Louisville leaders announced plans Monday to transform a downtown surface parking lot into 500,000 square feet of mixed-use development overlooking Louisville Slugger Field, a vision that project leaders say would "create a new neighborhood."
Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a news release Monday morning that the "transformative new mixed-use development proposal" is the city's latest effort to "create a more vibrant, healthy, and connected downtown."
"It's about much more than just baseball," Greenberg said during a news conference Monday's announcing the project. "It's about continuing to build our community, continuing to build the momentum here in downtown Louisville."
The $250 million project is a joint venture between Diamond Baseball Holdings, which owns the Louisville Bats, and Machete Group, a developer that specializes in sports and entertainment venues. Machete Group has been involved in numerous high-profile projects around the United States, including the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, the Chase Center in San Francisco and more.
"We are thrilled to be part of a development proposal that would not only enhance the local sports culture but also contributes to the overall growth and vitality of Louisville," David Carlock, principal at Machete Group, said in a news release. "This mixed-use space will create a new neighborhood that blends leisure, entertainment, and residential living, making it a desirable destination for all."
The project, wedged into a parking lot just east of the baseball stadium and southwest of the Interstate 65 interchange, calls for 225 apartments, a boutique hotel with 170 rooms, office and meeting spaces, retail shops, a new entrance to Slugger Field and on-site parking.
"This exciting development represents our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our residents and visitors," Greenberg said in the release. "We are being proactive about developing surface lots across our downtown; these type of lots are ripe for development that benefits our city as a whole and its residents. We look forward to continuing to work with Machete Group and Diamond Baseball Holdings hopefully make this District a reality."
Those who work near the project site are hoping it will bring more people near the stadium during slower, cold months.
"Especially with a lack of commute, people will be more willing to come down here for a quick bite to eat, quick beer," said Koby Anderson, a server and bartender at Against the Grain Brewery & Public House, which is inside Slugger Field.
