DIRECTOR’S TAKE blog

Dear Friend of Downtown,

It is human nature to want to come together as a community after any kind of disaster, whether natural or man-made. Sure, there are people who don’t feel so compelled, but I’m always in awe when I see people’s hearts on their sleeves and willingness to help when things are down.
 
The last week has been an incessant storm cloud over our region, and we have witnessed devastating tornadoes and historic flooding taking over our streets, muddying homes, and wreaking havoc in our normal schedules. The kick-off to the Derby festival also had to be cancelled, putting an extra damper on our spring rituals.
 
However, with the river finally cresting, we are seeing the heart-felt efforts start to come together to clean, clear, and calm our community. In Downtown, we had already put out a call for volunteers for basic cleaning to clear off the winter cobwebs and put a shine on the streetscapes. We had a record 150 people sign up, representing more than a dozen downtown companies, and we will be putting some of this people power toward flood recovery efforts as well.
 
We are resilient and we are proud. Living in community means acknowledging our shared spaces and each other, and I am proud to be a Louisvillian and working alongside you.
 
I hope to see you on the streets soon.

Dear Friend of Downtown,

We take the opportunity once a year to showcase the economic growth and vitality of Downtown through our annual State of the Downtown event. Yesterday, we shared achievements in Downtown throughout 2024, including updated information about numbers of new hotel rooms, housing units, tax revenues, business moves and investment, tourism and overall visits to Downtown.

Downtown is hopping.

It’s amazing to see the numbers of people increasing year over year since the pandemic and experience the vitality they add to our streets. Even though there are people who have the misperception that Downtown is not safe, I’m so glad that there are so many *more* people who know the truth and make the decision to attend basketball, volleyball, soccer and baseball games, Broadway shows, museums, arts performances, music concerts, and all the restaurants, bars, and distilleries in between.

Our Economic Impact Report shows 2024 was an outstanding year for investment and activity, and we are looking to double down on residential development as we plan out 2025 and beyond.

If you missed yesterday’s event, check out this video or visit our Downtown Strategy page to learn more about the implementation of projects that will guide our development over the next decade. You are the heart of our Downtown, and we want you to be part of the story.

See you on the streets soon!

Photo by Roberto Roldan, Louisville Public Media

Dear Friend of Downtown,

March is a month of exciting momentum for Downtown Louisville, and we are thrilled to share the latest updates with you. From significant investments in our historic venues to vibrant new public art installations… our Downtown is always transforming in meaningful ways. And don’t miss LDP’s annual State of the Downtown later this month (ticket sales tomorrow!) to hear even more updates.
 
With spring – and Derby, if you can believe it – right around the corner, we hope you help us make Downtown sparkle extra bright this year and join us at one of our annual spring clean-ups. It really does take a village… and this is a great way to participate in individual and corporate philanthropy efforts. Share your love for Downtown and sign up here!

See you on the streets soon!

Dear Friend of Downtown,

The butterfly effect – the theory that small changes can lead to big consequences, especially in complex systems.

I believe that we live out this theory every day, most of us unaware of the effects of our actions, our words, and even our thoughts. Because we are all living in this city, in this country, on this earth together, our energy is intertwined. We interact with people, both friends and strangers, every day whose energy we absorb or reflect.

Think about someone extending a helping hand to you, or just smiling a big hello in your direction. It is contagious and we are likely to pass that on to the next person we see. The same goes for sour attitudes or negative behavior, unfortunately bringing out that same grumpy or pessimistic feeling in us. We pass that along to folks, too.

This world needs more kindness, especially as divided as we’ve become. And because there are more people walking around downtown than any other neighborhood, I’d love to see us all take a little more responsibility for the energy we put out into the world… starting with our thoughts. Thoughts become actions and can be an impactful way to spread more cheer and love.

Smile at your neighbor, pick up a piece of litter, help someone with a door, buy someone’s coffee, tell them they look great… a little bit can go a long way if we all catch on.

See you smiling on the streets soon!

Dear Friend of Downtown,

You have several more days to take advantage of our second annual Downtown Hometown Tourist Celebration!

This promotion offers HALF OFF admissions at a dozen participating Downtown attractions and bourbon experiences… which means you can have twice the fun at half the price! In addition to the 12 attractions, there are also hotels, restaurants, retail, and even a sporting venue offering discounts during this time.

Being able to put together these kinds of events brings me immense happiness. There’s nothing I love more than being able to help people (find new ways to enjoy friends and family IN YOUR fine city), and to help our city (bring YOU fine people to our Downtown)!

Our tourism numbers are off the charts and given that others come from other cities and absolutely love our city, you’re missing out if you are not also taking advantage of this Downtown Hometown Tourist Week to save a few dollars and see what all the fuss is about.

My challenge to all: Do something fun (or new) in Downtown. Bring a friend with you. Say something publicly about your positive experience. Find another friend. Rinse and repeat.

See you on the streets soon!