June 27, 200816 yr Author Farmers market looking to move over one block By Amy Wilson, Herald-Leader, June 27, 2008 Every summer for 23 years, the Peach Lady, her peaches, her cantaloupes and her watermelon have shown up wherever the sign said Lexington Farmers Market. This year, despite plans that will have the traditional Saturday market site probably be CentrePointe construction central, the Peach Lady, Mary Tyler, says she will persevere.
June 27, 200816 yr Author ^ Posted another article from today. Webb stated that he was "bothered" by the controversy surrounding the project, and that city official stated that they wanted to use TIF to "change the design of the project." So by removing TIF and nixing the idea of working with the city on funding, you are removing components of the project that drew some people in -- the improvements to Phoenix Park, public art, fountains and improved streetscape. This is not a good call on public relations. Current and future components in flux Fund plan may cut art, fountains, jumbotron By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, June 27, 2008 Amenities for the city like improvements to Phoenix Park, public art, fountains. a giant outdoor movie screen and improved streetscape will be eliminated from the CentrePointe project if the developer nixes the idea of working with the city on financing. Developer Dudley Webb surprised city officials Wednesday when he announced that his $250 million downtown hotel and condominium project can be built without $70 million in tax increment financing. ”We can do it privately, without TIF,“ he said as the project got approval to proceed.
July 1, 200816 yr Author CentrePointe: To be or not to be? By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 1, 2008 Preserve Lexington has appealed last week's decision by the Courthouse Area Design Review Board to permit developers to raze a stretch of buildings on West Main Street to make room for a luxury hotel and condominium high rise. The appeal was filed with the Planning Commission, which has 90 days to hold a public hearing.
July 1, 200816 yr Author No TIF for CentrePointe? Yeah, fine By Tom Eblen, Herald-Leader Editorial, July 1, 2008 Dudley Webb now says he can build his CentrePointe tower without public money. Maybe he should. Originally, Webb wanted as much as $70 million in tax increment financing — known as TIF — to pay for ”public“ improvements related to the $250 million project. Those could include additional underground parking, a giant outside video screen and some public art.
July 3, 200816 yr Author Hearing set on demolition of buildings By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 2, 2008 Circuit Court Judge Pamela Goodwine set a hearing for July 22 on Preserve Lexington's request for an injunction to keep CentrePointe developers from razing several historic buildings. CentrePointe's attorney agreed that developers would not tear the buildings down in the meantime.
July 3, 200816 yr Author Council discusses project By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 2, 2008 City leaders spent three hours Tuesday debating the pros and cons of the controversial CentrePointe construction project, a discussion several Urban County Council members said they should have had two years ago. ”This is the first time the council has sat down and really discussed this,“ councilman Dick DeCamp said. ”I think it is really ludicrous that we are having our first discussion of (tax incentives for the project) at this late date.“
July 3, 200816 yr Author Injunction sought to prevent demolition By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 2, 2008 Preserve Lexington filed suit on Tuesday seeking a temporary injunction to prevent the city from issuing demolition permits for eight buildings in the Courthouse Area Overlay Zone. -- Some Downtown Demolition Halted While Other Buildings Come Down WKYT-TV, July 2, 2008 A hearing has been set to determine whether the demolition of several buildings can take place in downtown Lexington. Developers of the CentrePointe project started tearing down some buildings on Wednesday morning, but the project didn't get very far.
July 3, 200816 yr Author Council arrived late for this ball By Tom Eblen, Herald-Leader Column, July 3, 2008 We’ll never be the belle of the ball if everyone knows we’re easy. That’s how I ended my first column about CentrePointe, soon after Dudley Webb unveiled plans for his $250 million luxury hotel, condo and retail complex.
July 3, 200816 yr Author Group takes preservation case to court Judge sets hearing date of July 22 By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 3, 2008 As demolition began on the site of a planned high-rise downtown hotel, a judge set a date for a hearing that could decide the future of other buildings on the block. Preserve Lexington's request for an injunction to keep CentrePointe developers from immediately razing historic buildings in the Courthouse Area Design Overlay Zone will be heard on July 22.
July 9, 200816 yr Author City council creates panel that will deal with CentrePointe funding By Michelle Ku, Herald-Leader, July 8, 2008 Read the Fayette Alliance's position on CentrePoint development Mayor Jim Newberry and seven members of the Urban County Council will be spending their summer vacation negotiating a tax incentive deal with the developer of CentrePointe. The city ”delegation“ was formed Tuesday after the council's 13-2 vote on a resolution encouraging developers with projects that qualify for lucrative incentives known as as tax increment financing to work with city leaders as they apply for the financing. The resolution also called for the creation of a group made up of Mayor Jim Newberry and seven council members to ”negotiate“ TIF deals.
