Louisville 'Greenprint' plan promises more trees, cleaner air and welcoming spaces

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new effort to reimagine downtown Louisville is taking root.

On Wednesday, city leaders and community partners signed the Greenprint Charter, a shared commitment to transform downtown through greening projects.

"Downtown must be the neighborhood where everyone, every local, every visitor, feels safe, welcome, energized, excited and even, I believe, nurtured by nature," Mayor Craig Greenberg said.

The initiative brings together more than a dozen organizations from city government and nonprofits to educators and grassroots groups. Together, they're backing projects designed to cool streets, clean the air and boost mental health.

Greenprint projects include tree canopy enhancements, pollinator-friendly landscaping, green corridors, microforests, and nature-based health interventions.

Seed funding of $1.5 million from the James Graham Brown Foundation is helping launch the effort.

"Our promise today is to help create a more vibrant and more welcoming downtown," Greenberg said.

Mason Rummel, president and CEO of the Brown Foundation, said the partnership reflects a bold vision for downtown's future. "Transforming underused spaces into parks and greenspace is one of those powerful tools we have," Rummel said.

The Greenprint plan also ties into the ongoing design work for a reimagined Belvedere, one of downtown's most recognizable gathering spaces. Project leaders have also been seeking comments online for months. The project's executive, Layla George, said the No. 1 desire from people who have taken the survey is more green space.

"They want outdoor gathering spaces, outdoor performing spaces and a connection to the river," she told WDRB.

Greenprint partners believe the initiative could change not just the look of downtown, but the way people use it.

"Wouldn't it be great if people came downtown to Louisville and said, there are so many places to sit and talk and eat," Rummel said. "There are a lot of people in our city that don't spend a lot of time downtown, but this could be a start."

For more details on the Greenprint initiative and the projects planned across Louisville, click here.

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