A warm thank-you to everyone who participated in the Society of Urban Perambulators event on Saturday, November 16th, in NULU. We had a fantastic turnout and were privileged to be joined by an incredible lineup of field guides: Bill Weyland, Shane Hockersmith, Teddy Abrams, Cash Moter, Jennifer Kern, Katrina Thompson, Justin Hina, and Patrick Henry.
NULU is buzzing with exciting developments, and while the event covered a wide range of projects and stories, here’s a recap of some of the highlights we explored together.
The event kicked off at the Tempo by Hilton, a strategically chosen starting point that offered participants the chance to grab a coffee from Moonsong Bar + Café, conveniently located in the hotel lobby. The tour began on the rooftop terrace on the sixth floor, where Bill Weyland of Weyland Ventures shared insights into the design of the space. He explained how the roof deck was set back to align with the historic character of the neighborhood, giving the building the appearance of being five stories tall.
The Tempo is a key feature of the larger NULU Yard development, which will include over 300 apartments arranged around a central courtyard, providing residents with a private backyard space. Additionally, the project will feature a remarkable Family Scholar House, offering stable housing and support for single parents and their children.
From Tempo, we strolled past Hancock House, a former grocery store transformed by Weyland Ventures into a charming micro-boutique hotel. Along the way, we admired the recently converted Jefferson Street, which has been redesigned from a one-way thoroughfare into a two-way street. This change has dramatically shifted the street’s character, enhancing its integration into the walkable neighborhood just one block north.
Turning the corner onto the alley known as Nanny Goat Strut, we arrived at the newly opened Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. tasting room, where Shane Hockersmith introduced us to the space. This unique venue offers visitors the chance to sample single-barrel bourbon and rye, with each barrel boasting its own distinctive flavor. Like the distillery’s full-scale operation near Frankfort, KY, there are five sampling barrels on-site—four bourbons and one rye—that can be tasted straight from the barrel. If you discover a favorite, be sure to grab a bottle, as each barrel is one of a kind. Guests can use the copper “whiskey thief” to fill their own bottle to take home. The tasting room also features a bar, a seating area for events like jazz nights, and a rentable “library” perfect for special occasions.
Just across the alley, we came upon a striking mural wall with a sliding metal door. As an impromptu addition to the tour, Teddy Abrams, the amazing Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra, invited the group to step inside and explore the backyard of the only single-family home left on East Market Street. Once a parking lot, the backyard is now a lush garden oasis. The building itself has a rich history: it was originally a bakery with apartments, then a home with an antique store in the front. Teddy restored it to a single-family residence after purchasing it. An unscripted moment unfolded when Teddy spotted someone in the crowd and remarked, “You look like a guy I know who painted the mural on my wall.” To his surprise, it was the mural artist, Danny Seim, visiting from Portland,Oregon, and coincidentally joining the tour.
Our next stop was The Last Refuge, another standout project by Weyland Ventures. Bill Weyland shared how he struck a deal with a priest whose congregation previously occupied the space. Facing declining attendance and financial difficulties, the church relocated with Weyland’s assistance, but with one important condition: the building could not be demolished. Inspired by the hidden courtyards of New Orleans, Bill transformed the former church into a vibrant space by building along the sidewalk in the old parking lot, creating a secluded interior courtyard—a future hidden gem in the heart of NULU.
This stretch of East Market Street, between Hancock and Clay, is buzzing with activity. While we couldn’t touch on every project, we heard from Cash Moter of Joseph & Joseph about the Hotel Anomalie development across from The Last Refuge. Formerly known as the Joe Ley building, this iconic site was a massive antique shop for years and, before that, a school. The new hotel will retain the historic structure while adding a modern wing designed to respect the neighborhood’s character and height. The addition will be set back to let the original school building remain the focal point. When completed, the hotel will feature approximately 191 rooms, a restaurant, and other amenities.
