Welcome to our new Downtown Louisville Blog Series from our friends, partners, and YPAL sponsors – Louisville Downtown Partnership (LDP)!

As you may know, our YPAL office is downtown and we love hosting events there to welcome young professionals to the heart of our city. But – there’s more to the story! Through this series, we will learn more about why Downtown is important to Louisville and how the future of our city can support it. Tune in for updates from Rebecca Fleischaker, Executive Director of LDP.

“Have you seen this economic impact report showing what Downtown means for our community and region? Here are some highlights:

  • Downtown Louisville represents 0.34% of Jefferson County’s land area and it far outpunches its weight!
  • Compared to the rest of the county, Downtown includes 13% of all workers, 63% of all visitors, 60% of museums, 43% of leasable offices; and 36% of hotel rooms
  • Annual wages and salaries of Downtown workers are nearly $20,000 more than the average county-wide wage, generating $4.5 billion in income.

As the region’s largest employment and attraction center and where $1 billion of investment is announced or underway, it is clear that this important neighborhood is unique and critical to the economic health of the whole community. Indeed, through this report, in addition to the nearly 5,000 people who live downtown, we were able to see that people from every corner of the city and beyond either work in the downtown area or visit attractions, go to restaurants, or attend events or festivals.

 

Even as employers decide what to do about their workforce returning to the office (you should definitely return), and some naysayers wonder about the future of Downtown, Downtown is very healthy. The activity and investment indicate a rebound and strong future for Downtown. Whether you live in the ‘burbs or in edge neighborhoods, we should all recognize that the vibrancy and success of Louisville depend on the vibrancy and success of Downtown.”

YPs – we want to hear from you! What’s your favorite part about Downtown? Comment below!

How to get involved: Becoming a Friend of Downtown (click here) is an excellent way to partner with Downtown and help it be a healthy, vibrant neighborhood. Stay in the loop with upcoming ways to support Louisville Downtown Partnership, and join their email list (click here)!