July 9, 200816 yr Author Two developers' approach to projects radically different By Tom Eblen, Herald-Leader Columnist, July 9, 2008 Vice Mayor Jim Gray, whose day job is running a big construction company, says he learned a long time ago that development projects ”are a lot more about process than project.“
July 18, 200816 yr Author CentrePointe developers to answer TIF questions By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 17, 2008 Members of the newly created delegation charged with negotiating a tax incentive deal with CentrePointe developers say they want answers and clarity on the $250 million project at their first meeting on Thursday. ”I certainly hope to sit down and talk reasonably about the project,“ said Peggy Henson,11th district councilwoman.
July 18, 200816 yr Author UK College of Design takes crack at its own downtown project By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 17, 2008 The University of Kentucky's College of Design will do a three-day design workshop this weekend on alternative ideas for the downtown block where the CentrePointe project is proposed.
July 18, 200816 yr Author City mangling TIF process By Laurie Daugherty, Herald-Leader Kentucky Voices, July 17, 2008 As a commercial real estate attorney, it is painfully apparent to me that the Urban County Council is in over its head. Tax increment financing (TIF) is a complex financing tool. In a report dated April 10, the city's Infill and Redevelopment Steering Committee recommended that the city direct the Downtown Development Authority and the Mayor's Office of Economic Development to implement TIFs for every project they become aware of in downtown and near-downtown areas.
July 22, 200816 yr Author CentrePointe hearing Herald-Leader Editorial, July 22, 2008 Fayette Circuit Judge Pamela Goodwine will hear today from developers seeking to clear a block downtown for the 35-story CentrePointe project and from those who say there's a better way to develop in the heart of our city. A central legal question is whether halting demolition until the Planning Commission reviews the proposal this fall amounts to a ”taking“ that deprives the owners of their property.
July 22, 200816 yr Author These designs are far too unfeasible, both financially, but politically. Student architects aren't in it for those reasons, and design based purely on that -- design. Unfortunately, branding these as viable alternatives is a poor choice of words -- they were not created to replace Centrepointe, but to give a representation of what could be built without complications from cost and etc. Instead of focusing solely on the design, it has turned into another heated argument against the Webbs and Centrepointe -- and while I agree with their points, it doesn't give any further credibility to their designs and only undermines what they are trying to achieve: to get people to look at building designs as something more fluid, dynamic and creative. That said, I'm not a fan of either of these designs. They are far too impractical, would be cost prohibitive, and are really set apart from the Guidelines muchmoreso than Centrepointe. CentrePointe alternatives unveiled By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 22, 2008 Three architectural design teams offered futuristic ”alternatives“ to the controversial CentrePointe development Monday, showing plans that included greenspaces, areas for public gatherings and otherworldly buildings that they said would draw people downtown.
July 22, 200816 yr The third will be guided by faculty member Clyde Carpenter, head of the college's historic preservation program. Students will serve on each team. So,did Carpenter end up leading the 3rd team? It doesnt sound like it. It would be interesting to see what he came up with.
July 23, 200816 yr Author Judge says buildings in CentrePointe block can come down By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 22, 2008 Circuit Judge Pamela Goodwine Tuesday said the law makes no provision for her to halt demolition of historic buildings on the CentrePointe block. However, the judge said she was “totally disappointed” that developers Dudley and Woodford Webb were not in court to answer questions about their proposed development.
July 23, 200816 yr Author Expanded story. Judge says buildings can come down for CentrePointe By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, July 23, 2008 Circuit Judge Pamela Goodwine said Tuesday the law made no provision for her to halt demolition of buildings on the downtown block where CentrePointe is planned. However, she said she was “totally disappointed” that developers Dudley and Woodford Webb were not in court to answer questions about their proposed development. The Webbs can begin demolition immediately and move forward with construction of the planned design.
July 24, 200816 yr Author The former Rite-Aid store is no longer. CentrePointe demolition continues By Cara Anthony, Herald-Leader, July 23, 2008 Developers of the controversial CentrePointe hotel project in downtown Lexington continued demolition of the block on Wednesday, one day after a circuit judge declined to halt the destruction despite the pleas of preservationists.
July 27, 200816 yr Author Comment: Anyone find it peculiar that now that the Rosenberg building is slated for total demolition instead of incorporation into Centrepointe? Preservationists halt efforts as demolition nears Dame By Greg Kocher and Jim Warren, Herald-Leader, July 26, 2008 The preservation group that sued to stop the destruction of the historic downtown block soon to be CentrePointe has given up. “At this point, it's a done deal,” said Hayward Wilkirson, leader of Preserve Lexington, on Saturday.