The entire stretch of East Market Street covered by the tour, along with three additional blocks west of I-65, is undergoing a significant transformation, being rebuilt block by block, starting with the north side. The East Market Streetscape project has been in progress since the master plan was developed in 2011. Back in 2013, the Urban Design Studio partnered with Mike Lydon to host a Tactical Urbanism Salon on the 800 block of East Market, offering a glimpse into the street's future potential. At a stop near Garage Bar, Jennifer Caummisar-Kern, Director of Public Works, shared insights into the ongoing work. The project focuses on enhancing the pedestrian experience and incorporating separated bike lanes, shifting the priority from quickly moving cars out of downtown to creating a welcoming, people-centered environment.
With so much happening along Market Street, the tour could only cover a few highlights. One of these was Goldie’s, one of the newest additions to the area. Operations manager Katrina Thompson welcomed the group in front of the shop at 829 E. Market. Goldie’s aims to fill a local need by offering staple grocery items like eggs, fruit, and cheeses, along with grab-and-go sandwiches. It’s also a coffee bar and café. The same owners recently opened Bar Nada Nada next door. Similar to their Canary Club and The Breeze Coffee & Wine pairing on Shelby Street in the ShelbyPark neighborhood, Goldie’s and Bar Nada Nada create a complementary synergy, making them a great addition to NULU.
We made our way to Main Street with a stop in front of Lincoln Elementary School, where Justin Hina of Gresham Smith spoke about the Main Remade project. This initiative spans from Wenzel Street in NULU/Butchertown westward to 22nd Street in the Portland/Russell neighborhoods.Currently a one-way westbound street, Main will be converted to two-way traffic for much of this stretch (Wenzel to 2nd Street). The project includes upgraded pedestrian amenities such as enhanced crosswalks, corner improvements, and traffic-calming measures. Additionally, it will feature new separated bike facilities and other safety upgrades. The eastern phase of the project, which includes the NULU area, is set to begin soon, with construction expected to start next year.
As we continued west on Main Street, we stopped at the future site of NULU Marketplace North. True to its name, this development will be located just north of the alley from the current NULU Marketplace, which fronts Market Street and hosts a variety of shops, bars, and restaurants, including West Sixth, Gertie’s Whiskey Bar, and Emmy Squared Pizza. Cash Moter provided an overview of this new project, which Joseph & Joseph is involved in. The three-story development will feature a mix of tenants, including short-term rentals, a restaurant, an entertainment venue, a bank, and more. Building on the success of the original NULU Marketplace, construction on this currently vacant site is expected to begin within the next few of months.
Looking across Main Street to the north, landscape architect Patrick Henry shared insights about the recently completed multifamily residential project, Martin on Main. This development underwent an extensive planning process to align with the historic character of the neighborhood. The project incorporated thoughtful design elements like curb bump-outs and street trees along Main and Campbell Streets. Despite including several stories of parking, the building maintains a parking ratio of less than one space per unit, with 137 residential units in total. This was made possible by recently reduced parking minimums by the city and the neighborhood’s highly walkable nature.
Our final stop was at the site of Angel’s Envy distillery’s planned expansion, located just west of the I-65 underpass across from Slugger Field. Cash Moter spoke again about a project by the prolific Joseph& Joseph. The current Angel’s Envy distillery, housed in are furbished historic building at the corner of Main and Jackson Streets, will expand west across Jackson into a surface parking lot. The new construction will reflect the scale and historic character of the existing building, with features such as complementary floor heights and window designs. The two buildings will be connected by skyways over Jackson Street. Filling this large gap along Main Street will significantly enhance the urban fabric and strengthen the connection between Downtown and NULU.
As always, the tour concluded at a local bar and restaurant, providing participants with an opportunity to enjoy lunch and continue conversations. This time, we gathered at Against the Grain brewery at Slugger Field. The Society of Urban Perambulators (SoUP) events aim to offer community members a chance to explore and learn about different parts of the city from those actively working to improve their neighborhoods. Along the way, participants not only gain new insights but also build networks and spark ideas for making our city better.
Looking forward to seeing everyone for the next SoUP event sometime and somewhere next spring. Stay tuned!
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