LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Waterfront Park officials say they have recently gotten enough permits to begin site work on the Phase IV expansion, and people will really start to see the work ramp up in the next two weeks.
"It's been a long process, and I'm incredibly happy to see activity happening on the site," Executive Director Deborah Bilitski said.
The Phase IV Expansion is a 22-acre project adding a section of Waterfront Park between 10th and 14th Streets. It will feature a playground, event space, a new parking lot, and more to help people enjoy views of the Ohio River.
The city and park officials held a groundbreaking in October 2022, and the project has been in the permitting process since then.
Bilitski says the process is very complicated, because the site is in a floodplain, under a federal highway, and adjacent to the planned River Road expansion.
"It's just a lot of moving parts, and each site is unique," Bilitski said. "We have been busy, since I joined the organization in 2018, focused very much on expanding this project."
Within the last few weeks, the project got enough permits to begin site work. Bilitski says we are now 12-18 months away from the first section of Phase IV opening to the public.
"They've worked hard to get it done, as fast as they could. I don't think it's been held up by the park. I think the government's held it up," Richard Meadows said, a Portland neighborhood resident.
Waterfront Park did have to submit a permit to the Federal Highway Administration for permission to use airspace underneath and around I-64. WFP submitted the permit on May 26th and it is still pending.
However, the project has enough floodplain, electrical and sewage permits to begin construction.
"Much like Butchertown is walking distance to Waterfront Park, it will be the same for Portland. It will be a boom for us," Meadows said.
The first phase of the project that will be worked on is the Playport in coordination with the Kentucky Science Center, along with an event space building, restrooms and a new parking lot.
Meadows says he of course would like the project to be done sooner, but he is willing to wait for the power it has to transform the neighborhood.
"I think it's going to be great," he said.
There are many people experiencing homelessness underneath I-64 at the end of 10th Street. The Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services says that the camp will be relocated on July 24.
Notice was posted 21 days ahead of time, on Monday, and Metro employees will return to do more in-person notification.
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