August 8, 200816 yr Author Regarding the potential public improvement projects, I'm sold on #1, #2, #4, #6, #7 and #10. CentrePointe leaves split at City Hall By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, August 8, 2008 Public projects ranked City officials on Thursday revealed a ranked list of potential public improvement projects they hope to finance using tax revenues from the CentrePointe project. They are: 1. Sanitary sewer upgrades and underground utility lines in the area around CentrePointe. 2. A public parking garage under Phoenix Park. 3. Redesign of Phoenix Park. 4. Permanent market house for the Farmers Market. 5. Improvements to the old courthouse. 6. New sidewalks and public art around CentrePointe. 7. Public art in other areas of downtown. 8. A system of CentrePointe pedways. 9. Improvements to the new courthouse plaza. 10. Establishing an entertainment venue on North Limestone. 11. Placing a Jumbotron in Phoenix Park for movies and to display the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. 12. Administrative costs for the TIF application. The top six projects would cost $36 million, while the remainder are projected to cost $12 million.
August 13, 200816 yr Author CentrePointe editorial I wish the Herald had written By David Mohney, Business Lexington, August 6, 2008 So I was wrong: Lexington still does love a fight. The professed willingness of all parties to the CentrePointe development last spring to find some level of common ground had evaporated completely by the start of demolition last month of the remaining buildings on the Woolworth block by the developers. And there was lots of finger pointing all around, especially in the Lexington Herald-Leader's editorial, "Blame officials for CentrePointe," printed on July 24.
August 15, 200816 yr Author Joe Rosenberg Jewelers moving to Main Street By Andy Mead, Herald-Leader, August 14, 2008 Friday is Joe Rosenberg's last day at Joe Rosenberg Jewelers on South Upper Street. Monday will be his first day at Joe Rosenberg Jewelers on East Main Street. The new store will be one block down and two over, on the ground floor of Barrister Hall, 163 East Main Street.
August 20, 200816 yr Author Master plan called failure By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, August 20, 2008 A $500,000 master plan for downtown Lexington was labeled a failure Tuesday for its lack of influence on the CentrePointe high-rise project. Harold Tate, president of the Downtown Development Authority, was scheduled to make a routine report at the Urban County Council's planning committee meeting Tuesday on progress on recommendations in city's downtown master plan. Instead, Tate spent most of his time in defense mode.
September 14, 200816 yr Author Group marches to grieve demolished buildings By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, September 13, 2008 Mourners are not part of the usual high-spirited festivities that mark the Lexington Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. But a procession of about a dozen black-clad mourners marched solemnly three times around the block Saturday where the proposed CentrePointe high rise will be built to grieve the demolition of 14 historic buildings and the entertainment venues they held.
October 1, 200816 yr Author As a note, I've substantially updated my Centrepointe article with the newer renderings. I've requested additional graphics from the Webb Cos. Additions not only include the renderings, but of financing details -- namely TIF, and demolition.
October 2, 200816 yr Author They won't own land, but homes a good deal By Merlene Davis, Herald-Leader, October 2, 2008 If I learned nothing else from my parents about the American Dream, it was to buy a house instead of renting one. Owning property was a means of establishing roots in a community as well as legitimizing your reason for being there. It would be more difficult to be run out of town or out of the county if you had a deed to property.
October 3, 200816 yr Author This is great news! Just as I was updating my Distillery District article... this came about. Council approves preparation of plan linked to Distillery District Herald-Leader, October 2, 2008 The Urban County Council gave final approval on Thursday to prepare a development plan related to the Distillery District, a proposed $190 million arts and entertainment district on Manchester Street. The creation of the plan is a step to potentially establishing tax-increment financing for the project. The council scheduled a 6 p.m. Oct. 21 public hearing to discuss the plan. The council also opted to move a hearing on a TIF plan related to the CentrePointe project to 7 p.m. Oct. 21. It had previously been scheduled for Oct. 14. Both will be held at the Urban County Government Center, 200 East Main Street.
October 10, 200816 yr Author Downtown to get new drugstore By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, October 10, 2008 Downtown will soon have a drugstore, filling the void created when downtown's last drugstore, Rite Aid on West Main Street, closed in April.
