 President David Yates joined many joyous citizens of South Louisville, Mayor Greg Fischer and his fellow Metro Council members to announce
that construction is scheduled to begin on the $5 million redevelopment of
historic Colonial Gardens in south Louisville.
The adaptive reuse project includes renovating the 7,000-square-foot
historic Colonial Gardens building, as well as adding three new, one-story
buildings for a total of 18,000-square-feet that will share a common patio and
garden area.
Citizens sought successfully to designate the iconic Colonial
Gardens building, located across from Iroquois Park, as a local landmark in
2008. The city purchased the property in 2013 to help foster its commercial
redevelopment.
The site’s developer, Underhill Associates, is in talks with local
restaurant groups to occupy the four corner spaces of the building, located on
the corner of Kenwood Avenue and New Cut Road, and a common beer garden
area.
Underhill noted that the venue will be decorated with memorabilia celebrating south Louisville.
 Overview:
Projected Cost:
Construction:
Post Construction Company is expected to begin construction on the property in early 2018, with a completion date of spring 2019. Construction is currently expected to take 14 months.
Amenities:
- 4 Restaurant "Corners"
- Hopeful for 3 Lunch/Dinner & 1 Breakfast
- Common Beer Garden for all shared use
- Increased Parking
 Metro Council President David Yates, District 25:
“The decaying building
of Colonial Gardens has epitomized south Louisville’s unrequited demand for
economic investment for far too long. In the shadow of the majestic Iroquois
Amphitheater, the two buildings illustrate the dichotomy of who our community
has been and who our community can be. Today, we take another step toward
restoring our vibrant, unique South end neighborhood. This public-private
partnership will turn a dilapidated eyesore into the gateway of the south. I
stand with my colleagues in championing this development and am eager for its
success to catalyze further investment into both our economy and people. I
thank my colleagues, the Mayor and Louisville Forward who have all stood with
me fight after fight to ensure this project’s success. Once complete, Colonial
Gardens will be a win-win for our city and the good people of South
Louisville.”
 WDRB 41
http://www.wdrb.com/story/36897067/developer-unveils-plan-to-turn-colonial-gardens-into-restaurants-beer-garden
WAVE 3
http://www.wave3.com/story/36898807/restaurants-beer-garden-to-return-to-revitalized-colonial-gardens
Insider
Louisville
https://insiderlouisville.com/business/developer-breaks-ground-on-colonial-gardens/
  Site plans have been filed for the Waverly Park Restrooms!
You can view all renderings here: Site Plans
You can also view the Site Application here!
 President Yates secured $250,000 in funding in FY16 to ensure the planning and development of the restrooms.
President Yates has secured another $51,000 to ensure the construction of the restrooms as soon as possible.
While construction starts in Waverly Park please be careful around the site!
We look forward to this significant improvement into our neighborhood park.
Maps of Dixie Highway improvements, including planned medians and sidewalks are available for viewing on The New Dixie Highway website.
Medians are a vital part of reducing congestion and improving safety by reducing the number of left turns. In some sections, the medians will be planted with native grasses and low-maintenance plants to beautify the area while also making traffic safer and more efficient.
Limiting left turns will help make the New Dixie Highway a safer, and less congested commute for everyone. Left turns create backlogs of traffic, because vehicles waiting to turn block a lane of travel. Left turns are also one of the most dangerous parts of driving, and the ensuing wrecks cause more congestion. Other highways that have installed similar medians have seen a 30 percent reduction in crashes.
The maps also feature the new, wider sidewalks on both sides of the highway, which are an important safety feature for pedestrians. Most of the sidewalks will be eight feet wide, much larger than current sidewalks in the area, and will help pedestrians safely reach bus transportation or other destinations.
Public Input Affected Median Design
The New Dixie Highway Project is a $35 million effort to improve one of the busiest economic corridors in Louisville. It is the biggest transportation project in Louisville since the Ohio River Bridges Project, and the project has been in a design phase for about a year. During that time, the project team sought public input on many aspects of the plan, including the placement of medians and sidewalks.
Residents, commuters and business leaders along the corridor expressed a strong preference for medians that would remain attractive over time, and long-term maintenance was a concern for many people. As a result of this public feedback, most of the medians will be non-mountable concrete curbs, but some key intersections will include wider medians with native plantings.
 While leaf drop-off service ends this Saturday, December 2 at two
locations, it has been extended an additional week to December 9 at a third
location. Metro residents
not mulching autumn leaves into their lawns or using curbside collection have
the option through December 9 to dispose of them at the Public Works Waste
Reduction Center:
Public Works Waste Reduction
Center
Tuesday – Friday: 9 a.m. –
5 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Only loose leaves will be
accepted. Containers used to bring leaves to the drop-off sites must be
disposed of off-site by residents.
