LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The first office building on the University of Louisville’s Shelby Campus officially opened today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The 600 North Hurstbourne building is a joint venture of the UofL Foundation and NTS Development Company. Churchill Downs Inc., Semonin Realtors, Stifel Nicolaus and NTS have moved their headquarters to the new building and are its largest tenants.
“This is a big day for the University of Louisville,” said UofL President James Ramsey. “We’re finally utilizing one of the most valuable pieces of property in Jefferson County to generate income for our foundation which, in turn, will help fund the academic and research mission of the university.”
The 600 North Hurstbourne building faces Hurstbourne Parkway and is situated just north of Shelbyville Road. The 125,000-square-foot, four-story building was designed to be “leading edge,” with a rounded, sleek, innovative look. The building’s iconic, environmentally sensitive design combines the latest technology with natural materials that deliver a fresh and modern office atmosphere, including floor-to-ceiling glass to maximize natural light, high ceilings, and a recycling center. It is surrounded by bike lanes, walking paths and ample green space and is expected to receive LEED certification for its energy and environmental efficiency. The structure was built with recycled and renewable materials, water-saving fixtures, high-performance envelope/glass and energy-efficient systems.
With more than 80 percent of the building already leased, the UofL Foundation and NTS officials are planning to construct a second office building nearby. The development is part of the 240-acre Shelby Campus and has been named the ShelbyHurst Office Campus.
NTS is managing development, construction, leasing, operations and marketing of the new buildings and the office park. When fully developed, the office park is expected to have more than 1.5 million square feet of modern office space in multiple buildings.
NTS President and CEO Brian Lavin said “NTS is proud to be partnering with UofL to bring a new generation of office product to the Louisville market at a price point that is competitive with traditional construction.”
NTS has a 49 percent stake in the first building while the UofL Foundation has a 51 percent share.
KlingStubbins, an internationally recognized design firm, is responsible for designing 600 North Hurstbourne. Messer Construction served as the construction manager.
Burhans Hall and Founders Union will remain academic buildings at the 20-acre core of the Shelby Campus and each recently received an exterior renovation. Also the Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases is located on the Shelby Campus.