Neighbors fighting proposed demolition of 2 NuLu buildings in Rabbit Hole expansion

Concerned residents are pushing back on plans to demolish two buildings in the NuLu area as part of a planned expansion of Rabbit Hole Distillery along East Jefferson Street.

A newly filed petition with more than 300 signatures seeks to have the buildings designated as local landmarks, which would make it more difficult to level the structures.

“We request designation, not as an anti-development effort, but to engender responsible development,” reads the petition, filed July 10 with city government.

Both buildings sit on the half block on which Rabbit Hole is proposing to expand by nearly 80,000 square feet.

The project , which aims to make the property the brand home for American whiskey for parent company Pernod Ricard , would increase hospitality offerings, bring jobs to the block, and reconfigure aspects of its on-site whiskey production.

Kaveh Zamanian, Rabbit Hole founder and CEO, has said the site is limited to about 55,000-60,000 visitors yearly. The project, to include an expanded single barrel experience, would help the company achieve up to 150,000 visitors annually.

The expansion does not include an increase in distillation capacity.

Zamanian did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the landmark petition.

The resident petition argues the buildings’ age and high-quality construction, along with their distinct Italianate architectural style, contribute to a sense of place in NuLu that cannot be replaced once demolished.

“Please help us halt the demolition plans, designate these buildings as the historic structures they are, and explore alternative solutions that honor our past while embracing future growth.”

Zamanian founded Rabbit Hole in 2012 in Louisville and opened its three-story NuLu distillery in 2018 at 711 E. Jefferson St. It introduced plans to expand its footprint in March 2023.

The project would span the block bound by Nanny Goat Strut, and East Jefferson, South Shelby and South Clay streets, which is entirely owned by the distillery.

To pull off the project and allow for aspects of its distillery operations, rezoning of the area is required. That rezoning application with the city is still pending.

In February, the NuLu Development Review Overlay Committee reviewed and approved the distillery’s preliminary design, which included the demolition of the two buildings in question.

While the possible landmark case is a separate process from the rezoning case, it became a factor in a July 11 meeting of the Planning Commission at which the rezoning request was discussed.

Commissioners voted to continue the Rabbit Hole case until Aug. 1, citing, in part, the pending landmark petition. Following a commission vote, the case will head to the Louisville Metro Council for a final decision.

One existing building on the half-block, 727 E. Jefferson St., is being incorporated in the new plans and will become part of the retail space and entry lobby.

The building at 218 S. Shelby St., on the northeastern corner of the campus, would also be preserved and is slated to become the brand home of Mary Dowling Whiskey Co., a new venture from Zamanian and Rabbit Hole that launched in 2023 and is named after a pioneering Kentucky woman known as the “mother of bourbon.”

Rabbit Hole’s owners, however, would seek to demolish the two buildings now the subject of the landmark petition.

One building, 223A S. Clay St., is a one-story shotgun house on the southeast corner of South Clay Street and Nanny Goat Strut that has been converted to commercial use. An expanded and relocated loading dock requires the demolition of the shotgun, according to the distillery.

The new, partially covered docking area would relocate large truck activity from Jefferson Street to an on-property corral.

The second building, 749 E. Jefferson St., is a three-story structure located on northwest corner of East Jefferson and South Shelby streets. It’s a rare example of a three-story brick building with Italianate architecture, according to the petition, rarity that should qualify it for protected landmark status .

The buildings are examples of the Italianate architectural style that was popular in the mid-1800s, the petition reads. Typical features of the classically influenced style include symmetry, ornate decorative details, round-arched windows and tall cornices.

Both buildings were likely built by German immigrants in the mid-1800s, according to the petition writers.

“Many might mistake these buildings are run-down and in need of demo, but the peeling paint is misleading,” the petition reads. “Their brick is in great shape and is infinitely patchable/repairable, and their limestone construction is even more solid than concrete…”

The petition also makes the argument that the building is part of the community’s shared history. It posits that Muhammad Ali, who trained at a nearby gym, would have passed the East Jefferson Street building countless times.

About half of the petition’s 300-plus signatures, as of July 10, belonged to District 4 residents. At least 200 signatures are required for a petition.

Eligible petitions trigger a study by the Louisville Metro Historic Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission , followed by a public hearing, after which the commission may vote to deem the properties landmarks.

Petition writers also made a plea to Rabbit Hole to relocate the two buildings, should their effort fail.

Reach growth and development reporter Matthew Glowicki at mglowicki@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4000 .

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Neighbors fighting proposed demolition of 2 NuLu buildings in Rabbit Hole expansion