New businesses could open along Logan Street corridor in Shelby Park. See what may change

A stretch of Logan Street in the Shelby Park neighborhood is seeing increased interest for future commercial use.

Multiple properties near Logan Street Market, the urban market that opened in late 2019, have seen recent investments or are being eyed for new amenities and experiences.

Garrett Dean, who is trying to rezone a property he owns in the 1100 block of Logan Street from office-residential to commercial, credits the market for generating interest in the area.

“It has effectively become an incubator for small businesses in that area,” he said. “The area is changing quite a bit. It’s no longer a cut-through street.”

Along those lines, to make Logan Street and nearby Shelby Street safer for motorists and pedestrians, the state is turning the one-way Shelby and Logan streets into two-way streets, a project expected to conclude in the summer.

“Commercial development along the Logan Street corridor has continued to progress over the past several years,” the state’s transportation cabinet wrote in its explanation for the project. “Access to these facilities is important for the residents within the area.”

Both Logan and Shelby streets have seen notable investment in recent years. Foko, a mainstay of Logan Street Market, moved into a brick-and-mortar shop late last year at 991 Logan St. Breeze Wine Bar and Spirits, another business that got its start at the market, opened a standalone location a few blocks away on Shelby Street in 2022.

That nearby thoroughfare of Shelby Park has experienced an influx of new businesses, with the openings of Trouble Bar in 2019, Elizabeth Crum Bridal and Toasty’s Tavern in 2020, Square Cut Pizza (now Perso) in 2021, Canary Club and Aurora Gallery & Boutique in 2022 and Cry Baby General Store and Misc. Goods Co. in 2023.

Meanwhile, on Logan Street, Atrium Brewing opened in 2020 in a renovated 1890s building and Hess’ Landscape Nursery opened in 2022, turning a storage lot into a public-facing nursery.

With the filing of new permits with new visions for old buildings, it appears the eastern edge of Shelby Park will continue to transform. From renovated offices to studio space, bars, and more, here's a roundup of some recent developments and permitting activity in the area.

Renovated office, private art gallery space

1131 Logan St.

Those driving by the southeast corner of Logan and Mary streets may have noticed a refreshed façade on the three-story corner building, among other changes.

Local entrepreneur and developer Brook Smith, through Brook T. Smith Investments LLC, bought the building in May 2021 for $800,000 and has turned the site into an office building with an artistic twist.

With a desire to relocate his private art collection to a space he owned and display some of it, Smith said the Shelby Park property gave him that opportunity.

The building’s first floor has multiple galleries to display curated parts of his collection, which leans contemporary and includes paintings, photographs, video work, and sculptural pieces, among other mediums. Another smaller building on site is storing additional artwork and collections.

The two upper floors include conference rooms and offices for nonprofit and for-profit companies, many of which Smith has ties to.

“It’s a really interesting mashup of people I do business with, own things with and are friends with,” he said.

The basement has been finished out for a gathering space intended for private get-togethers.

While the art gallery isn’t open to the public, Brook said he plans to look for opportunities to reach a wider audience.

“We’re going to welcome people in on occasion to look at the art and hopefully gather and pollinate,” he said.

Smith, along with Butchertown developer Andy Blieden, also owns the nearby 1125-1127 Logan St., formerly home to The Keswick Club and Red Top Gourmet Hotdogs.

“We’re looking for something that will be additive to the neighborhood and the right tenant in there,” Smith said. “We’ll be giving that building some TLC so it’s interesting. It’s nice to have a combination of buildings in a row there.”

Mixed-use development

1124 Logan St.

An office building at the corner of Logan and Mary streets is eyed for redevelopment into a mixed-use space.

The three-story building, currently home to the offices of real estate development firm Beargrass Development, is owned by 1124 Logan LLC, organized by developers James Duffy and Jeremy Dyer, co-owners of the development firm.

Deed records show the property was purchased in September 2022 for $625,000.

Property owners submitted a rezoning application to Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services in January seeking to have the property rezoned from office/residential to commercial.

