Please help me identify WHERE this photo was taken in Louisville! (house, tenant)

[springtimegirl]

I'm hoping some of you who know the area will be able to tell me where this is located. It was taken in the spring of 1988. We were here for a high school office education competition. It's one of my favorite pics with my mom. I have now moved to Louisville....which I love. Mom is coming to visit this weekend, and I'd like to have another picture taken of us together in this same spot....if possible.

Thanks so much!

[Off Topic]

Around First and Main, but give me a little while to think and I'll nail it down for you. I recognize the building (it's a bank) but my brain isn't working right now.

[Off Topic]

I'm pretty sure that's the Waterfront Plaza on Main between Second and Third. I don't think that pool area is there any more. Click "street view" on this link and see if this recent Google map looks familiar.

Waterfront Plaza, Louisville, Kentucky by tomcioZG - Google 3D Warehouse

It's possible it's one block west, which is now the BB&T building on Third and Main. But I think it's the Waterfront Plaza Building. In any case, I am almost positive it's Main Street.

PS: Your mom is a babe!

[Peter1948]

You are both close but both wrong. This fountain is no longer there, but I do recognize the spot of the photo as on Fourth street just north of Main street. The site is now just a little wall (I think the same wall they are sitting on) and a parking ramp going up into the BB&T bulding, right before you get to the Galt House West Tower.

The reason I know the photo was taken on fourth street is the following. The building in the background is the National City Parking garage, which has very distinctive black bars up it and obviously has not changed since the 1980's, when it was built (1985 I think). Going further down fourth street in the background, you see either the Meidinger or Foth Third Tower, part of the (then new) Galleria complex. You also see part of the 6 story Chase Bank building (of course all these buildings had different names in 1988). Notably missing in this photo is the Aegon Center, Louisville's tallest building (known as the Capitol Holding building when built), which would probably peek up in this photo had it been taken in 1992 or later.

[chele11]

Are you saying the Capitol Holding building was built circa 1992? I thought it was much older!

I do not believe that to be the National City parking garage but it may very well be so. I think it looks like Riverfront Plaza....

[JefferyT]

^
Yes Capital Holding was built in the early 1990s. It was designed to look like a 1920s art deco skyscraper.

The reason I know the photo was taken on fourth street is the following. The building in the background is the National City Parking garage, which has very distinctive black bars up it and obviously has not changed since the 1980's, when it was built (1985 I think). Going further down fourth street in the background, you see either the Meidinger or Foth Third Tower, part of the (then new) Galleria complex. You also see part of the 6 story Chase Bank building (of course all these buildings had different names in 1988). Notably missing in this photo is the Aegon Center, Louisville's tallest building (known as the Capitol Holding building when built), which would probably peek up in this photo had it been taken in 1992 or later.

Excellent job. You'll note that the sidewalk along 4th next to the parking garage is a bit wider, which is why you can see the older low rise in the background that was replaced by Aegon, blocking the view south down 4th.

The parking garage was built in the early 1970s as parking for the National City tower, known at that time as the First National Tower. Probably finished in 1972 or 1973.

Most of that part of downtown was built at the same time as part of the Riverfront Project. National City Tower, the parking garage, the bank behind it at 4th & Market (used to be Greater Louisville S&L), the plaza on Market in front of National City, Riverfront Plaza and Belevdere, Galt House, the low-rise American Life & Accident, and the BB&T tower, at that time called the Louisville Trust (Humana was an early tenant, in the upper floors). All of this was built between 1970 and 1973 and marked the "return to the river" for downtown. It was a big deal at the time.

[springtimegirl]

Wow! I am impressed! You all really know your stuff! Unfortunately, I didn't get online to see your answers before Mom went back to Nashville, but she is coming again in November, so I'll be sure to take her there then. We stayed at the Galt House in 1988. Maybe we can do that again!

Thanks for your time and input!

[Off Topic]

The big problem is that that area has changed so much in the last 20 years it's not even funny. So you may have trouble finding the spot even if we pin-point it.

The Galt House is still there and recently remodeled, if my memory serves.