Middletown · 40243 & 40253
Home remodeling in Middletown, KY
From 19th-century houses on historic Main Street to 1980s and 1990s subdivisions, kitchens, baths, basements and additions done properly.
- Type
- Home-rule cityChartered 1797
- Population
- 9,7062020 census
- ZIP codes
- 40243, 40253Check city limits
- Review
- City zoning + historicMetro building permits
Keystone in Middletown
Older than Louisville's suburbs
Middletown was laid out in 1797, midway between Louisville and Shelbyville, and for a time it was larger than Louisville itself. Today it's a fast-growing city of nearly 10,000 people, with a historic Main Street district at its heart and newer subdivisions around it.
That range is what makes Middletown interesting to work in. On Main Street and Old Shelbyville Road we design additions and exterior changes for the city's Historic Preservation Commission. In the subdivisions, we update 1980s and 1990s kitchens and baths, finish basements and add primary suites. One thing to know: many homes with a "Middletown" mailing address, including Lake Forest, are actually outside city limits, which changes which rules apply. We check every address.
Know the place
A 1797 town on Beargrass Creek
Middletown was laid out and chartered in 1797 on 500 acres along a branch of Beargrass Creek, land originally held by Jacob Meyers and Culberth Harrison. It sat on the main road between Louisville and Shelbyville, and its inns and shops served travelers for decades. The town incorporated in 1866 and was re-established as a city in the 1970s.
Its historic core survives along Main Street and Old Shelbyville Road, including the Middletown Inn of 1808, built half of brick and half of log with 18-inch walls, and the 1899 Methodist church that now houses the Historic Middletown Museum.
Historic core, suburban ring
Nineteenth-century houses and commercial buildings line the historic district along Main Street and Old Shelbyville Road. Around it, the city's growth has come in post-war through 1990s subdivisions and newer homes, apartments and condominiums; the population grew by more than a third between 2010 and 2020.
Southeast Christian Church's main campus on Blankenbaker Parkway, the largest church in Kentucky, sits within the city, along with Eastern High School and Crosby Middle School.
The houses
Middletown homes we work on
Two very different kinds of project, sometimes on the same street.
Historic district homes
19th-century houses along Main Street and Old Shelbyville Road. Sympathetic additions and kitchen and bath updates, with a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior work.
1980s–90s subdivision homes
Builder-grade kitchens and baths, formal rooms and unfinished basements. Kitchen and bath gut remodels, basement finishing and primary suites.
Larger suburban lots
Room for garage additions, sunrooms and family room additions, subject to the city's zoning code.
Our services
Remodeling services in Middletown
How each service fits Middletown's mix of historic and suburban homes.
Kitchen Remodeling in Middletown
Kitchen updates in historic Main Street homes and 1990s subdivisions.
Kitchen details
Bathroom Remodeling in Middletown
Primary bath remodels in 1980s–90s homes.
Bathroom details
Basement Finishing in Middletown
Finished basements with baths and bars.
Basement details
Home Additions in Middletown
Additions in and around the historic district.
Home details
Whole-Home Remodeling in Middletown
Historic homes and older subdivision houses renovated end to end.
Whole-Home details
Garages & Conversions in Middletown
Garage additions on larger suburban lots.
Garages detailsPermits & approvals
Middletown's own zoning and preservation
Middletown is one of the small cities in Jefferson County with its own zoning authority.
Rules change. We confirm the current requirements for your address before design is finished. How permitting works in Louisville →
City zoning
Middletown follows the Land Development Code as modified by its own ordinances, adopted in 2004 and amended since, including form districts and stormwater detention.
Historic Preservation Commission
Properties in the historic district along Main Street and Old Shelbyville Road need a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior work.
Historic tax credits
Owners of qualifying historic buildings may be eligible for Kentucky Heritage Council rehabilitation tax credits. Ask your tax advisor; we can provide documentation.
Louisville Metro building permits
Building, electrical and mechanical permits come from Louisville Metro Construction Review; plumbing from the state.
Check city limits
Many "Middletown" addresses are outside the city. We confirm jurisdiction for your address before design.
The 1899 former Middletown Methodist church on Main Street, now the Historic Middletown Museum. Photo: Nyttend, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Around Middletown
Main Street to Blankenbaker Parkway
We work throughout Middletown, from historic Main Street and Old Shelbyville Road near City Hall to the subdivisions off Shelbyville Road, the Gene Snyder and Blankenbaker Parkway, and the streets around Eastern High and Crosby Middle.
Middletown sits between Hurstbourne and Anchorage on Shelbyville Road, with Lake Forest just to the east, so it's at the center of the East End communities we serve most.
5.0 from 17 Google reviews
★★★★★
“Our project manager answered every question the same day. We always knew what was happening next, and the shower is flawless.”Primary bath, Middletown Sample text Read our Google reviews
Questions
Remodeling in Middletown: questions
Is my home inside Middletown city limits?
Not necessarily. Many addresses with a Middletown mailing address, including Lake Forest, Glen Lakes and Polo Fields, are outside the city. We confirm jurisdiction on LOJIC, Louisville's mapping system, before design.
Do I need historic approval to remodel?
Only if your property is in the historic district, and only for exterior work. Additions and visible alterations there need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission.
Who issues building permits in Middletown?
Louisville Metro Construction Review issues building, electrical and mechanical permits; plumbing permits come from the state. The city handles zoning and historic review.
Can you finish my basement and add a bath?
Yes. Many 1980s and 1990s Middletown homes have full basements that make excellent family rooms, guest suites and bars.
Are there tax credits for historic renovation?
Kentucky offers rehabilitation tax credits for qualifying historic properties through the Kentucky Heritage Council. Check eligibility with your tax advisor; we can supply project documentation.
