The Guide to Greater Louisville

2012-13 | LivabiLiTy.com/LouisviLLe/ky sponsored by GreaTer LouisviLLe inc.

appeTiTe for accoLades

Local chefs, restaurants earn honors

creative possibilities

City attracts talent in numerous fields

Residence Inn NE Louisville • 3500 Springhurst Commons Dr. • Louisville, KY 40241 • 502.412.1311

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dePartments

4 almanac

14 Local flavor

18 arts & culture

19 sports & recreation

20 education

25 economic profile

26 health & Wellness

28 community profile

contents

Features

6 creaTive possibiLiTiesCity attracts talent in numerous fields

8 make yourseLf aT homeHomes, neighborhoods offer eclectic variety

12 appeTiTe for accoLadesLocal chefs and restaurants earn recognition

16 here for The parTyLouisville nightlife and festivals ensure there’s never a dull moment

22 innovaTion has iT made in LouisviLLeFord, GE investments, partnerships reviving industrial sector

6

8

The Guide to Greater Louisville

LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 1

What’s online livability.com/louisville/ky

The Guide to Greater Louisville

2012-13 | LivabiLiTy.com/LouisviLLe/ky sponsored by GreaTer LouisviLLe inc.

appeTiTe for accoLades

Local chefs, restaurants earn honors

creative possibilities

City attracts talent in numerous fields

See more great photos of Louisville in our online photo and video galleries.

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

liVing hereLearn the basics about local neighborhoods, schools and health-care providers.

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

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Possibility City: The Guide to Greater Louisville is published annually by Journal Communications inc.

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2 LouisviLLe

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

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 venuesNightlife 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 TownOne 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 Victorian-style 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.

LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 17

Play

Louisville 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 ForceLouisville 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

LOUISVILLE NIGHTLIFE AND FESTIVALS

ENSURE THERE’S NEVER A DULL MOMENT

PartySTORY BY CHRIS RUSSELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN MCCORD

Here for the

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLIE MACLEAN FROM BIRD’S EYE PHOTOGRAPHY

LIVABILIT Y.COM/LOUISVILLE/K Y 17 16 LOUISVILLE

2 LouisviLLe

Welcome to LouisvilleAn introduCtion to the AreA’s peopLe, pLACes And events

Welcome, Welcome, WelcomeMaking 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.

an artful transformationFocused 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.

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.

almanac

4 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 5

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.

Fast Factsn 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.

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.

popuLaTionJefferson 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

louisville at a glance

What’s online Take a virtual tour of Louisville, courtesy of our award-winning photographers, at livability.com/louisville/ky.

Minneapolis

Kansas City

Dallas

New Orleans

Miami

Atlanta

CharlotteMemphis

Chicago

100 miles

200 miles

300 miles

400 miles

500 miles

DetroitCleveland

Boston

New YorkPhiladelphia

Washington D.C.

Houston

4 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 5

When 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.

LouisviLLe’s cuLTure of possibiLiTy is aTTracTinG creaTors

in a varieTy of fieLds, from Life sciences To TheaTer

Possibility nurtures

CreativitystoRy By Laura hiLLPHotoGRaPHy By brian mccord

Live

above: Jeff Fedor, co-owner of parkvu inc., helped create the monstro app.

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

6 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 7

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 cooperationFor 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.”

The actors Theatre of Louisville is located downtown.

6 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 7

Live

Make Your self at hoMe

a mother and daughter take a stroll in the historic old Louisville neighborhood.

8 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 9

In 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 endLouisville’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-the-century 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

stoRy By danny bonvissuToPHotoGRaPHy By brian mccord

Make Your self at hoMehomes, neiGhborhoods

offer True varieTy

8 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 9

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

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 all-inclusive residential area, featuring classic architectural styles and a town center with retail stores, markets and restaurants within walking distance.

south endLocated near Churchill Downs,

the South End of Louisville is known for its affordability. It also includes Iroquois Park, which has a 2,400-seat 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

10 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 11

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

West endGentrification 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.

downtownLouisville’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.

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.

10 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 11

Agourmand’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/sevicheLouisville 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

LouisviLLe resTauranTs & chefs earn naTionaL recoGniTion

Appetite for accoladesstoRy By joe morris | PHotoGRaPHy By brian mccord

Live

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

12 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 13

louisville originals

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

Hiko-a-mon

L & N Wine Bar & Bistro

Lilly’s Bistro

Limestone Restaurant Mayan Café

Meridian Café

Napa River Grill

North End Café

Palermo Viejo Authentic Argentine Restaurant

Rivue Restaurant & Lounge

Seviche

Sweet Surrender Dessert Cafe

The Irish Rover

The Irish Rover, Too

Uptown Cafe

Vincenzo’s

Winston’s Restaurant

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.

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 caféFrom 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.

people dining on the outdoor patio at seviche restaurant in Louisville, ky.

12 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 13

Whether 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

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

ingredients for successFArmers mArkets ensure Fresh, unusuAL inGredients

Live

residents and visitors enjoy shopping at the bardstown road Farmers market in Louisville.

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14 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.”

St. Matthew’s Farmers Market

14 LouisviLLe

Play

Louisville 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 forceLouisville 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

LouisviLLe niGhTLife and fesTivaLs

ensure There’s never a duLL momenT

PartystoRy By chris russeLL | PHotoGRaPHy By brian mccord

Here for the

PHoto CouRtEsy oF WiLLiE MaCLEan FRoM BiRD’s EyE PHotoGRaPHy

LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 17 16 LouisviLLe

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

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 venuesNightlife 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 Victorian-style 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.

LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 17

Louisville’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.

museums & galleriesthe 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

imagination runs WildArts And CuLture Community thrives in LouisviLLe

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Guests explore 21c museum hotel’s art museum, which is situated in the heart of museum row in downtown Louisville.

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from left: Waterfront park; bikers ride the 100-mile Louisville Loop.

outdoor 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 legacyMany 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.

cherokee ParkCherokee 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.

iroquois Parkiroquois 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.

shaWnee Parkthe 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 ParkLouisville’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

21st century ParksLouisviLLe’s pArk system keeps residents, visitors ACtive

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20 LouisviLLe

mary 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 college-

achieving 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

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:

committed to the greatest degree55,000 deGrees initiAtive GAins momentum

Learn

JeFFerson county Public schools

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

students work in the computer lab at Central high school in Louisville.

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

20 LouisviLLe

technological 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 public-private partnerships form to ensure

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

major invesTmenTs, neW parTnerships hiGhLiGhT GroWTh

in ciTy’s advanced manufacTurinG economic cLusTer

innovation Has It Made in Louisville

stoRy By john fuLLer

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Ge Appliances’ Geospring™ hybrid Water heater manufacturing facility at Appliance park in Louisville

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made in louisville

• Louisville Slugger Baseball Bats –Hillerich & Bradsby

• Disco Balls – Omega National Products

• Ford Escape – Ford Louisville Assembly Plant

• 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

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.

an employee works on an engine at ford’s kentucky Truck plant in Louisville.

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

22 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 23

Work

Louisville’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 clustersHere’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, Brown-Forman 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

Four clusters make Work for louisvillebusiness Groups hAve Good mix oF muLtinAtionAL And smALLer Firms

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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interstates:

i-65, i-64 or i-71

Public transportation:

transit Authority of river City (tArC)(502) 585-1234

www.ridetarc.org

economic resources

Greater Louisville inc. – the metro Chamber of Commerce614 W. Main st.

Louisville, ky 40202

(502) 625-0000

www.greaterlouisville.com

kentucky Cabinet for economic developmentold Capitol annex

300 West Broadway

Frankfort, ky 40601

(502) 564-7140

www.thinkkentucky.com

Sources:Onboard Informatics, www.greaterlouisville.com

cosT of LivinG

US Average = 100

overall, 89.0

Grocery, 88.7

Housing, 77.5

utilities, 100.0

transportation, 93.8

Health Care, 89.5

Miscellaneous, 94.2

saLes Tax

6%County & state sales tax

TransporTaTion

air:

Louisville international Airport

(sdF)

600 terminal Dr.

Louisville, ky 40209

(502) 367-4636

www.flylouisville.com

business cLimaTeWith 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.

Top privaTe secTor companies

united parcel service

20,288 employees

humana, inc.

10,017 employees

norton healthcare

9,421 employees

Jewish hospital healthcare

5,819 employees

kroger Co.

5,313 employees

Ford motor Co.

3,847 employees

Ge Appliances

3,988 employees

baptist healthcare

system inc.

3,952 employees

university of

Louisville hospital

2,307 employees

kindred healthcare inc.

2,297 employees

income

$26,390per Capita income

$61,843Average Annual household expenditure

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economic profiLe

24 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 25

thrive

Louisville has a long tradition

of health-care innovation

and a national reputation

for excellence.

some of the city’s state-of-the-

art 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

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 eastBaptist Hospital East features a

Baby steps program that focuses

doses of good medicineheALth-CAre exCeLLenCe is A LonGtime trAdition

from left: kosair Children’s hospital in brownsboro; norton brownsboro hospital in Louisville PHotos By BRian McCoRD

26 LouisviLLe LivAbiLit y.Com/LouisviLLe/k y 27

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

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Ad Index C4 CommonwealthBank&trust

15 Floydmemorialhospital

C3 JeFFersontowneConomiCdevelopmentauthority

C2 marriottlouisvillenortheast

21 oldhamCountyChamBeroFCommerCe

3 sawyerone

27 ymCaoFGreaterlouisville

visit ouradvertisersCommonwealth Bank & Trustwww.cbandt.com

Floyd Memorial Hospitalwww.floydmemorial.com

Jeffersontown Economic Development Authoritywww.jeffersontownky.com

Marriott Louisville Northeastwww.marriott.com/sdfri

Oldham County Chamber of Commerce www.oldhamcountychamber.com

SawyerOnewww.sawyerone.com

YMCA of Greater Louisvillewww.ymcalouisville.org

thrive

TransporTaTion

19 minutesmedian travel time to Work

resources

driver’s license: www.louisvilleky.gov/Residents/drivers_license.htm

vehicle registration:Jefferson County Clerk’s office527 W. Jefferson st. Louisville, ky 40202 (502) 574.5700 www.jeffersoncountyclerk.org

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

utilities:Louisville Gas & electric www.lge-ku.com/lge

cosT of LivinG

$48,731median household income

$128,560median home price

$773median rent for a two-bedroom Apartment

househoLd informaTion

age:

38median resident Age

27% 19 and under

47% 20-54

26% 55 and over

snapshoTWith 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.

communiTy profiLe

cLimaTe

87°

July Average high

25°

January Average Low

37”

Annual rain Fall (vs. national

Average Annual rain Fall of 37”)

Time zone

Eastern

28 LouisviLLe

http://jeffersontownky.com/ed.html