LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A historic building in Butchertown will soon take on a new tenant and image as it's developed into a hotel.
Mark Evans has co-owned the Whirling Tiger, a bar on East Washington Street, for more than a year. The bar is getting some new neighbors.
"We're in a weird zone because we are sort of an extension of downtown, like downtown became NuLu becomes Butchertown, it's just an expansion," Evans said. "It's a lot of residential and becoming more and more commercial even though I think it's always been a little bit of a mix."
The Bakery Square building located at the corner of East Washington and Webster streets is currently an office building. But it was purchased by local developer Todd Troy and will be converted into a hotel.
Old photo of Bakery Square in Louisville, Ky.
Hotels are common in nearby Nulu, but not in Butchertown.
Lesley Elmes lives in the area and has worked in hotels for years. Many buildings around the former bakery are more than 150 years old.
"There is just a lot of history here from the wrought-iron gates to the ovens inside and just different pieces of it that would be really cool if it would be able to be preserved," Elmes said. "Charm is a perfect word for it. When I first started coming to this building I was like 'this place is neat' I really like it."
Winebrenner Capital Management recently purchased the Plumbers Supply Co. property bounded by East Main Street, Baxter Avenue, East Market Street and South Wenzel Street. The developer, which built the Martin on Main luxury apartment complex two blocks west on Main Street, hasn’t finalized plans for the Plumbers Supply site.
Winebrenner Capital Management recently purchased the Plumbers Supply Co. property bounded by E. Main Street, Baxter Avenue, E. Market Street and S. Wenzel Street. The sale from the Wertz family also included three parcels across Main Street.
Evans hopes the new hotel will increase the walkability of the area. But he admitted there will be pros and cons.
"Property values will go up which is great in some ways but then property taxes go up for other people so there is really not a concrete answer to it," Evans said.
There are still a few tenants inside Bakery Square. Leases will expire at the end of February and tenants will then only have the option to go month-to-month until a timeline for hotels is finalized.
"Growth is growth and it's going to happen," Evans said. "We just hope it happens in a way that is good for the neighborhood and the people that have been here for a long time."
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