October 12, 200816 yr Author The Lex Shelburne Plaza, a mixed-use development first proposed in August 2005, was a mixed-use retail and residential project proposed by Guy J. Totino, Bloomington Group LLC and Polaris Real Estate Equities on the site of the Shelburne Tobacco Warehouse along South Broadway near Pine Street. The original plan failed to gain financial backing, and the project was released to Buckingham Companies, originally a minority equity partner, and the development re-originated as The Lex. 1 Shelbourne Plaza 2 The Lex 3 The following were taken at dusk yesterday. 4 5 6
October 12, 200816 yr Author 1 Before... 2 This block was home to Mia's, The Dame, Buster's and Club 141, along with Rite Aid. 3 The Dame has moved next to Main+Rose; Mia's has relocated on North Limestone; Buster's is now on North Broadway; Rite Aid has closed although we are getting a new drug store at Victorian Square; Club 141 is gone. 4 The ghost walls were part of the mammoth F.W. Woolworth Building. 5 6 May 6, 2008 7 July 19, 2008 8 August 24, 2008 9 October 11, 2008
October 18, 200816 yr Author I reported about The Mark stalling in my blog entry at UrbanUp. Now the bank has repossessed the development. Bank takes possession of unfinished condos By Jim Jordan, Herald-Leader, October 17, 2008 Central Bank & Trust Co. got court approval Friday to take possession of the unfinished The Mark Lofts on East High Street to protect the building from winter weather damage.
October 21, 200816 yr Author Public hearings imminenton two TIF proposals CENTREPOINTE AND ARTS DISTRICT TO GET COMMENTS By Beverly Fortune, Herald-Leader, October 21, 2008 Public hearings are scheduled for Tuesday on two projects that, if carried out, would significantly alter the face of downtown.
October 27, 200816 yr Author I have a lot of friends that are envious of Lexington's dog parks. One of the more unique aspects of the city that many have yet to go after. City officially opens Lexington's 4th dog park By Michelle Ku, Herald-Leader, October 26, 2008 More than 70 dogs barked, ran and played off-leash with one another at the dedication of the Wellington Dog Park Sunday.
October 29, 200816 yr Author Change is coming, but not to memories PROJECT WILL SAVE DAVIS BOTTOM'S PAST By Merlene Davis, Herald-Leader Column, October 26, 2008 For nearly 40 years, there has been talk of building the Newtown Pike Extension through Davis Bottom, sometimes called Davistown, one of the poorest communities in Lexington.
October 31, 200816 yr Author Lexington's Centerpointe design modified, construction on schedule Authored by Sherman Cahal on October 31, 2008 The Webb Cos. announced today that Centerpointe's design has been modified to include a revised top, a shorter base and other minor changes. The base was revised in response to criticisms that it was out of character and disproportionate in terms of height with other structures along Main Street, while the top was modified to give the structure additional height and a signature design -- pushing it to a level that ranks it as one of the tallest buildings in the state. Work is also progressing on the core drillings, which have been extended 45 feet into solid rock, certainly good news to the developers who feared that there may have been an underground stream that would have required additional base supports for the underground parking structure. Construction could begin in December for the building itself, barring any major weather events. Centerpointe is a $250 million, 823,000 sq. ft. 35-story high-rise tower under construction in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, bounded by Main, Vine, Limestone and Upper streets. Upon completion, it will include an upscale hotel, condominiums, office space, and retail and restaurant pads.
November 4, 200816 yr Author It is now one of the tallest, if not going to be the tallest in the state.
November 4, 200816 yr Author 445-feet was the old design height; the new design will be around 560-feet! The Lexington Financial Center (the big blue building) is 410-feet... The AEGON tower in Louisville is 538-feet... The massive Humana building in Louisville is far shorter than this even... The National City Tower in Louisville is 512-feet... Lexington will be host to the state's largest tower -- sans Museum Plaza if that gets built.
November 4, 200816 yr Lexington will be host to the state's largest tower -- sans Museum Plaza if that gets built. Good...and let's hope that piece of trash MP never gets built. For everyone's sake.
November 7, 200816 yr Good...and let's hope that piece of trash MP never gets built. For everyone's sake Especially for Cincinnati's
November 7, 200816 yr The Centrepointe elevation looks like an updated version of one of those old Soviet bloc "Stalinist Skyscrapers"
November 8, 200816 yr The Centrepointe elevation looks like an updated version of one of those old Soviet bloc "Stalinist Skyscrapers" Wait a minute...are you critiquing this design, while you defend Museum Plaza? I don't get it. This isn't the best design, but I would take something like this any day. MP on the other hand, not so much.
November 9, 200816 yr The Centrepointe elevation looks like an updated version of one of those old Soviet bloc "Stalinist Skyscrapers" Exactly what I was thinking. Kentuckians are really a bunch of commies. Don't let their eight electoral votes to McCain fool you ;-)
November 9, 200816 yr not me. no way. between boring and a stunt, i'll take the stunt. I'll take the stunt, create an icon that has the potential to be noticed from around the world.
Create an account or sign in to comment