A tour of Lexington, Kentucky (Part 1)

Known as the "Horse Capitol of the World," Lexington, Kentucky is home to the Kentucky Wildcats, the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University. It is also the home of many diverse and unique neighborhoods, a lively downtown, and many new urban construction projects that are changing the urban landscape of the city.

 

This is part one of a photographic tour of Lexington, from the university to downtown to some interesting neighborhoods, taken over the period of 2009.

 

Downtown

Lexington is home to several major structures that define the city amidst the rolling farmlands of central Kentucky.

 

Vine Street is not much to look at. Converted from a railroad throughfare to a three- and four-lane one-way highway, the current definition of the road is too wide, too well-timed and absent of any interesting street life. Proposals call for the Town Branch creek to be restored as a canal and for two-way traffic to be installed.

 

Victorian Square was an early attempt at restoring deteriorated structures for new uses. While it was a more upscale mall, it has since transformed into an entertainment and restaurant hub for the convention area.

 

Cheapside has been closed to traffic. Phase one, recently completed, moved many old memorials and monuments to other locales. Temporary pavers were installed for a farmer's market. As part of phase two, a permanent shelter and streetscaping will be installed.

 

Before:

 

Phase one:

 

 

This building, at the corner of West Short and Market, is being restored for an upscale restaurant and nightclub.

 

 

A proposal for North Mill Street calls for the closure of the street in the evenings to foster the development of restaurants and nightclubs in this densely packed street.

 

Before:

 

Two handsomely restored buildings:

 

Main Street

 

A view of East Short Street towards the courthouse complex.

 

Locally-owned shops and restaurants line North Limestone.

 

 

View the remainder of this blog post, covering downtown, the 500's on the Main, Centrepointe, Chase Tower, Cheapside, Lexington Center and Nunn Building Lofts. Stay tuned for more updates on other districts and development projects.

Centerpointe looks so odd with grass!

I like it better with grass.

I like it better with a skyscraper.

Lexington should not be building any skyscrapers period.  The demand isn't high enough to warrant that type of construction and the city could benefit much more from low-level, high-density developments in the 3-5 story range.  Fill out the urban core with a dense walkable area and you'll have a kick ass city right there in the heart of horse country.

Especially if the skyscrapers Lexington does have are what they go for.  They look like fortresses.

Take a walk along Vine Street and you'll see just that. Bad, bad urban planning and design.

 

That said, we have over 3,000 acres of developable land within the urban service boundary to work with. That can support, IIRC, 150,000 new residences without having to demolish any existing structures. There are a lot of small farms that still reside within the beltway even, that can support some higher density or any density to speak of.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing a skyscraper there -- which is projected to be one of the state's tallest -- but the downtown development guide called for a mid-rise at the tallest to be built at that location. Somewhere in the range of 10 to 15 stories, which would be more than acceptable, given that there are high-rises on two of its four sides, and mid-rises all around it.

Nice pictures.  I haven't been to Lexington since I was a very little kid.  Looks kind of small and comfortable...I might have to get down there and check it out.

Very nice!  A city I have yet to see in person.

I can't wait for your impersonations!