Rezoning requests work their way through a series of regulatory reviews and public meetings before ultimately going to the Louisville Metro Council for approval.

The new vision for the site includes a first-floor restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining, second-floor office space for the building owners and third-floor short-term rentals.

“Holding the corner lot of Logan Street and Mary Street, the applicant’s Proposal seeks to re-establish much-needed vitality and vibrancy to an underutilized property,” reads part of the application.

Beargrass Development did not respond to emailed requests for comment on the project.

The building dates back to 1880, according to the Jefferson County Property Valuation Administration.

“What follows, if the zoning request is approved, is a neighborhood-serving business that will improve the economic value of the immediate area while contributing to the momentum of vibrancy and uniqueness the area has experienced over the past 10 years,” developers said in the application.

Commercial rezoning for century-old home

1116 Logan St.

An over-100-year-old home could become a coffee shop or restaurant, should a pending rezoning application be approved.

Civil engineer Garrett Dean and wife Kaitlin Dean purchased the property in May 2022 for nearly $208,000 with the original intention to use the space for her law office.

“We liked the direction the corridor was headed, and we wanted to contribute to that,” Dean said, adding that he lives a few blocks away in Germantown and he’s invested in what happens to the Logan Street corridor.

Soon hitting pause on that idea to focus on a growing family, the couple started to get approached by interested parties looking to use the space for various dining concepts. But current office-residential zoning doesn’t allow for such a use.

“We have this super cute building,” he said. “We’d love to preserve the character and turn it into more of a commercial space.”

The 1,100-square-foot single-story building was originally a single-family home built in 1880, according to the Jefferson County Property Valuation Administration.

In December 2023, Dean filed for a change in zoning from OR-2 to C-2.

“C-2 zoning promotes the redevelopment of this underused residential building on an increasingly commercialized block within a developing corridor,” Dean wrote in the December 2023 filing.

Though Dean said he’s not sure what tenant may ultimately move into the space, he said he wants to maintain the charm of the historic façade while making interior improvements that highlight the old wooden flooring, brick walls, and tall ceilings.

“We’re really looking forward to what could be,” he said.

Future commercial development

1113-1115 Logan St.

A former home, garage and workshop space is eyed for future mixed use.

Commercial real estate firm Grisanti Group, based in Louisville, is listed as the applicant on a pre-application filed in October 2023 seeking a rezoning from office/residential to commercial.

The applicant noted in the filing that the property was used as a home for many years, has seen periods of vacancy, and is “currently in a state of disrepair.”

The proposed plan calls for a “significant investment” into the nearly 3,800-square-foot main building to create a space for a bar and restaurant, a retail storefront, or a coffee shop, according to the filing with the city. The site also includes a nearly 1,200-square-foot garage that could be used for storage or additional business seating, the application notes.

“This property would make a phenomenal retail store, restaurant, office, and/or other commercial use that values the area as well as the versatility of the space,” reads a commercial real estate listing for the property.

Logan Street Studio project

1024 Logan St.

A multi-story building formerly used as a fire station across the street from Logan Street Market is the subject of a commercial alteration permit filed last fall.

That permit, for a “Logan Street Studio” project, includes interior renovation of the building, built in 1900, to include offices, conference rooms and break rooms. Architectural plans filed with the permit show additional space for an unspecified studio.

The building has nearly 6,700 square feet of tenant space.

The property is owned by Sweet Action LLC, registered to Brian Harlow, co-owner of Signarama Louisville Downtown and father of rapper Jack Harlow. The site, along with the adjacent lot at 1028 Logan Street, was purchased in September 2021 for nearly $502,000, deed records show.

Owners submitted a permit application in January to build a sidewalk and patio on the empty lot to service the building next door.

Maggie Harlow, co-owner of Signarama Louisville Downtown, told The Courier Journal she wasn’t able to disclose details at this point.

Growth & development reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at mglowicki@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4000 or on Twitter @mattglo.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: More shops, dining coming to Logan Street in Shelby Park. What to know