LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The pandemic may have kept customers away from some areas, but it has not stopped the growth in one of Louisville's fastest growing districts.
For the last 25 years, the East Market Business District, also known as NuLu, has slowly transformed into a popular spot for eating and shopping.
That's why so many businesses are moving to the area.
"I really don't know of any other place in Louisville that has all of the different opportunities," said Lisa Hillerich, owner of Roxy Nell Custom Jeans.
Two years ago, Hillerick opened her store on East Market in NuLu because she saw a lot of potential.
"We had sold to people directly in trunk shows, and we wanted to try out brick and mortar," she explained.
Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, NuLu's progress hasn't slowed.
"We've been hunting for the appropriate space for a while," Louisville developer Nick Campisano, founder of Campisano Capital, said.
Campisano recently announced plans to build an $80 million mixed-use development that will be called "NuLu Crossing," and demolition is set to start in just a few months.
"We think that this will immediately bring value to the community," he said.
The development will occupy more than two acres in the 700 block of East Main.
"We want to build something that will last for 2 to 300 years," Campisano said.
The project will include office space, a covered parking garage, a grocery store and luxury apartments.
"We think that NuLu is uniquely qualified to succeed," Campisano said. "It has that neighborhood kind of feel with your walkability and there aren't extremely tall buildings."
Campisano is also turning the Joe Ley Antique building into a hotel, and earlier this week, crews broke ground on a six-story hotel on West Market called Bunkhouse.
"It is a very popular destination," said Rick Murphy, NuLu Business Association president. "NuLu has become a destination for travelers and visitors, which is one of the reasons we have this boom in hotels."
That's why Hillerich is looking forward to the future.
"Because when people Google 'what to do in Louisville,' we're considered kind of a unique thing to do is to have custom jeans made when you come to Louisville," she said.
Nick Campisano said the "NuLu Crossing" development will be a two- to three-year project.
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