preservation district - louisvilleky.gov landmarks commission design guidelines, parkland, page 1...

LOUISVILLE LANDMARKS COMMISSION DESIGN GUIDELINES, PARKLAND, PAGE 1

PARKLANDPRESERVATION DISTRICT

A Brief History

COMMERCIAL HUB

The Parkland Business District developed as thecommercial hub of one of Louisville�s most prestigiousnineteenth-century suburbs. Originally located outsidethe city limits and far from city stores, Parkland neededits own commercial center. As the demand forconvenient services grew, so did the business district.

OVER ONE THOUSAND LOTS TO AUCTION

Parkland began in 1871 as a rural community. Localreal estate developers subdivided 342 acres into 1,072lots and sold them at auction. The developers widelyadvertised the event and nearly 2,000 people arrivedto bid at the auction. Many businesses in the cityclosed so that employees could attend. Despite thewide interest, however, few people built homes inParkland until the 1880s when newly constructedstreets and mule-drawn streetcars made the areamore accessible.

CAREFULLY-MANAGED GROWTH

Within the next decade development rapidly increased.Elegant mansions, built by Louisville�s wealthy families,began to line the streets. By the end of the decade,five churches served the spiritual needs of thecommunity. On Dumesnil Street, between 28th and26th Streets, the new commercial district housed aMasonic Temple, various groceries, and generalmerchandise stores. As Parkland grew, communityleaders sought to maintain it as a desirable place tolive. The Mayor and Town Council, all Masons,enacted ordinances to regulate activity within thetown. Regulations prohibited drinking establishments,disorderly conduct, and factories with malodorous fumes.

DEVASTATING TORNADO

Strictly guided by its community leaders, Parklandcontinued to thrive until disaster struck in 1890. Atornado, one of the most powerful in the history ofJefferson County, hit the town on March 27th anddestroyed most of its buildings. Unable to rebuilditself, the town agreed to annexation by the City ofLouisville in 1894. By the turn of the century, however,residents had not only rebuilt but also expandedParkland. Many of the beautiful nineteenth-centurymansions, shotgun houses, and bungalows builtduring this time line Parkland�s streets today.

View looking south on 28th Street looking South towards Dumesnil Street circa 1929. Courtesy of the University ofLouisville Photographic Archives.


LITTLE AFRICA

Not all of Parkland�s residents, however, lived in largehomes and enjoyed substantial wealth. Residents livingin a section of Parkland known as Little Africa inhabitedvery modest structures. Located southwest of centralParkland, Little Africa was home to Parkland�s AfricanAmerican families. It was one of the many all-blackneighborhoods that developed during the last decadesof the nineteenth century. Little Africa, in addition toCalifornia and Smoketown, grew as the city�s AfricanAmerican population rose and a pattern of segregationevolved.

AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKING CLASS

In the early years, families living in Little Africa occu-pied wooden shacks and shanties. Eventually, familiesbegan to prosper as opportunities to work increased.In the Reconstruction years, African Americans workedas blacksmiths, wagon-builders, barbers, janitors,messengers, bartenders, and day laborers. Over time,families could afford to build or buy houses and livingconditions began to improve. Organized efforts tobetter the quality of life for Little Africa residents beganin the early twentieth century with the creation of theParkland Improvement Club. Through the Club,residents laid cinder block walks, put up mailboxes,and improved city streets.

PROSPEROUS TIMES

Parkland, as a whole, continued to grow through the1950s. As the electric streetcar and then automobilesmade the community increasingly accessible, morefamilies and businesses moved to the area. The

business district expanded as restaurants, drugstores,department stores, a Piggly Wiggly grocery store, andother businesses opened along Dumesnil. In 1930, theprosperous community inspired W. B. Washburn, anAfrican American dentist, to construct a two-storyoffice building in the Parkland Business District.Washburn hired the nationally recognized AfricanAmerican architect Samuel Plato to design the building.Known appropriately as the Washburn Building, thestructure continues to house local businesses. By the1950s, the business milieu included gas stations,theaters, bakeries, hardware stores, a bank, and arecord store.

RIOTS AND REBUILDING

Many of these businesses left, however, when disasteronce again struck Parkland in 1968. On May 28, 1968,in the midst of African Americans� fight for civil rightsand in the aftermath of Reverend Martin Luther King�srecent assassination, race riots broke out. Riotersvandalized Parkland�s stores. Local residents, businessowners, and city officials have since endeavored torebuild the business community. Most notable was thedesignation of the business district as a local preserva-tion district in 1984. The designation made financialincentives available to developers and spurred therenovation of historic structures.

While the Limerick Local Preservation District iscommercial, it is surrounded by a National RegisterDistrict of over four hundred residences. Efforts arebeing made to renew and strengthen both the physicaland economic ties between these two commercial andresidential districts.

(Continued from page one)

DID YOU KNOW?� A forceful tornado hit Parkland late on the

evening of March 27, 1890 and destroyed nearlyall the homes and businesses. By the turn of thecentury, however, the residents had completelyrebuilt the town.

