The Belvedere Project Team & Envirome Institute Partner to Bring Environmental Science & Community Vision to Landmark Redesign

Community input is shaping how the Belvedere will come to life

LOUISVILLE, KY (April 22, 2026) – This Earth Day, the Belvedere project team and the University of Louisville’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute are sharing how they plan to use community input, backed by environmental science, to inform the greening and activation of the Belvedere. The partnership is part of Greenprint, a cross-sector initiative uniting local public, private, and nonprofit organizations around a long-term, evidence-based approach to greening projects that support the revitalization of downtown Louisville.

This spring, the Envirome Institute will conduct on-site data collection at the Belvedere, measuring soil health, air quality, heat, and noise levels, and use those findings to advise on the Belvedere’s landscape and planting plan. Their recommendations will identify which species and placements will best address the site’s unique environmental conditions: a wind-exposed urban plaza built atop a parking garage, with a need for shade, cooling, and biodiversity.

“Our goal is to ensure the new and improved Belvedere is a space for people from here in Louisville, across the country and around the world to visit and enjoy,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.  “I appreciate the Envirome Institute partnering with us to ensure the space helps green our downtown, protect our planet and make our city an even safer, stronger and healthier place to live.”

The work is a direct response to community input. More shade and more greenspace have been among the most consistent requests heard from the public since the Belvedere redesign project was announced. This partnership ensures that response is rooted in data, not guesswork.

“The community is telling us what they want: more green, more shade, more life at the Belvedere,” said Layla George, Project Executive for the Belvedere. “Partnering with the Envirome Institute means we can deliver on that with data behind every decision. We want to keep hearing from Louisvillians as this work moves forward.”

For the Envirome Institute, the Belvedere offers an opportunity to show how environmental health science can shape real-world urban design. It brings a rigorous understanding of how specific species, placements, and interventions interact with air quality, heat, noise reduction, and human health outcomes. This work is part of the broader Greenprint portfolio, contributing to a shared vision of a greener, healthier downtown Louisville.

“The Belvedere is an iconic space on our city’s riverfront,” said Aruni Bhatnagar, director of the Envirome Institute. "It is exciting to see one of our Greenprint partners launching a project that will bring more trees and greenness to downtown. I am extremely pleased that Envirome Institute researchers will be able to contribute research-backed guidance to help it become a more welcoming, comfortable and healthy place for Louisvillians to gather.”

The Belvedere team is still actively seeking community input on programming and activation: events, activities, and amenities that will bring the space to life. Residents are encouraged to visit the Belvedere’s social map to review the site plan and share what types of events and features they’d like to see in each zone. 

Groundbreaking on the garage-level work is expected this fall, with above-ground improvements beginning in spring 2027. Community members are encouraged to share their input and follow the project’s progress at

https://www.louisvillebelvedere.com/project-progress.

ABOUT THE BELVEDERE 

For more than 50 years, Louisville's Belvedere has been a gathering place for concerts, festivals, and community events. Located on the riverfront between 4th and 6th Streets in the heart of downtown Louisville, the 5.5-acre elevated civic space reconnects the city to the riverfront with sweeping views of the Ohio River. Conveniently situated atop downtown Louisville’s largest parking garage, it offers easy access to premier cultural and entertainment destinations. 

Louisville Metro Government is reimagining the Belvedere as a vibrant, contemporary public destination built around community input. Construction begins in 2026, with a grand opening anticipated in 2030. To learn more and share your input, visit www.louisvillebelvedere.com.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE

Founded in 1798 as one of the nation’s first city-owned, public universities, the University of Louisville (UofL) is a vital ecosystem that creates thriving futures for our students, community and society. As one of only 13 universities in the United States to earn recognition by the Carnegie Foundation as a Research 1, Opportunity College and Community Engaged university, we impact lives in areas of student success and research and innovation, while our dynamic connection with our local and global communities provides unparalleled opportunities for students and citizens alike.

ABOUT GREENPRINT

Greenprint is a collective impact initiative to support the long-term revitalization of downtown Louisville through systematic, evidence-based approaches to greening projects that support public and environmental health and urban resilience. The partnership brings together the expertise of public, private, nonprofit and grassroots partners around a shared vision to create a strategic, science-informed portfolio of greening projects. By aligning goals, sharing data and coordinating projects through community partnerships, Greenprint aims to serve as a model, or “greenprint,” for other cities across the nation balancing environmental health and aesthetics.

To learn more, please visit https://www.udstudio.org/greenprint.