Kevin Cogan planning 106.8-acre development in East End

March 11, 2016

This article was written by Caitlin Bowling and originally appeared on Insider Louisville.

 

Well-known developer Kevin Cogan is planning what seems to be a gargantuan mixed-use development at 13508 Factory Lane just past the Gene Snyder Freeway.

Documents filed with Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government reveal little about the project. Insider Louisville tried multiple times to reach Cogan, but he did not return calls or an email.

The documents show plans to divide the vacant 106.8-acre lot into 10 pieces, and a letter notes that Cogan’s company, Jefferson Development Group, wants to build apartments, offices, retail/commercial space and a senior living facility there.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Orphan Society currently owns the property. It acquired the land back in 2005 for $1.6 million, according to county property records.

Jefferson Development Group is trying to get the land rezoned as a Planned District Development, similar to the Tyler Town Center at Taylorsville Road and the Gene Snyder Freeway.

“It is a real flexible zoning,” said Bill Bardenwerper, an attorney with Bardenwerper, Talbott & Roberts PLLC, who is representing Jefferson Development Group. “Basically, you write your own zoning standards.”

Planned District Development zoning is typically applied to large parcels where mixed-use development occurs. It helps, he said, because a developer may not know exactly where to draw zoning lines that designate an area commercial versus residential and can create other property-specific design standards.

The project will still need to go through traditional city approvals, and Jefferson Development Group will need to submit a detailed document laying out standards and plans for the property, Bardenwerper said.

The company will present a more in-depth plan for the development later this month at a meeting with nearby property owners. At the meeting, attendees will be able to weigh in on what they’d like to see on the property and what standards the development should be held to, said Bardenwerper, who described the process as “more collaborative.”

In addition to this new project, Cogan also is in the process of creating two mixed-use developments, one at Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive and the other at Main and Preston streets downtown.

The proposed downtown development is a 343-unit apartment complex with commercial on the first floor. Little has been heard about that project during the past year, but it’s presumably still in the works. IL hasn’t heard anything to the contrary.

The Lexington Road project will include apartments, a hotel and retail. Currently, businesses including Le Moo and Parkside Bikes are leasing buildings in the triangle.