� Developers first attracted residents toParkland by providing mule-drawn streetcarservice to and from the city. The mules� stablestill stands on Dumesnil Street just west of theMasonic Temple.

� Boxing champion Muhammad Ali grew up inthe Parkland community. Known in his child-hood as Cassius Clay, Jr., Ali made his boxingdebut on a local televised boxing program.

� Local architects designed the Prince Hall MasonicTemple, built circa 1923, in the Classical Revivalstyle. In the 1980s, the Kentucky HeritageCouncil funded the renovation ofthe Temple.

� The building at 1220 South 28thStreet is an excellent example ofthe vernacular commercialstructures prevalent in the earlytwentieth century.

� In the 1960s, Louisville�s firsturban renewal efforts concen-trated on rehabilitating deterio-rated housing in Parkland�s LittleAfrica.


�Reading� Your Building�A Crash Course

Property owners planning to make exterior changes toa historic building should start by identifying thefeatures and materials that give their structure itsunique character, as well as its historic and non-histiricelements. By taking the time to recognize and under-stand significant features, you will be much more likelyto plan a project that is compatible with the originalstyle of the building.

If, after looking over these guidelines, you would stilllike more information, the staff will be happy toarrange a pre-application meeting. Staff members canprovide additional advice on the character of yourbuilding and how it relates to your upcoming project.

Learning to read a building and identify its significantelements is not complicated. Begin by thinking aboutand answering the questions below.

STEP ONE

Identify the overall visual aspects of a building.Do not focus on the details, but on the setting andarchitectural context. Begin by working through thechecklist below.

SHAPEWhat is there about the form or shape of the buildingthat gives the building its identity? Is it short and squat,or tall and narrow?

ROOF AND ROOF FEATURESHow does the roof shape or pitch contribute to thebuilding�s character? Are there unique features likeweathervanes, cresting, or cupolas?

OPENINGSWhat rhythm or pattern does the arrangement ofwindow or door openings create? Are there unusu-ally-shaped window openings or distinctiveentryways?

PROJECTIONSAre there parts of the building that are character-defining because they project from the walls of thebuilding like porches, cornices, bay windows, orbalconies? Are there turrets, or widely overhangingeaves, projecting pediments, or chimneys?

TRIM AND SECONDARY FEATURESHow does window and door trim contribute to thecharacter of the building? Be sure to consider thedecoration, color, or patterning of the trim. What aboutsecondary features like shutters, decorative gables,and railings?

MATERIALSFrom a distance, what contribution do the color,texture, and combination of exterior materials make tothe overall character of the building?

SETTINGWhat aspects of the setting are important in establish-ing the visual character of the site? Think about thebuilding�s setback, alignment with adjacent buildings,plantings, fencing, terracing, and outbuildings, andits relationship to the street and alley.

STEP TWO

Identify the character of the building at close range.Assess the color and texture of the building materialsas they convey the craftsmanship and age that givesthe building its unique appearance. Begin by workingthrough the checklist below.

MATERIALS AT CLOSE INSPECTIONAre there one or more materials that have an inherenttexture that contribute to the close-range character,such as stucco, exposed aggregate concrete, or bricktextured with vertical grooves?

CRAFT DETAILSIs there high-quality brickwork with narrow mortarjoints, or hand-tooled or patterned stonework? Arethere hand-split or hand-dressed clapboards ormachine-smoothed beveled siding? Craft details,whether handmade or machine-made, contribute tothe character of a building because they are manifes-tations of the time in which the work was done and ofthe tools and processes that were used.


Parkland�Historic Commercial Hub

The commercial district that developed to serve thegrowing community of Parkland emerged and flourished

between the 1880s and the 1950s.The majority of the remainingbuildings within the ParklandPreservation District date to thisera, and are strung along a roughlyfour-block area at the intersectionof 28th and Dumesnil Streets. Thedistrict�s street pattern is part ofLouisville�s urban grid.

BUILDING USE

Owners constructed most of the district�s buildings forcommercial purposes, although some also containedupper-level residences. By the 1920s shoppers alightingfrom trolleys could patronize local bakeries, dry goodsstores, meat markets, clothing stores, and dry-cleaningbusinesses within a four-block area. The old and newMasonic Lodges, which face each other acrossDumesnil Street, served as the cornerstones thatanchored the district. Their massive appearancecontinues to lend a sense of permanency and architec-tural presence to the neighborhood.

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

The district�s character embraces the ideals of sub-stance and solidity. Many of the buildings present aforthright and utilitarian appearance. Restraint bestdefines the ornamentation of these buildings, al-though a range of stylistic modes can been seen bywalking through the district, including RichardsonianRomanesque, Classical Revival, Craftsman, andModerne elements.

BUILDING MATERIALS

Brick is the dominant building material within thecommercial district and is used both for cladding andfor the decorative, geometric ornament seen in theupper facades and cornices. Stepped parapet wallsadd visual interest to the more modest one-and-one-half-story buildings. A limited amount of carvedlimestone ornament is also present in some of themore commanding buildings, such as the MasonicTemples and the Washburn Building.

