LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The corner of Lynn and Shelby streets in Louisville is packed with more than 100 years of history at Swiss Park. It was a staple in the St. Joseph Neighborhood, but today, it has a new look and new residents.
It is now home to Swiss Village, a community with 23 homes with garages and 18 apartments.
"It's fun to add to the fabric of the neighborhood," said Jeff Underhill, president of Underhill Associates.
Over the decades, Swiss Park has only had three owners. According to Underhill, the first buyers officially opened Swiss Park in 1925 with the Swiss American Home Association. The iconic Swiss Hall was built the following year and became home to boxing matches, a bowling alley and events like picnics.
"There were several thousand people that came from the same village in Switzerland over the period of a few decades. And so they migrated to Louisville," Underhill said. "They settled into this neighborhood. They built their houses around here, and they created this community hall."
Over the years, Swiss Hall has opened and closed multiple times.
In 1993, the property was purchased by the Deputy Sheriff's F.O.P. Lodge #25. Swiss Hall reopened for events but the property was put up for sale once again in 2017. Underhill Associates bought it in 2018.
"We are preservationists, and this property has a lot to do with the character of the neighborhood," Underhill said of his company's vision for the property. "There are many stories here."
Underhill's goal was to keep the history of Swiss Hall alive. They excavated the original building and added a floor to the top. The building is now home to two-bedroom apartments. And surrounding the building is a community of two-bedroom rental homes. Eventually, the community will have a common outdoor grassy area.
"We didn't want to do anything obnoxious or big. No office buildings," said Margaux Hale, project manager for Swiss Village. "We really wanted to keep a village-type feel."
The project, which had a price tag of about $11 million, is in the finishing phase of construction. But there are apartments and homes ready for tenants to move in now.
"When we can come into an existing neighborhood that has its stories and we can be part of a new chapter moving forward, it's great gratification for us," Underhill said.
Hale said Swiss Village is about 20% leased at the moment. Rentals start at $1,000 for apartments and $2,392 for homes.
For leasing information, visit the Swiss Village website.
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