Louisville's Industrial Architecture: A Sampling...

Humana Waterside Building/Belknap

In my "I'm Glad These Downtown Louisville Buildings Are Still Around!" post, I featured the Humana Waterside Building at 1st and Main Streets, built in 1923. While it's offices today, until the mid-1980s, it was the headquarters and showroom of Belknap, one of the world's largest hardware companies. In fact, it was just one of many huge buildings - manufactories, warehouses, etc. - Belknap operated in what is now the Riverfront Park area. The Waterside Building is the sole survivor. It says Humana in lights at the top now, but still engraved above the doors on Main St. is "Belknap Hardware & Mfg. Co." Interestingly, the demolition of one of the company's old warehouses was featured in 1993's Demolition Man starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes.

Then...

Now...

Snead Manufacturing

9th and Market. Built 1910. Honestly, it doesn't look much different today 100+ years later. Currently home to Louisville Glassworks.

Carter Dry Goods Co.

North side of Main between 7th and 8th. Built 1878. Now home to the Louisville Science Center.

Standard Sanitary Co. (American Standard)

Standard Sanitary started here, eventually became American Standard, and at one time, employed 5,000 Louisvillians. The plant complex, built 1890 - 1900, was located near 7th and Shipp. This main structure's been saved from the wrecking ball, but I don't know if anyone's found a new purpose for it yet; hope so because it's deteriorating quickly. 

Ford Motor Co./Reynold Metals

Go east on Eastern Parkway 'til it ends at 3rd and stop at the light. Look left and up and you'll see a piece of Louisville industrial history. It doesn't look the part now because it's been converted into apartments/condos, but it was once our city's Ford plant - long before Fern Valley or Chamberlain Ln. - and after that, Reynolds Metals. Built 1915.