current plans for a store. Even so, I wouldn't be surprised to see a store around the Blankenbaker exit in eastern Jefferson County. This location could service the trendy and wealthy east Louisville retail trade area plus the Lexington-Frankfort CSA, which would provide a population over 2 million to draw from when combined with the Louisville CSA. Also, the fact that there is a brand new IKEA in at least a urban location in Atlanta (ok, ATL is not the most urban city in my book but the store is just minutes from downtown) raised the possibility that Louisville could eventually get this store closer to downtown. For example, I would love to see this concept brought to the Crossings at Irish Hill (but I doubt it would happen). A contaminated process? A brownfields redevelopment in Irish Hill has some residents wondering whether the fix is in | LEO Weekly

With the right setup and street front retail out front, this could work aesthetically in this urban area that geographically is not different than Atlanta's Midtown with regards to its position close to downtown and location next to a trendy urban area (the Highlands in this case), but of course economically there is not even a comparison (ATL's midtown is full of skyscrapers with more corporations than probably is located in most of Louisville combined).

[louroclou]

The Irish Hill clean-up just seems logical. The concern about the neighborhood vibe is a real one - it's a prototypically funky Louisville location - but the development area isn't funky, it's ugly and contaminated. This is a situation where the usual reactions - green is green and development is development - don't seem to be viable. Nuanced thinking is necessary. As for the kind of development, I think the odd combination of Headliners and Antiques at the Distillery (an excellent shop btw) is perfect and sets the tone. Ikea?
Boy, I'd love it that close, but that's lot of space and a lot of parking...

(Full disclosure: my son has a tangential relationship to the Irish Hill plan)

[backseatsandbar]

Thanks for the Support guys! We at Backseat Sandbar also keep a listing of upcoming shows and art events (including the 21c series by Louisville Film Society), available at tabs at the top of the page.

concerts: Shows « Backseat Sandbar
arts: Arts « Backseat Sandbar (broken link)

[louroclou]

I just went back and browsed the backseat sandbar site. If anyone wants to know how many great things happen here, how many fascinating places and artists and musicians and weirdos there are in this town, this is one-stop shopping. Check out the list of local talent. Check out the bar reviews. (they hit the nail on the head about Headliners - even mentioned my own personal concert-of annoyance-because-of-the-bar-noise: Joanna Newsom).

I could spend hours on this site...

[Brenda88]

I will be moving to Kentucky in February. While checking the route i noticed the 64 freeway is going to be closed for a year. Can i take the 65 freeway? Is there to reach this freeway from the 64 freeway? All assistance is greatly appreciated.

[censusdata]

Originally Posted by Brenda88

I will be moving to Kentucky in February. While checking the route i noticed the 64 freeway is going to be closed for a year. Can i take the 65 freeway? Is there to reach this freeway from the 64 freeway? All assistance is greatly appreciated.

The I-64 Causeway was closed LAST YEAR (btw I-65 and 22nd St) to replace worn out bridge joints. Work is now complete and it is open for good

[Cattknap]

Originally Posted by louroclou

I just went back and browsed the backseat sandbar site. If anyone wants to know how many great things happen here, how many fascinating places and artists and musicians and weirdos there are in this town, this is one-stop shopping. Check out the list of local talent. Check out the bar reviews. (they hit the nail on the head about Headliners - even mentioned my own personal concert-of annoyance-because-of-the-bar-noise: Joanna Newsom).

I could spend hours on this site...

We are moving from Southern California - I am trying to get away from the weirdos not find new ones in Kentucky

[louroclou]

uh oh... You've come to the wrong place - Kentucky is the birthplace of Muhammed Ali, Hunter S. Thompson, Johnny Depp, Gus Van Sant, Harry Dean Stanton, My Morning Jacket, Slint, Will Oldham and a host of other delightfully odd folks.