Design Considerations:
Click on the images to enlarge
This page is a timeline of the exiting and proposed design initiatives that have brought us to this point as well as some recommendations for the future.
Here is the sketch prepared by The Louisville Department of Public Works and submitted to the Corps of Engineers by Mayor Neville Miller in 1935. Notice what is now the Harbor Island was originally planned as an 850' floating dock with a dockhouse at it's center.
This amazing plan shows the now existing Harbor Bridge and shoreline docks with an elaborate dockhouse proposed for the end of the Harbor Bridge. Notice the 02/16/1884 41.70 ft high water mark!
Interestingly, since these drawings were prepared and The Harbor built, there have been two floods that exceeded the 1884 high water level indicated.
(1) 52.15 ft on 01/27/1937
(2) 42.10 ft on 03/08/1945The 1937 event would have been just above at the top of the flagpole on the dockhouse steeple. Although it is unclear exactly what caused the redesign from the one pictured, to the Harbor Island now in place, one would assume Corps approval was a problem. In the light of subsequent events, the modification was a wise one.
This is the the revised and final plan depicting the general features of the Harbor as it was built. The floating dock and wharf house have been removed and replaced with the "artificial Island".
Here is an aerial of the harbor as it appears today
This is the Harbor in 2004, it's next to last year of operation.
A couple of aerials of the area before Louisville Waterfront Development Corporation gave it away. It was without question the most beautiful public land we had left.
This is the original preliminary design. Notice there are no two buildings alike and it really does look like a neighborhood.
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)
THE U.S.CORPS OF ENGINEERS PERMIT
In late 2005, The Louisville Waterfront Development Corporation applied to The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a modification of a 1994 Permit Authorizing the demolition and redevelopment of The Louisville Municipal Harbor. This application and drawings can be viewed on the Corps Permits Page or by following the links for ID Number Text and ID Number Drawings 199200465. . Here is the development proposed in 2005 as it appeared in the USACE Notice.
May 2006 renderings, Notice the marina has not changed, but the development has... instead of the hidden parking and green space, we now have huge surface parking lots.
We have taken the liberty of creating our own rendering of Phase I as described in the latest CJ article. After all of the talk of how this will benefit the citizens by offering affordable waterfront housing, we now have a solitary, elitist, luxury condominium overlooking a dysfunctional Marina...
The vast majority of the rivermen familiar with the immediate area were appalled at the operationally impractical layout and design concept. For a better understanding of the problems identified through the USACE Public Comment process, for more information please go to the Webmasters Comment and also Additional Comments.
We offer the following alternatives.
Here is an example of a design that is more in keeping with the traditions of the current harbor as well as being operationally viable
This sketch shows what is possible. Even though it doubles the size, all of the desirable features and the historic integrity is retained.
