LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One of the oldest neighborhoods in Louisville, Chickasaw, has a neighborhood federation working to give it the protection it deserves: a local preservation district.
Just recently, Chickasaw has been recognized as a nationally historic neighborhood.
"We realize that is a distinction, but not necessarily anything that protects us from troublesome development, from people just not even having the neighborhood at heart in their designing," Chickasaw Neighborhood Federation member Ameerah Granger said.
Being a local preservation district would mean adding guidelines for developers, protecting the community from unwanted developers they've watched come in, and put requirements that keep a uniformed look.
Stella Hill has lived in Westover since 1969 and has seen a lot change in her community.
"Building skyscrapers next to a one-story house," said Hill. "You know, it demolishes a neighborhood."
The title of a preservation district is also about preserving the history community and its places, like honoring the places left behind by pioneer Black architect, Samuel Plato, who built the original West End School and is responsible for the homes on Plato Terrace.
"[There's] so much culture coming out of West Louisville and to have lost any part of that would be to loose a treasure," Chickasaw Neighborhood Federation member Barbara Bliss said.
It's history Hill has come to know, and thinks if others know it too, it would change the narrative surrounding West Louisville.
"Enjoying it more, maybe taking care of it better," said Hill. "Now, when I see paper on the street or whatever, I'm going, 'No, we need to do better. This is our neighborhood.' Those kinds of things make me think about what else could we do."
The federation has seen how the preservation district title has helped stabilize property values and change crime-ridden demographics.
"That is instilling pride," said Granger. "You start to learn about the architecture and what's special about your neighborhood, and then you say, 'It's something to celebrate. It's something to protect.'"
The Chickasaw Neighborhood Federation has exceeded the threshold to file the petition to be a local preservation district and filed it Aug. 1. They collected close to 500 signatures for the petition.
The neighborhood will present the plan at the next community meeting.
The neighborhood federation is still accepting support for the petition, and welcomes anyone wishing to participate in the federation.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or X feed.