The area at a glance
This part of Louisville covers the center of the city and the neighborhoods just south and west of it: Downtown, Old Louisville, West Louisville, and the north end of Shively. It runs from the Ohio River down past Broadway to the University of Louisville, and west to the river bend at Portland. Below is a short section on each one.
Downtown
Where it is
Downtown sits on the Ohio River, roughly between 9th Street and Hancock Street, from the river south to around York Street. It is the city’s main business district, and it has been filling up with new places to live since the late 1980s.
Getting around
I-64, I-65, and I-71 all meet at the Kennedy Interchange on the edge of downtown, so the rest of the county is a quick drive. Three bridges cross the river to Indiana right here. TARC buses run all through downtown, and the airport is about 7 miles south.
Shopping and food
Main Street has Whiskey Row and Museum Row, with the Muhammad Ali Center, the Frazier History Museum, and the Kentucky Science Center. Fourth Street Live! is lined with restaurants and nightlife, and NuLu, just east on Market Street, has local shops, galleries, and places to eat.
Parks and outdoors
Waterfront Park runs along the river and hosts concerts and festivals all year. From there you can walk or bike across the Big Four Bridge, an old railroad bridge, to Jeffersonville, Indiana.
The homes
Most homes downtown are lofts and condos. Many old warehouses and factory buildings have been turned into loft apartments and condos since the late 1980s, and there are newer condo towers like Waterfront Park Place along the river.
Old Louisville
Where it is
Old Louisville sits just south of Broadway and north of the University of Louisville, with I-65 on its east side. Much of it was built from the 1870s to the 1890s, around the grounds of the Southern Exposition, a world’s fair held here from 1883 to 1887.
Getting around
Third Street and Fourth Street are the main roads, and they run straight into downtown in a few minutes. I-65 is right on the east edge, and TARC buses run along the main streets.
Shopping and food
Local restaurants, coffee shops, and bars are spread along Third Street, Fourth Street, and the side streets between them. Downtown and its shopping are a short drive or bus ride to the north.
Parks and outdoors
Central Park is the heart of the neighborhood and hosts the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival every summer. The St. James Court Art Show fills the streets around it on the first weekend in October. Belgravia Court is one of the neighborhood’s walking courts, with homes facing a shared path instead of a street.
The homes
Old Louisville is one of the largest Victorian neighborhoods in the country, with brick homes in styles like Queen Anne, Romanesque, and Italianate. Many of the big houses were split into apartments over the years, and some have been restored as single-family homes or condos.
West Louisville
Where it is
West Louisville runs west of downtown to the Ohio River and takes in neighborhoods like Portland, Russell, Shawnee, Chickasaw, Parkland, and California. Portland was laid out as its own town in 1811, below the Falls of the Ohio, before it became part of Louisville.
Getting around
I-64 runs along the river on the north side and crosses to Indiana on the Sherman Minton Bridge. I-264 starts here and heads south, and Broadway and Dixie Highway connect straight into downtown. TARC buses run along the main roads, including rapid buses on Dixie Highway.
Shopping and food
The Kroger at West Broadway and 28th Street reopened in 2025 after a full remodel. Broadway and Market Street have local restaurants and shops, and downtown is only a few minutes east.
Parks and outdoors
Shawnee Park and Chickasaw Park sit right on the river, and Shawnee Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1890s. The Louisville Loop runs along the riverfront through Portland for walking and biking.
The homes
You will see a lot of older homes here, many built from the 1870s through the 1940s. Portland and Russell have rows of shotgun houses and some large Victorian homes, and most of the homes near Shawnee Park were built between the 1890s and 1950.
Shively
Where it is
Shively is its own small city, about 5 miles southwest of downtown, and it was incorporated in 1938. It is known for bourbon, with Brown-Forman, Michter’s, and the old Stitzel-Weller distillery all inside its limits. Shively is split between three MLS areas, and this one covers its north end, closest to downtown.
Getting around
Dixie Highway (US 31W) runs right through the middle of Shively, and I-264 runs along its west side. Downtown is a straight shot up Dixie Highway, and TARC buses run along it.
Shopping and food
Dixie Highway is lined with restaurants, local taverns, and everyday shopping. Louisville’s first Kroger Marketplace is on Dixie Highway a short drive south.
Parks and outdoors
Shively Park, on Dixie Highway, has 21 acres with tennis courts, a playground, gazebos, and a fountain, and City Hall and the library sit on the same grounds. Leeds Park on Leeds Road is a smaller, shady spot.
The homes
Most homes in the north end of Shively are single-family houses on their own lots, many of them built in the 1950s and 1960s. You will also find some older homes from the 1920s and 1930s closer to downtown.
Thinking about this part of town?
I am happy to show you around or answer any questions about the area. Let’s talk.