In January Heatherwick Studio shared a redesign of the Belvedere, “an elevated event space,” straddling downtown Louisville, Kentucky, and the banks of the Ohio River. The design called for an undulating roof structure sheathed in copper and topped with an expansive green lawn. Now the design scheme is being revised due to concerns over its proximity to the water and the cost of the project.
The Belvedere opened in 1973 as an infrastructure project and green space/public plaza. Heatherwick’s design proposal attempts to further activate the historic site, capping over Interstate 64 to connect the riverfront with downtown. It’s long-served as an event space for the city and with the redesign the mayor’s office has said it’s looking for other ways to draw crowds to the area. However, Heatherwick’s initial proposal is proving itself to be too logistically complicated, and costly, for the waterfront site.
“We realized that building that close to the river and over an interstate system is incredibly expensive,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said. He added that under revised plans the building portion will move southward on the site, closer to where a parking garage (in utter disrepair) is located. Layla George, a project executive hired by the city, said the design has already been revised so that the building portion will not extend over the river.
The City of Louisville is in the process of hosting several listening sessions to gather input on the design and how end users foresee using the reimagined space. At a recent session, George said the design will be pared back because of costs, noting how expensive it would be to get construction cranes on barges out on the river. That construction method was also thought to pose a potential safety risk to boat traffic moving along the waterway.
“The design can win every award in the book, but if people don’t use it, that is a failure, in my opinion,” George said. “That’s why these meetings are so important, because I want to hear from people. I want to know what they want to see and do on site, so that we can be sure that they use it, they have a sense of ownership, and they feel like the space is designed for them.”
In addition to in-person listening sessions at libraries and community centers, the public can also weigh in via a survey that asks how people currently engage with the site as well as asking for input on what it would like to see and do there following the redesign. Already new ideas are circulating including calls for a water feature, walking path, space for recreation, a stage, and a pavilion.
City officials said they hope to keep the construction cost at $125 million. Shovels are expected to break ground in spring 2027 with completion targeted for 2030.
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