LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The battle over a downtown Louisville building is headed to the courtroom.
The Louisville Historical League is appealing Metro Council's "arbitrary and capricious process" and decision to remove the historic landmark designation of Liberty Hall — also known as the Odd Fellows building — the organization said in a news release Thursday.
The building, which sits at the corner of Second Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, has been at the center of debate since 2019, which is when it was given its historical landmark designation following a review by the Landmarks Commission that was requested by Metro Council.
The Commission voted 10-2 to landmark the building. The Historical League said "there was overwhelming community support of preserving Liberty Hall with no public opposition," during the review process of the building.
But the building's owner, the Omni Hotel, wants to tear it down.
Last month, a council vote stripped the historic landmark designation for the building, clearing the way for the hotel's plans to move forward. The Omni said the land would be repurposed, but hasn't proposed anything yet.
"Despite the substantial evidentiary support for the designation, members of Metro Council proceeded on an arbitrary and capricious course to reject the fact-based findings of their duly appointed landmark commissioners," the Historical League said in a news release. It also claims Metro Council "discounted the evidence presented and inappropriately based its decision upon new (and tenuous) findings outside of the record."
The organization rallied to save the building, and now plans to fight the decision in Jefferson Circuit Court.
"The city wants to spend over $400,000 tax payer dollars to demolish this beautiful building and create another vacant lot in downtown Louisville," Steve Wiser, president of the Louisville Historical League, who opposes demolition, previously said.
Wiser and several other community members said tearing the building down is unwarranted, considering the already-empty lot that sits next to the building, which is also owned by Omni.
Related Stories:
- Metro Council votes to strip Odd Fellows Building of historical landmark designation
- Historical League rallies to prevent demolition of Odd Fellows building in downtown Louisville
- Questions continue over historical landmark designation of Odd Fellows building in downtown Louisville
- Louisville residents say demolishing historic Odd Fellows building would waste taxpayer dollars
- Metro Council to review landmark designation for downtown Louisville building
- Landmarks Commission to start historic review process for downtown building
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
