History

In 1928, the Biltmore Development Company hired Louisville's prestigious architectural firm, Joseph & Joseph, to design The Commodore Apartment Building on the corner of Bonnycastle and Cowling Avenues. Still active today, Joseph & Joseph also designed many other significant buildings throughout Louisville, including Willow Terrace (1924) and The Dartmouth (1928). Located in the historic Bonnycastle Neighborhood at the edge of Cherokee Park which was designed by the father of American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmstead.

Constructed of the highest quality materials, the 11-story high-rise was the first steel and concrete, fire-resistant structure built in the city of Louisville. In addition, the facade is the only known example where Spanish-Classical Revival stylistic elements are interpreted on the exterior of such a large-scale structure. Noteworthy architectural embellishments include glazed terra cotta tiles featuring griffins, fleurs-de-lis, engaged twisted columns and other elaborately designed neo-classical elements. The massive brass-clad kalamein¹

The interior lobby mirrors the aesthetic of the exterior, with adornments that include textured stuccoed walls, coffered ceilings, an elaborate fireplace surround, decorative wrought-iron, and exposed wooden beams painted with classical motifs. A particularly outstanding feature is the Mayan-inspired tile work designed by the renowned contributor to the Arts & Craft movement, Ernest Batchelder. These museum quality tiles are featured in the book Batchelder Tilemaker by Robert Winter (1999). The lobby also contains valuable pieces that were original to the building, including antique furniture and chandeliers.

Other original accoutrements to the building are works from the famous Rookwood Pottery Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. Every bathroom was tiled with fashionable gradated ceramic tiles of the day, and two matching terra cotta jardeneiers and flank the front entrance and a garden figure graced the circular garden.

Each of the eleven floors exhibits numerous stained-glass windows depicting the Commodore crest or the "Commodore sailing vessel" produced and handpainted by the Blum Ornamental Glass Company of Louisville. Apartments feature crown moldings crafted by the Julius Shnurr Plaster Company of Louisville.

When built for the staggering construction and design cost of $649,098.45 (according to the Joseph & Joseph archives), the Commodore was designed and constructed to be the premiere apartment building in Louisville. Surviving the economic downturn of The Great Depression and WWII, it continued as luxury apartments until 1978, when it was bought for $650,000 and restored for another $125,000 by actor, entrepreneur and Louisville native Roger Davis.. In 1980, Davis sold the building for $1,000,000 to Jack MacDonald of Acre Realty, Chicago, Ill., who converted it from apartments to a condominium complex of 59 units. At different times during its history some of the amenities included: a hair salon and barber, tea room, valet service and car washing, dining room hostess service bell, marble baking countertops, ironing board closet and on each floor was a washing utility tub or small toilet closet for the hired help.

Now known as The Commodore Condominium, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The Commodore’s residents are currently involved with numerous aesthetic restorations and mechanical updates necessary to maintain its integrity and beauty for subsequent generations.