Louisville, Ky., – The newly-restored Crescent Hill Reservoir is set to re-open this week. Louisville Water officials and Mayor Greg Fischer will join neighbors, business owners and historians Tuesday for the ceremony at the Gatehouse and Reservoir on Frankfort Avenue.
An Open House is set for Wednesday evening between 5:00 and 8:30 p.m. for the general public to see and experience the restored architecture and ambiance. Information and artifacts from the project will be on display and the schedule for Louisville Water’s highly popular “Walking Wednesdays” guided tours of the facilities will be resumed and announced.
The project to restore the Gatehouse began in the fall of 2013. Designed by Chief Engineer Charles Hermany, the Reservoir and Gatehouse gave Louisville a much larger supply of water when it opened in 1879. The facilities also provided a pleasant backdrop for visitors arriving in Crescent Hill by train and buggies. The Reservoir quickly became a popular walking destination and today the site is a favorite of many Louisvillians.
The restoration project is unique because the Gatehouse is a unique structure. In fact, contractors believe it’s one of the only buildings in this part of the United States with a slate roof on the exterior and terra cotta on the interior. The terra cotta is light-weight and in the late 1800’s was a good material due to its fire resistance. Crews have spent months cleaning and restoring the terra cotta (there are 3,000 tiles). On the exterior, crews replaced the slate roof of the Gatehouse and repaired the limestone stairs leading up to the reservoir.
