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| Before the renovation. |
Work has wrapped up recently on a total replacement of the mid-century storefronts of two neighboring buildings on Oak Street in Old Louisville, near the intersection with Fourth Street. The new brick facades are a clear improvement and a step in the right direction for the Oak Street commercial corridor. Oak Street will play an important role in Old Louisville's renaissance, as it tries to play catch up to current hot locales such as the Highlands and more recently Nulu and Germantown. These building are right next door to the Rudyard Kipling, and with the right bar and restaurant mix could be the beginnings of a new dining and entertainment district.
Metro government has previously approved an extensive streetscape improvement effort on Oak Street to help jump-start the transformation. These renovations as well as the Nulu restoration covered below were facilitated with loans from Metro Government's METCO (Metro Business Development Corporation).
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| Before the renovation. |
Over in Nulu, an equally impressive transformation has taken place next to the Mayan Cafe. Work there is nearing completion as workers have already removed the previously added faux stonework to expose historic brickwork and a limestone storefront. Windows have been replaced and the interior build-out is being completed.
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| Before the restoration. |
This is to be the future location of alterEGO, a womens apparel store, following a move from the suburbs and their current location in Westport Village. Linda Hawpe's boutique is another feather in Nulu's cap as it reverses the decades long trend of retail leaving downtown for the suburbs.
More pictures after the jump:
