About Us
The Old Louisville Neighborhood Council
For over 40 years, the Old Louisville Neighborhood Council has sought community-based solutions to problems. Neighborhood leaders have fought urban blight leading to rejuvenated communities. Today, the national preservation district of Old Louisville boasts the largest contiguous collection of Victorian mansions in the United States.
Together we advocate for historic preservation, plant trees, work in a community garden, serve as good stewards of Central Park, work on zoning issues, establish neighborhood watch programs, put on free concerts in Central Park, give to the most vulnerable in our community, and support our local businesses. Yet, we are always striving to do more.
"We are always striving to do more."
Old Louisville’s commitment to the arts is unparalleled. The St. James Court Art Show is the top outdoor art show in America. The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park is the longest-running outdoor Shakespeare festival in the country. Old Louisville LIVE is a series of free concerts in Central Park and around Old Louisville.
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The Old Lou Brew Craft Beer Festival brings friends and neighbors together for local craft beers, great food, and live music. The Garvin Gate Blues Festival is the largest blues street festival in the Midwest.
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The gateway to Old Louisville is the Historic Old Louisville Visitors Center in Central Park, operated by the OLNC. Guided walking tours offer visitors historical and architectural information about one of Kentucky's finest heritage tourism destinations.
Our Mission
To advocate, promote, and protect Old Louisville’s historic architecture and streetscapes within a diverse neighborhood of residents and businesses while advancing artistic and cultural events to build community.
Old Louisville Neighborhood Council
Standing Committees
Neighborhood Improvement Committee
For over 25 years, the OLNC's Property and Improvement Committee (PIC) recently renamed the Neighborhood Improvement Committee has fought abandoned and neglected properties, planted trees, and worked to preserve and protect this historic preservation district.
Zoning And
Land Use
The OLNC's Zoning And Land Use Committee (ZALU) serves as an advocate on zoning issues related to Old Louisville, traditional neighborhood zoning district, short term rentals, and Louisville Metro planning and design proposals.
Executive Board
Luanne Maguire
President
Luanne Maguire has been a resident of Old Louisville since 1996, living on First Street and now Sixth Street. She is the Project Coordination Manager for Office Resources, Inc. Long active in her neighborhood, she has served as a leader in the Garvin Gate Neighborhood Association for many years and is closely involved with the Garvin Gate Blues Festival each year, GGNA's major fundraising event.
Since 2022 she has been the president of the OLNC. She has developed a strong working relationship with the 6th District Metro Councilman Phillip Baker and the LMPD.
She and her husband Ken Maguire (who served on the Old Louisville ARC for many years) run a successful Airbnb on 6th Street.
Janice Theriot
Vice President
Janice Theriot moved to Old Louisville in 1998 because it reminded her of her native New Orleans. She first lived in a camelback shotgun on Park Avenue in the Central Park West Neighborhood Association. In 2005, she and her husband Andy Horvay bought a house together at the corner of St. James and Belgravia Courts.
Janice has served as Secretary for the CPW and the St. James Court Association. Currently, she serves as the Vice President for SJCA. She has been SJCA representative to OLNC for 9 years. Janice has volunteered at many neighborhood events, such as the St. James Court Art Show, Holiday Home Tour, Old Louisville Garden Tour, and the Central Park Clean Ups. She can often be seen walking or riding her bike around the neighborhood. Professionally, Janice is an attorney who is winding down her practice in civil litigation.
Cyndi Smith
Treasurer
Cyndi Smith has been a resident of Old Louisville since 2021 and currently resides on Second Street, where she is serving her second term as President of the Second Street Neighborhood Association.
Cyndi has been in a leadership role at several large healthcare informatic companies, including Kodak, Carestream Health, and Phillips Medical where she led large project management teams and provided consulting services to healthcare organizations. Recently, she has joined a large intelligent transportation company.
She volunteers at Backside Learning Center and the Waterfront Botanical Gardens. She has been closely involved with the annual Old Louisville Garden Tour, which is the major fundraiser of the SSNA.
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LaBravia Jenkins
Secretary
LaBravia Jenkins has been a resident of Old Louisville since 2020 and lives on First Street with her husband Burvin and their two Goldendoodles. LaBravia retired from serving as the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia's Commonwealth Attorney after a 30-year career in government, as well as serving on the Virginia State Bar Board of Directors.
Since moving to Louisville, she has served in leadership roles in the Toonerville Trolley Neighborhood Association, and been an integral part of Springfest, its primary fundraiser. Recently, she was appointed to a four-year term on the Police Merit Board by Mayor Craig Greenberg. And she is also volunteering at the Speed Art Museum.
Shawn Fields Williams
Executive Director
Shawn Fields Williams has served as the Executive Director of the OLNC since 2015. She helped Old Louisville gain recognition as "One of the Great Places in America" in 2016, launched the Old Louisville LIVE concerts series in Central Park and the Old Lou Brew Craft Beer Festival, established the Historic Old Louisville Walking Tours, worked to strengthen our community partnerships and serve as an advocate for Old Louisville with Louisville Metro Government.
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A native of Louisville, Shawn worked in Washington, D.C. for over 25 years managing the government affairs and public relations of national trade associations. In 2004, she returned to Kentucky and did fundraising for KET public television documentaries. She and her husband Kevin have restored a Victorian home on Belgravia Court. In 2012 she published a book, entitled Belgravia Court: Old Louisville's Premier Walking Court to celebrate 50 years of historic preservation in Old Louisville. Since becoming a resident of this community, Shawn has volunteered at the St. James Court Art Show, the Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour, the Old Louisville Mansions Tour, the Central Park Improvement Days, and served as a volunteer leader on the Belgravia Court Association many times.
Jasmine Torres
Manager of Historic Old Louisville Visitor Center
Jasmine Torres is the new Manager of the Historic Old Louisville Visitors Center. In this role she gives the guided architectural and historic walking tours of the Old Louisville Preservation District. Jasmine comes to the OLNC with an experience in another Victorian district, Cape May, New Jersey, where she conducted tours at The Southern Mansion, a Victorian Bed and Breakfast. Jasmine grew up in Louisville near Churchill Downs where her family worked in training the thoroughbreds. She developed a love of Old Louisville and its architecture while visiting friends.