LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Construction workers have started renovating the Louisville Water Tower, kicking off a $6 million project on the national landmark.
What You Need To Know
- Louisville Water Company has started rehabilitation work on the Louisville Water Tower
- The facility along the Ohio River was opened in 1860 and gained national landmark status in 1971
- The tower is no longer operational and serves mostly as a museum and event space
- In 2019, company officials said they discovered molding wood in the tower, prompting the start of a plan to renovate the site
Louisville Water Company Vice President Kelley Dearing Smith said they started planning to renovate the site three years ago.
“We discovered in 2019, when a piece of wood fell to the ground, that the tower was in danger of having some very serious issues,” she said. “So we’ve got to preserve the inside of that tower.”
The project will consist of several phases:
- Replacing metal portions on the exterior with zinc to prevent the metals from destroying each other
- Ventilation system inside the tower to fix moisture buildup
- Removing and replacing decaying wood
- Repainting the tower
In addition to work on the tower, Louisville Water will also update the Waterworks Museum, finish restoring ten statues that sat outside and install a new acoustic sound system to improve the event space.
“When we’re done, you will see a pristine landmark on the Ohio River; white, glistening,” Dearing Smith said.
Planners expect the project to wrap up in April next year—a quick timeline, but the man in charge of the project, Eddie Corbett of Corbett Construction, said it’s doable.
“It adds pressure,” he said. “I mean, it’s a huge spotlight, but we’re fine with it. I’ve got a really good team on this project. Weather permitting, we’ll be done on time.”
And once that happens, the historic tower will be open to the public again.