LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) — City leaders are working to find a new tenant for a vacant Walmart in southwest Louisville that has become a hotspot for illegal dumping and safety issues.
The 220,000-square-foot building on Raggard Road, near Greenbelt Highway, has sat empty for nearly four years. Padlocks, plywood, and no-trespassing signs now cover its entrances, while tire marks across the parking lot indicate ongoing activity at the site.
“We really needed it, so I don’t see why they closed,” said Regina Couch, a former shopper who now has to travel farther for groceries.
Couch said the area urgently needs a new retailer to move into the large vacant space.
“This side of town is basically, like you see now, desert,” she said. “If you go past here, you don’t see anything. So the people that live farther down have to come all the way into town to shop for clothes or go to restaurants.”
Metro Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins said her office frequently receives calls from residents asking for a business to take over the site.
“It is truly a safety hazard,” Hawkins said. “At nighttime, it is really, really dark on this road, which gives people and bad actors an opportunity to commit crime.”
City officials also say the property has become a dumping ground. Philip Crowe, assistant director of Codes & Regulations, noted that blight tends to attract further issues.
“Any type of blight attracts other crime,” he said. “It brings more dumping, people going through trash, potential rodents—just an unwanted element around the property.”
To address the issue, the city has allocated $3 million in this year’s Louisville Metro budget for redevelopment in southwest Louisville. The funding, made up of loans and grants, will be managed through the One Louisville initiative. Public Works and Codes & Regulations have also committed to cleaning up illegal dumping in the area.
Still, Hawkins acknowledged that attracting a new tenant will be challenging due to the building’s size and cost. A Walmart representative previously cited “performance” issues as the reason for closing the store.
Despite the challenges, Hawkins said the community is ready to support businesses willing to invest in the location.
“It’s one heck of a risk,” she said. “But I am willing to help with that risk. I don’t think it’s fair for the community to ask for something and not support it.”
Residents say they would prefer to see another grocery store or retail shops move in, rather than apartments or industrial use.
“I would like to see a Ross,” Couch said. “More restaurants, healthier options—somewhere we can shop and take care of everyday needs.”
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