Gresham Smith and the University of Louisville (UofL) Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute have entered a five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate as part of the Greenprint Initiative, a 10-year program in partnership with Metro Louisville to develop a systemic, evidence-based approach to making downtown Louisville healthier and greener.
The partnership aims to combine scientific research, design coordination and shared learning to transform underutilized areas into healthier, greener public and private spaces. The Greenprint Initiative applies the latest science on how nature influences human health and strengthens environmental resilience.
“The strength of this collaboration lies in establishing reliable environmental baselines before development and assessing outcomes after construction and planting,” said Kathryn Cardarelli, Executive Vice President and Provost of UofL. “This data-driven approach will inform future design decisions and investments to maximize community health and environmental benefits.”
Under the MOU, Gresham Smith will partner with the Envirome Institute to address research needs and develop design strategies for various projects within the Greenprint footprint—a segment of downtown Louisville bounded by the Ohio River to the north, York Street to the south, 9th Street to the west, and Hancock Street to the east. This collaboration aims to integrate environmental and health goals into urban redevelopment. The Envirome Institute will conduct research, maintain environmental and human activity data and provide timely findings to support effective design strategies. Both organizations are committed to aligning design and research to enhance the partnership’s impact on downtown.
“This collaboration sets a precedent for how cities can use data-driven green design to improve quality of life,” said Louis Johnson, Executive Vice President of Land Planning at Gresham Smith. “We are excited to work alongside UofL to realize the vision of a greener, healthier Louisville.”
The new agreement builds on years of work and collaboration between Gresham Smith and the downtown Louisville community on projects like the Trager MicroForest, LOUMED, Broadway All the Way and more.
