LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A redevelopment project in Smoketown is set to bring new health care services and housing for traveling medical professionals to East Broadway.
A two-story building at 706 E. Broadway is being renovated into retail space for health care tenants on the ground floor, with mid-term rental apartments planned upstairs. The property sits near the intersection of downtown and the Highlands.
Health Care Tenants Planned for First Floor
The first floor will house two tenants:
- Solutions Health, a sexual health nonprofit
- Genoa Healthcare
Each retail space spans about 2,805 square feet. The building previously housed Fashion Mart.
Renovations on the ground level include:
- New plumbing
- Shell buildout
- Updated storefront glass
- Exterior painting
Project costs are estimated between $300,000 and $400,000, with tenants expected to move in by late summer.
Apartments for Travel Nurses
Plans for the second floor include converting the space into eight mid-term rental apartments, designed primarily for travel nurses and other health care workers:
- Four one-bedroom units
- Four two-bedroom units
The building’s location offers convenient access to the nearby LouMed district, including Norton Children’s Hospital, UofL Health, and Norton Hospital.
A timeline and cost for the upper-floor renovations have not yet been finalized.
Investment and Future Vision
Property owners Fred Newman and Raphael Collazo purchased the building in September for $450,000, according to records from the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office.
Collazo, president of Summit Commercial Group, said projects like this could help connect Smoketown and the Highlands with downtown while revitalizing the East Broadway corridor.
“We really believe in the Broadway corridor and we look forward to continuing to work our way along to different buildings in this area to continue to improve them,” Collazo said.
The developers added that additional projects may follow, depending on the success of this redevelopment.
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