An entertainment-oriented development brightens the River City’s downtown.
By Steve Aust
On the first Saturday in May, Louisville (aka The River City) shines as a menagerie of celebrities and dignitaries converge on the city’s renowned Churchill Downs for the running of the Kentucky Derby, now a 135-year tradition. However, the city’s vibrant culture extends far beyond the River City’s annual spring spectacle. Built in 2004, Louisville’s Fourth Street Live, a 350,000-sq.-ft. entertainment complex developed by the Cordish Co. and built by Bravura Corp. a Louisville architectural firm, serves as a colorful oasis amidst the city’s buttoned-up, central business district.
While travelling to Louisville to take photos of the new Kentucky Derby Museum (check back on www.signweb.com later this week for that gallery), I happened upon Fourth Street Live. Even on an overcast day at 11:00 a.m. on a Tuesday, with minimal foot traffic many of the nightlife-oriented establishments were closed, Fourth Street clearly serves as a vibrant gathering place in what’s, in my opinion, one of the most underrated cities in the U.S.
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