LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Many of Louisville's downtown storefronts have been boarded up for months. Other owners boarded up their businesses in anticipation of protests following the Breonna Taylor grand jury decision. 

On Monday, contractors and store owners were taking a lot of the plywood down. 

“It’s nice to see you know, it not look like such a warzone," Brandon Payne told Spectrum News 1. 

Temperatures were only in the 50s Monday morning but Payne had already worked up a sweat removing large panels of plywood covering the south side of the Republic Building on West Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

“I’m sweating. Especially under this hard hat," Payne said with a smile.

A few blocks away the general manager of the Fourth Street Chipotle was letting natural light back into his restaurant.

Across the street, Seth Hall was working with a large crew removing plywood throughout the Fourth Street Live complex. 

“Probably the whole day, a whole day’s work," Hall said. 

Not every building that's boarded up is being uncovered. Not just yet. Back at the Republic Building, Payne has to leave several panels in place. Several windows were busted out and still need to be replaced.