LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new urban green space is coming to the downtown area. It will replace a decommissioned correctional center. 

The vacant jail building, located on east Chestnut Street, is getting torn down to make way for the Louisville Medical & Education District (LOUMED) Commons.

LOUMED consists of Jefferson Community & Technical College, Norton Healthcare, the University of Louisville, and UofL Health.

“The whole purpose of coming together was to create a more vibrant, safer, cleaner environment for the folks that work in the district, the patients and families that visit the district, and just the overall community,” said Nadareca Thibeaux, the executive director of LOUMED.

The LOUMED Commons will have green spaces, pedestrian access and community amenities.

“We’ll have artwork on the street,” Thibeaux said. “We’ll have some greenery out here, some spaces that are covered with the tree canopy, places to sit and eat, and then food trucks, every day of the week.”

$1.4 million in city funding will go toward this project.

“The addition of a communal green space is not just about beautification; it’s about creating a vibrant, inclusive environment where residents, students and visitors can connect and relax,” Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, said in a statement. “By enhancing our urban landscape, we will attract top talent from across the nation, making Louisville a premier destination for healthcare professionals and innovators alike.”

“Our staff, the staff from these institutions and the students are going to love it,” Thibeaux said. “It’s going to be beautiful and make a remarkable difference in our district and how it looks and feels.”

LOUMED attracts more than 1.5 million visitors per year, so the goal is for the LOUMED Commons to be a welcoming environment.

The demolition on the inside of the old jail building is almost done, with demolition on its exterior starting soon. The first phase of the LOUMED Commons is expected to be completed by late 2025.