Nearly a year after fire, Whiskey Row development sets opening date

Posted by on Nov 2, 2016 in Media | No Comments

Last July, Louisvillians looked on in horror when a fire broke out in the historic Whiskey Row on West Main Street.

The fire severely damaged three buildings — located at 111, 113 and 115 W. Main St. — that were set to house a new development known as 111 Whiskey Row, with restaurants, retail, apartments and offices.

Recently, construction crews removed the structural braces that had been supporting the exterior of the buildings, and developers said the project is on track for a summer 2017 debut.

Main Street Revitalization LLC, a Louisville ownership group made up of local developers and preservationists, owns the three buildings and has stabilized the interior of the building, removing the need for the supports.

The fire broke out in July 2015 and was fought for days by Louisville firefighters. No injuries were reported, and the fire was ruled accidental, caused by combustibles igniting in the building.

Valle Jones, a partner in Main Street Revitalization, said the bulk of the buildings, including 12 apartments in the upper floors, should be renovated by June 2017. She expects the restaurant and retail space on the lower floors will take longer to convert as the tenants will do their own improvements.

Main Street Revitalization has hired TRIO Commercial Property Group to handle leasing, and Jones said developers are close to signing their first lease.

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The building technically has six floors. The Main Street level, Washington Street level and a lower level will be set aside for about 25,000 square feet of retail space, said Craig Greenberg, a member of Main Street Revitalization.

Jones said that space will be marketed for several restaurants but also could bring in other food and beverage concepts, though she did not elaborate.

Another 13,000 square feet on the second floor will be equipped for office or special-use space. Jones said the ideal user would be a company that needs office space but not a lot of walls; the floor will have a very open format. It could even be claimed by a retailer, she added.