LOUISVILLE, Oct. 31, 2016 — Updated renderings of a renovated Kentucky International Convention Center, designed by EOP and the Chicago office of HOK, were released today in preparation for the demolition of large portions of the facility.
EOP Principal Richard Polk spoke at a luncheon Monday for the chamber of commerce Greater Louisville Inc. There he talked about the renovation and unveiled new renderings of the convention center.
The convention center currently “kind of lacks in identity, and if you are more than a block and a half from the building, you hardly know it’s there,” Polk said. With at least six different entrances, the convention center could be confusing to navigate if someone entered at the wrong place, he said.
Although the building will only be three stories, the $207 million renovation will make the Kentucky International Convention Center stand out amid downtown and connect the building to the street, with walls of glass covering the exterior, Polk noted in his presentation.
“We want to flood this space with natural light, which is kind of the opposite of what was done more than 40 years ago,” he said. The company plans to seek a LEED Silver certification for the convention center.