Tomorrow, December 2, is the last
day for leaf drop off at these two sites:
Public Works Yard
-
10500 Lower River Road (enter from Bethany Lane)
Saturday
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Public Works East District
Operations Center
Saturday
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
 Holiday Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!
Christmas is the time to celebrate peace and joy. It’s the time of family and friends togetherness and to reflect on the many things that we are grateful for. So, on behalf of the ANA Neighborhood Association best wishes to you and the families within your neighborhood for a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.
Crime Prevention Tip: Don’t Let the Grinch ruin your holiday. Play it safe!
Online shopping can offer a comfortable respite from unruly crowds, but it has its own hazards. Many people who have gifts shipped to them have the packages left at their doorsteps by their mail carriers, and these unattended parcels prove irresistible to thieves. Here are some tips to keep in mind during the holiday season regarding package deliveries:
• Choose a shipping option that requires you to sign for delivery.
• Check on the package’s delivery status online so you can try to be home when it arrives.
• Leave a note asking the delivery service to leave the package with a neighbor.
• Have the package shipped to another location where someone can receive it, like your office or a friend’s home.
• Ask the delivery service to hold your package for customer pick-up.
If you’re not an active member of ANA — and a majority of households in ANA are not — then you’re already reaping many of the membership benefits just by virtue of having access to our programs and activities. I encourage you to become a donating ANA Neighboor, and help support all the amazing things ANA does to make our area the best place to live in the South End of Louisville.
 Between 2004 and 2012, research found that Louisville lost the equivalent of 54,000 trees every year, and this alarming trend is set to continue unless actions are taken to replenish many of the trees we are losing. Trees provide cooling shade for our city, improve air quality, reduce heating & cooling costs and improve property values. Approximately 70% of available space for tree planting is privately owned, which means that homeowners can play a big part in helping to rebuild Louisville’s tree canopy!
TreesLouisville, in partnership with the Louisville Metro Division of Community Forestry, is currently running a Tree Rebate Program as an incentive for homeowners to plant more trees. The Tree Rebate Program is open to all residents of Jefferson County. Through the program, participants can earn a rebate of 40% (up to $80) on the purchase of a shade tree. Rebates will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds run out.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
● Tree must be considered a shade tree (i.e. larger canopy trees - oaks, elms, maples,
etc., though we will accept smaller species like redbuds or serviceberries to
accommodate for smaller yards)
● Tree must be planted in a residential yard
● Maximum 3 tree applications per household
● Rebate does not include sales tax or any other costs - delivery, planting, other materials
● Tree must measure at least 1in in diameter at a point 6in above soil line
● Rebates are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis while funds are available
For full details, visit treeslouisville.org/rebate
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Plant for the Planet Grant applications will be accepted through our new online grant portal from Nov. 1 through Dec. 1. All applications and corresponding documentation must be submitted electronically through the portal. Paper applications will no longer be accepted.
Submit your application here!
LG&E's Plant for the Planet program is modeled after the United Nations Environment Program's (UNEP) Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign. The purpose of UNEP's tree-planting effort is to bring individuals, communities and businesses together to collectively plant over one billion trees worldwide each year. Similarly, LG&E and KU's program is designed to encourage nonprofit organizations and local government agencies with a record of successful tree planting to continue their efforts. The company has designated up to $75,000 each year toward this initiative.
LG&E and KU offer one-year grants of $500 to $5000 for urban, suburban or rural projects in forests and parks, along parkways or roadways that meet program objectives. Applicants must demonstrate that mature trees resulting from their efforts will not interfere with utility lines.
 US 31W (Dixie
Highway): Lane closures and
delays possible between Greenwood Road and Heaton Road (mile markers 11.7 to
14.5) due to median removal, roadway re-striping and traffic shifts for future
construction.
Crews will be working on the northbound lanes of Dixie Highway
between Greenwood Road and Blanton Lane and on the southbound lanes between
Heaton Road and Upper Hunters Trace.
Lane closures are possible on weekdays 9
a.m. – 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. and on weekends from 7 p.m. on Friday
until 5 a.m. on Monday.
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Updated schedule on
US 31W pavement replacement project in Jefferson County
Motorists, residents and businesses will soon see construction activity again
on the US 31W (Dixie Highway) pavement replacement project in Jefferson County.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) engineers have been working with Hall
Contracting of Kentucky, Inc. on an updated schedule for completing work on
drainage structures along the roadway followed by removal and replacement of
the asphalt pavement.
Contract
crews are scheduled to resume work in the area between Bethany Lane and
Stonestreet Road (mile markers 7.7 to 9.7) by the end of this week.