DIRECTIONAL EMPHASIS

Heights vary between one and four stories, oftenwithin one block. Unlike the cast-iron facades of WestMain Street, Parkland�s buildings emphasizehorizontality, covering more ground in relation to theiroverall height. Continuous strips of storefronts, suchas those that wrap the southwest corner of 28thStreet and Dumesnil, reinforce the appearance ofhorizontality.

VACANT LAND

The loss of numerous buildings has contributed to thegradual disintegration of the district, underminingestablished relationships between buildings. In thepast, buildings lined the sidewalks, creating a densecorridor of business enterprises. Storefronts createda feeling of unity within the district. Now, there aremany �missing-teeth,� and surface parking lotsvisually compete with the remaining buildings. Vacantlots dissolve the sense of separation between com-mercial and residential areas, because there is noperceptible transition between the two−no sense ofentry into this commercial center.

COMPATIBLE CONSTRUCTION NEEDED

Streetscape improvements, such as street treeplanting, new paving, and fencing of parking areas,are measures that mitigate these losses somewhat.Commercial properties should be constructed onvacant lots; but care must be given so that the stylesand materials are compatible with existing buildingsand reflect historic site and architectural patterns.Such action is needed in order to restore a measureof the vitality and character that this district oncepossessed. Fortunately, revitalization efforts havepreserved important anchor buildings, restoring themto new uses. These buildings can provide an arma-ture around which a new service-oriented commercialdistrict may evolve.

The corner of 28th and Dumesnil Streets, showing the NewMasonic Temple (top) and the Old Masonic Temple, which

has been rehabilitated for a new use, courtesy of theUniversity of Louisville Photographic Archives.


CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES

Site• lacks overall cohesiveness and is weakened by the

loss of historic building stock;• requires additional build-out on vacant lots; and• should establish a clearer relationship to sur-

rounding residential areas.

Facades• possess a sense of mass and solidity; and• have a horizontal emphasis.

Storefronts• have a tripartite organization of bulkheads, plate-

glass windows, and transoms;• create a sense of horizontality along the sidewalk;

and• contribute to the creation of a pedestrian-scaled

environment.

Windows• provide a sense of rhythm to a facade, punctuat-

ing the mass of masonry walls;• are wood, double-hung sash with a variety of

glazing configurations; and• are accented by brick flat arches, stone lintels

and sills, and decorative surrounds.

Ornament• is generally restrained;• derives from classical sources; and• tends toward the geometric rather than the

organic.

Roofs• are flat or have a very shallow pitch; and• are often concealed by decorative parapet walls.

Secondary Facades• generally lack ornamentation; and• have taken on a new importance due to the

reorientation of parking and circulation patterns.

Streetscape• has been enhanced through tree planting and

decorative paving;• continues to be overwhelmed by surface parking

lots; and• needs to regain a sense of enclosure through the

build-out of vacant lots.


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PARKLAND PRESERVATION DISTRICT


SIGNS AND AWNINGS STREETSCAPE

FACADE PAVING


Preservation Principles

Outlined below are a number of guiding preservationprinciples that are modeled after the Secretary of theInterior�s Standards for Rehabilitation. Reading throughthese principles will help you begin to think about howyou can carry out your upcoming project in a way thatboth enhances your historic building or site andpreserves its character-defining features.

RELATIONSHIPS

When evaluating the appropriateness of a givenproject, the structure, the site, and their relationship tothe rest of the district should be given careful consider-ation.

USE

Historic structures within a local preservation districtshould be used for their originally intended purpose orfor an alternate purpose that requires minimal alter-ation to the building and site.

ALTERATIONS

Repair is always preferred over replacement. Whenreplacement is necessary, materials should replicate ormatch the visual appearance of the original.

A high level of craftsmanship distinguishes structureswithin local preservation districts. Distinctive fea-tures, finishes, and construction techniques shouldbe preserved whenever possible.

Removal or alteration of historic fabric compromisesthe original character of a building or site and shouldbe avoided.

Properties, however, do change over time. Thosealterations that have become historic in their own rightshould be maintained as a record of a resource�sphysical evolution.

NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ADDITIONS

Additions should be designed to minimize impact tohistoric fabric and should be compatible with themain structure in massing, size, and scale.

New, infill construction should be designed so that it iscompatible with its neighbors in size, massing, scale,setback, facade organization, and roof form.

New construction and additions should also draw uponestablished stylistic elements to create a sympatheticdesign that is clearly of its own era.

TREATMENTS

Chemical and physical treatments should always be asgentle as possible, since harsh methods like sandblast-ing can irreversibly damage historic fabric.

ARCHEOLOGY

Historic sites often contain archeological resources,which should be protected and preserved wheneverpossible. If artifacts are found, contact the Land-marks Commission for an assessment.

Northeast corner of 28th and Dumesnil Streets, now replaced by a parking lot, courtesy of the University of LouisvillePhotographic Archives.

preservation district - louisvilleky.gov landmarks commission design guidelines, parkland, page 1...

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