The project design, a multi-phase transformation supported by $6.75 million in combined city and state funding, features expanded sidewalks, increased tree canopy and extensive landscaping. New curb extensions will introduce seating areas and further soften the urban environment. By enhancing pedestrian infrastructure, the project aims to create a street that is safer and more welcoming to the thousands of employees, students and patients who traverse the district daily.

In collaboration with city officials and project partners Gresham Smith and Pace Contracting, LOUMED has begun project construction for the project in the 300 block of East Chestnut Street. This location allows the new work to physically and visually connect the streetscape to LOUMED Commons, a public park opened in November 2025 that converted a vacant lot into vital green space, and to enhance UofL’s Health Sciences Center.

The project is located within the study area of Greenprint, a 10-year initiative coordinated by UofL’s and its affiliated Urban Design Studio. Greenprint integrates science-based greening strategies into downtown Louisville’s growth and redevelopment, optimizing new green spaces so they can have the greatest impact on human health. The initiative links separate projects like LOUMED Commons and the Chestnut Street improvements, ensuring a shared commitment to creating a cooler, cleaner and healthier Louisville.

The Chestnut Street Improvement Project is informed by walkability studies and temperature monitoring conducted by UofL’s Center for Geographic Information Sciences (ULCGIS), which recently became part of the Envirome Institute. Using drone-mounted thermal imaging sensors to map surface temperatures across project areas, ULCGIS staff identify hot spots and provide data to help guide planting strategies that can cool the city and support healthier, more comfortable microenvironments. Researchers will continue to monitor the impact of this greening on the local microclimate and human health and comfort to develop a replicable national model for greening urban pedestrian areas in other cities.

Construction for the Chestnut Street project is proceeding in a phased approach to minimize disruption. Work on the current block is scheduled for completion later this year. Crews will then immediately begin improvements on the three subsequent blocks extending east from South Preston to South Clay streets, with the full eastern section projected to be complete in 2027.

LOUMED Commons is a one-acre park thoughtfully designed for gathering and recreation, featuring shaded seating, native plantings and flexible areas for community programs, food trucks and events. The space enhances the district’s sense of connection and provides a welcoming place for people to enjoy the outdoors in an urban environment.
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“LOUMED Commons embodies the spirit of community within our district,” said Nadareca Thibeaux, executive director of LOUMED. “It was created for the people who make LOUMED thrive, including our 18,000 health care professionals, educators and other employees, nearly 13,000 students and more than 1.5 million annual visitors. Whether someone wants to take a break, enjoy lunch outdoors or simply recharge, this park offers a place to do that.”
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Louisville Metro worked closely with LOUMED and its partners to make the project possible, aligning with Greenberg’s broader vision for a more connected and livable city.
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“LOUMED Commons is a symbol of the kind of city we are building together,” Greenberg said. “By transforming this block into green space, we’re creating a more connected downtown that better serves our students, health care workers, patients and neighbors alike. This project reflects our commitment to building a safer, stronger and healthier Louisville for all.”��

The project was led by LOUMED in partnership with Louisville Metro Public Works, JLL, CARMAN Landscape Architecture and Pace Contracting. LOUMED Commons was supported by city funding allocated from Governor Beshear and the Kentucky General Assembly’s investment in downtown Louisville. The $10-million allocation is helping to support multiple LOUMED projects, including LOUMED Commons. Additionally, the city is investing $1.75 million in improvements along Chestnut Street.
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LOUMED Commons is the first project completed within the study area of Greenprint, a 10-year initiative coordinated by the University of Louisville’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute and the Urban Design Studio. Greenprint is a citywide framework that uses environmental data to guide where and how new green spaces can have the greatest impact on human health. It connects separate projects led by local partners, like LOUMED Commons and the upcoming Chestnut Street improvements, under a shared commitment to creating a cooler, cleaner and healthier Louisville.
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LOUMED’s anchor institutions��– the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, UofL Health, Jefferson Community and Technical College and Norton Healthcare – also continue to invest in the district. More than $560 million in education, research, health care and workforce development projects are currently underway on their downtown campuses.��
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About the Louisville Medical & ����ֱ�� District (LOUMED)
The Louisville Medical and ����ֱ�� District (LOUMED) is a 22-square-block hub where health care, education, research and community come together in downtown Louisville. Anchored by the University of Louisville, UofL Health,��Jefferson Community and Technical College and Norton Healthcare, LOUMED institutions collectively employ 18,000 people and educate 10,000 students, with a combined annual payroll exceeding $1 billion. Through partnerships and investments in public spaces, LOUMED supports the people who work, study, receive care or visit the district while contributing to Louisville’s continued growth.

For more information about LOUMED and its initiatives, visit and follow on , and .

“The Greenprint Project is an exciting collaboration with several partners committed to making Louisville a healthier, greener city. This initiative offers a unique opportunity to reimagine and revitalize downtown Louisville,” said Aruni Bhatnagar, director, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. “Using an evidence-based approach, the project will create a ‘greenprint’ designed to enhance both environmental quality and public health. The model we develop could serve as a scientific framework for greening downtowns around the world.”

This is the latest in the institute’s growing efforts to understand how the environment impacts human health and chronic disease. UofL’s New Vision of Health Campus and Trager Microforest also are participating partners.

“Downtown is the heart of our city and revitalizing our downtown benefits every Louisvillian. The Greenprint initiative shows what’s possible when government, nonprofits, businesses and community partners come together around a shared vision,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “By using nature as a tool to strengthen our neighborhoods and create welcoming spaces, we are making downtown safer, healthier and stronger for everyone – and setting an example that other cities across the country can follow.”

Seed funding of $1.5 million from the James Graham Brown Foundation helped catalyze the partnership, which includes leaders from city government, higher education, nonprofits and grassroots groups. The charter signing represents the formal beginning of this collective effort and signals Louisville’s intent to become a national model for revitalizing cities through nature-based solutions.

“The Greenprint initiative reflects the kind of bold, collaborative vision the James Graham Brown Foundation is proud to support,” said Mason Rummel, president and CEO of the James Graham Brown Foundation. “By aligning science and community input, this effort has the potential to transform downtown Louisville into a national model for place-based investment in public health and urban vitality.”

Greenprint projects will span beyond traditional parks to include tree canopy enhancements, pollinator-friendly landscaping, green corridors, microforests and nature-based health interventions. Together, these efforts aim to improve air quality, reduce heat islands, support biodiversity and enhance mental and physical health. Monitoring technology will be used to track environmental and health impacts of greening over time. These tools will help measure progress, inform future investments and increase transparency and public engagement.

The partnership, built on a collective impact model, focuses on measurable outcomes and long-term sustainability. While each participating project maintains its own identity, Greenprint ensures alignment through shared data and strategy that can assist with tracking impact across the downtown footprint.

Other partners include: Belvedere, LouMed, Louisville Downtown Partnership, Louisville Metro Government, Louisville Parks and Recreation, Office of Sustainability – Whole City Nature Vision, Broadway All the Way, East Market Streetscape Improvements, Reimagine 9th Street, Louisville Sports & Entertainment District/Slugger Field, Olmsted Conservancy, Parks Alliance of Louisville, TreesLouisville, VOA Care Campus and Waterfront Park.

View pictures on ��from the Aug. 20, 2025, charter signing event.

To learn more about the Greenprint initiative and explore the portfolio of projects, visit .