Louisville Museum Plaza
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This article or section contains information about expected future buildings or structures. It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change as the building approaches completion. |
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Museum Plaza is a proposed 62-story skyscraper in Louisville, Kentucky [1]. The planned 703 feet tall skyscraper is projected to cost $465 million and contain a one-acre public plaza and park, condominiums, lofts, a hotel, retail shops and a museum. If constructed, it will replace the AEGON Center as the tallest building in Kentucky; it will also be taller than any building in Cincinnati, Nashville, Memphis, Kansas City, or St. Louis. The avant-garde design of the skyscraper was was chosen by New York City Office of Metropolitan Architecture architect Joshua Prince-Ramus.
The location of Museum Plaza is projected to be between River Road, Main Street, 7th Street and 6th Streets in downtown within the West Main district [1].
If built, it will be the first skyscraper constructed in Louisville in 14 years since the 35-story AEGON Center was constructed.
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[edit] History
[edit] Initial offering
The Museum Plaza project was first announced on February 9, 2006 as a 61 story three-tower skyscraper [2]. The original intent of the project was to house a "contemporary art museum, restaurants, retail stores, 85 luxury condominiums, 150 lofts, a 300-room hotel, office space and a 1,100-car underground parking garage." The project originally contained approximately 1.2 million square feet of space, nearly twice the size of AEGON Center, 300,000 sq. ft. of which would be reserved for office space. Sales of the lofts, condos and offices began in March [2].
The $380 million project that featured a fairly radical skyscraper concept would engulf the West Main district, also known as "Museum Row" for its diverse collections of exhibitions. $305 million will be paid for with private money and income from operations, with the remainder coming from the city and state in the way of upgrading adjacent infrastructures which would include moving the adjacent floodwall, redirecting several city streets, and constructing a public park and walkway [2]; the city and state money would come rebates on new taxes generated by Museum Plaza over the time frame of 20 years.
The location of the proposed skyscraper was chosen for its derelict structures; it was donated from the city to the developers.
At the time of its unveiling, the University of Louisville was negotiating with the developers to move its Master of Fine Arts program into the complex. The primary reason is that there will be ample gallery space that could be shared between various artists and the University; the public can also collaborate with the residents, university students, workers or visitors to Museum Plaza [2].
One of the main concerns noted regards the design being "out-of-context" with the West Main Street district. The surrounding structures are a mix of four and five-story period structures that would be "engulfed" by the 61-story tower. Several raised concerns that the skyscraper would "separate itself" from the district.
[edit] Preliminary construction begins
Preliminary construction began on November 13 with the selective demolition of four West Main Street buildings [3]. The facades of 615-621 West Main will be saved and serve as an entrance to a "pedestrian promenade and retail corridor." The buildings were abandoned, having been purchased by the Parking Authority of River City in 2001 for the failed Vencor Tower that was to be located on the same site as Museum Plaza.
[edit] Growing larger
On December 6, it was announced that Museum Plaza was becoming larger [1]. The $380 million price tag had risen to $465 million due to several additions to the complex, adjacent roadway improvements and rising basic material costs; new alterations to the city's waterfront would entail more work for the city and state. The announcement also stated that the project would contain a 246-room Westin Hotel, the addition of 14 luxury condominiums for a total of 99, a 140,000 sq. ft. park that would connect to the nearby Ali Center, and for the demolition of the LG&E tower at Eighth Street. The project now contains 1.5 million sq. ft. of space, a 40,000 sq. ft. contemporary art museum, 20,000 sq. ft. of restaurants and retail space, 99 luxury condominiums, 117 lofts, a 246-room hotel, office space and an 800-car underground parking garage.
In the revisions, the number of lofts was lowered from 150 to 117 because the University of Louisville's Master of Fine Arts program was intending to move to Museum Plaza [1]; this would give the school additional room. The arts program, covering 36,500 sq. ft. over four levels, will include a glass-making shop. The hotel also lost 50 rooms in the process, but the addition of a ballroom, fitness center, spa, restaurant and bar makes up for the difference.
It is expected that once construction begins in the summer of 2007, there will be 561 full-time workers employed at the construction site for three years; construction is projected to end in 2010. The combined economic impact is $900 million, making it one of Kentucky's largest economic development projects [1].
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Green, Marcus. "Museum Plaza plan expands, cost grows." 6 Dec. 2006. Courier-Journal [Louisville]. 7 Dec. 2006 [1].
- ^ a b c d Poynter, Chris. "Skyscraper to transform Louisville skyline." 9 Feb. 2006. Courier-Journal [Louisville]. 7 Dec. 2006 [2].
- ^ Green, Marcus. "West Main buildings to be razed for Museum Plaza project." 10 Nov. 2006. Courier-Journal [Louisville]. 7 Dec. 2006 [3].