Construction on this section of roadway is estimated to be completed this fall.
Traffic
shifts are currently in place and two lanes of traffic are being maintained in
each direction during daytime hours on US 31W. Lane closures are possible on
weeknights in the northbound direction from 9:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. Closure
times for the southbound direction are from 9:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m.
Weekend lane closures are permitted from 9:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m. the
following morning on Fridays and Saturdays.
During
construction, motorists do not have access to a continuous center turn lane
along US 31W. This turning lane as well as the shoulders on both sides of the
road are being used to accommodate traffic shifts. Left turning lanes are being
provided at the signalized intersections.
The
entire project extends from Stonegate Manor Drive to Greenwood Road (mile
points 6.6 to 11.7). The existing asphalt pavement is being removed down to the
original concrete pavement. An intermediate material is being installed as a
means to prevent reflective cracking between the concrete and asphalt layers.
Base and surface layers of asphalt will be paved to complete the roadway.
The project is divided into four sections of
work:
· Section 1 - Stonegate
Manor Drive to Bethany Lane (mile points 6.6 to 7.7)
· Section 2 - Bethany
Lane to Stonestreet Road (mile points 7.7 to 9.7)
· Section 3 -
Stonestreet Road to West Pages Lane (mile points 9.7 to 10.5)
· Section 4 - West
Pages Lane to Greenwood Road (mile points 10.5 to 11.7)
Section 1 between
Stonegate Manor Drive and Bethany Lane has been completed. Progress in the
Section 2 has been slowed in the past due to utility conflicts. In addition,
resource availability has been an issue for the contractor in recent weeks due
to commitments on other construction projects.
Weather permitting,
Section 3 of the project from Stonestreet Road to West Pages Lane will be
completed by the end of 2017. Due to winter weather restrictions on asphalt
paving, work on the Section 4 between West Pages Lane and Greenwood Road will
be performed in the spring of 2018.
Another
aspect of this project is improvements to most of the traffic signals on this
portion of Dixie Highway. Upgrades include replacing poles, adding
permitted/protected left turn arrows and installing reflective back plates as
well as pedestrian push buttons. Existing sidewalk ramps will be upgraded to
ADA compliance and new ramps will be built where pedestrians previously stood
on the shoulder of the road.
Hall Contracting of Kentucky, Inc. was
awarded this contract in the amount of $14.5 million. Construction is scheduled
for completion by May 15, 2018. The contractor will be assessed penalties in
the amount of $25,000 per day for every day that construction work extends
beyond May 15, 2018.
The
date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other
unforeseen delays occur. Visit goky.ky.gov
for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of
Kentucky. You can also get traffic information for the District 5
counties at facebook.com/KYTCDistrict5
and twitter.com/KYTCDistrict5
.
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 1. Why was the traffic shifted when little to no work has been completed this year?
- This year, most of the work was being completed at night. Prior to beginning work, the contractor and LG&E asked impacted businesses when it’s appropriate to cut gas service. The decision was made that the contractor would excavate around the lines and prep the trench during the night. Then when they were ready to lay pipe, LG&E would come in before sunrise and cut the line. The contractor would lay the line and LG&E would then reattach the line. This kept services going during important times for the business owners/residents.
- As discussed above, the contractor is honoring other commitments made during last year. Traffic was shifted to accommodate gas service to the school. There is a 4” service line that runs to the school. During the school year it would have required coordination with the school and should any delay occur school would have been impacted. Thus work began on the pipeline once school was out to ensure minimal impact to the school as possible. Until the line was laid past the school, Hall returned to honoring other commitments with the intention that as soon as a crew was available they would return. The current expected date of beginning work is Monday, July 24.
2. What is the current schedule and completion dates?
- Because of the delays caused by the unknown utilities, KYTC has agreed that a time extension would be needed. The new completion date for the project is May 15, 2018.
- Section 2 and 3 will both be finished by December 15, 2017 (weather permitting). However, should section 3 not be completed by that time, traffic will return to its normal pattern by December 15, 2017 and work will resume in Spring 2018 (Section 4 and any remaining section 3).
- The completion date for the entire project would not change however from May 15, 2018.
3. Will the contractor be penalized for not finishing each section timely?
- There is no language within the contract putting stipulations on each section’s progress, however, there are damages assessed if the project continues beyond the May 15, 2018 deadline.
- Those damages will be assessed at $25,000 per day.
4. Will someone fix all the potholes that are currently on the road?
- Yes, since this is actually a Louisville Metro maintained roadway, we have asked them to pothole patch as needed. They began this work on Thursday, July 13 and are continuing today. So far, they have filled 150 potholes.
5. Who can we contact if we have concerns?
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