Hardened by urbanization in Metro Louisville, Beargrass Creek had become a forgotten piece of urban infrastructure. Gresham Smith was selected by the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) to spearhead a Legacy Project, a pro-bono design initiative that provides underserved communities with smart urban planning, to develop an improvement plan for the water source that is largely out of sight and out of mind.

On a fast-track, three-day timeline prior to CNU’s Annual Congress meeting, our landscape architecture, planning and engineering teams worked with Kentucky Waterways Alliance to develop a vision for reconnecting Louisville residents with the South Fork of Beargrass Creek. After studying the seven-mile stretch from the Louisville Zoo to the Ohio River, we developed a strategic plan that will improve water quality and create community spaces while honoring the site’s significance as an economic, environmental and cultural resource.

Check out the Beargrass Creek Legacy Project here.