Janet Kelly, Ph.D.

Executive Director
Urban Studies Institute
Matthew H. Ruther, Ph.D.
Director
Kentucky State Data Center
University of Louisville

New Peer Cities

Percent Workforce Bachelors and Above

Columbus
Charlotte
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Omaha
Kansas City
Grand Rapids
Birmingham
Indianapolis
Louisville
Tulsa
Greenville
Knoxville
Oklahoma City
Greensboro
Nashville
St Louis
Memphis
0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Percent Workforce Under 30

Grand Rapids
St Louis
Greenville
Omaha
Indianapolis
Louisville
Cincinnati
Oklahoma City
Pittsburgh
Charlotte
Kansas City
Knoxville
Greensboro
Nashville
Tulsa
Columbus
Birmingham
Memphis
0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Percent Downtown Jobs Paying $3,333 or More a Month

Charlotte
Pittsburgh
Columbus
Tulsa
Kansas City
Omaha
Birmingham
Memphis
Cincinnati
Greensboro
Oklahoma City
Indianapolis
Louisville
Grand Rapids
St Louis
Nashville
Greenville
Knoxville
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Percent of County Jobs in CBD

Louisville
Indianapolis
Charlotte
Nashville
Grand Rapids
Kansas City
Cincinnati
Columbus
Pittsburgh
Knoxville
Birmingham
Tulsa
St Louis
Oklahoma City
Memphis
Omaha
Greensboro
Greenville
0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Trade Flows
ZIP Code 40202

Metro Louisville to Outside

40%
Within Metro Louisville

60%

Output: $2.8 billion

Jobs: 20,420
Employee Compensation: $895 million

CBD within the Urban Core

Central Business District (CBD) is an
economic concept, not necessarily a
demographic concept
Important symbiotic relationship between the
CBD and its nearby neighborhoods
Urban Core: The CBD, as well as the closein/adjacent neighborhoods
Primary focus on indicators that suggest high
quality of place in the urban core these
include age, educational attainment, income,
and homeownership

Louisvilles Urban Core

Source: ESRI

Urban Core within the MSA

1% of MSA area
9% of MSA Population
(4th of 18 peers)
10% of MSA Housing
(4th of 18 peers)

Population in Urban Core

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

Housing Units in Urban Core

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

% of Urban Core Housing Occupied

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

% of Urban Core Housing Owner Occupied

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

Quality of Place Housing Indicators

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

% Age 25-34 in Urban Core

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

% College Educated in Urban Core

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

Median Income in Urban Core

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

Quality of Place Population Indicators

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

Alternative Transportation Usage

Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey

Walk Score

Source: http://www.walkscore.com

Louisville Urban Core Comparison

2000

2013

Peer
Rank

Total Population

113,378

106,069

8th

Total Housing Units

Occupancy Rate (%)
Owner Occupied (%)

54,439
89.0
41.1

55,974
81.5
36.2

8th
14th
18th

14.8
69.3
14.6
5.8

16.4
79.7
19.4
8.7

8th
9th
12th
10th

Age 25-34 (%)

HS Graduates (%)
College Graduates (%)
Advanced Degrees (%)

Sources: 2000 Decennial Census SF3; 2009-2013 American Community Survey

Summary
Louisville ranks highly among peer cities in total
population and housing units in the urban core
Strong urban core neighborhoods that
contribute to the vitality of the CBD (Old
Louisville, Highlands, Clifton)
However, the city lags behind peers on many
quality of place indicators
Since 2000, small population loss in the urban
core, but increased housing units and
significant positive change in educational
attainment and young populations

Shawn Herbig
IQS Research

Downtown Clusters

Cluster Analysis
of 750 interviews
DT Pessimists; 10%

Generated 6
unique clusters

Affluent DT Older
Workers;
10%
& On
the Waterfront; 10%
Frequent Users - Looking for Improvements; 19%
DT Middlings; 26%
DT Ambassadors; 24%

Affluent DT Workers 10%

HHI mode $75,000+
Familiar with DT
Support DT
But, engage less currently and
are not interested in engaging
more
Most interested in additional
restaurants & events

Frequent Users Looking for

Improvement 20%
Non DT workers
Highest usage
High comfort level
Feel moderately safe, less
likely to engage in future
39% say DTL worse than
other Downtowns

Downtown Ambassadors - 24%

Not DT workers
Current usage is moderate
Future usage is STRONG
Most likely to move DT
Downtown ambassadors or
Downtown Louisville
ambassadors?

Perceptions Continue to Improve

2012

2013

2014

A lot of things to do

62%

68%

86%

Exciting

44%

54%

76%

Fun

53%

63%

75%

Family friendly

54%

62%

75%

Effort is Creating Improvement

Future Amenities

2012

2013

2014

Unique Shopping Experience

39%

49%

62%

More events along the waterfront

53%

66%

61%

61%

71%

79%

28%

45%

47%

50%

58%

60%

More development along the

waterfront
Bourbon experience (micro
distilleries)
Additional downtown entertainment

Rebecca Matheny, Executive Director

Louisville Downtown Partnership

LDPs Mission
The mission of the Louisville Downtown
Partnership is to aid in the facilitation and
strengthening of commerce, provide
maintenance assistance, beautify and
enhance streetscapes, improve security and
safety, and stimulate high quality
development and vitality in Louisvilles
Downtown.

LDPs Vision
The vision of the Louisville Downtown
Partnership is to collaboratively develop
Downtown Louisville into an economic
catalyst for all of Louisville and to be a
vibrant, dynamic, urban core recognized for
growth, innovation, and attractiveness of
place.

Economic Development
Private/Public
Partnerships
Direct Business
Outreach
Technical
Assistance
Loan Funds
Incubation and
Expansion Efforts

Planning and Urban

Design
Downtown
Master Plan
Connectivity
Studies
Targeted
Planning
Efforts

Project Management
Implementation of
Plans
Improvement of
Targeted Areas

Business Improvement
District
River to Jefferson:
Floyd 9th
Jefferson to York:
2nd 7th
Future Expansion

Clean and Safe

332 Trees Planted

191 Flower Pots Planted
37 Tree Wells
16 ambassadors
27,000 staff hours
6,600 graffiti tags
150,000 lbs of trash

Marketing,
Communications, and
Targeted Events
Events

Enhancement
Public Notifications
Visitor and Business
Marketing

Research

State of Downtown
Demographic and
Economic Data
Over 175 databases,
fact sheets, and maps
Interviews with
Downtown and
Suburban Executives
Retail and Housing
Market Studies

Thank You!