Cityscape of Lexington, Kentucky facts for kids
Lexington, Kentucky, is a special city. It has a unique way of growing that helps protect its famous horse farms. The city uses an "urban growth boundary." This is like an invisible fence that keeps development inside certain areas. It leaves green spaces and open land between Lexington and nearby towns.
This plan helps save the beautiful Bluegrass landscape. It also protects the horse industry and tourism, which bring a lot of money to the city. Growth is also limited in nearby counties. This stops large homes from spreading out and taking over the Bluegrass land.
Most of Lexington's growth has happened south of downtown. This is because that land used to be tobacco farms, not horse pastures. Today, over 70% of the people live south of US 60. New development continues southeast along Interstate 75 and US 60. Counties like Scott County, Madison County, and Jessamine County are growing fast.
Besides new neighborhoods, downtown Lexington is also seeing a building boom. Many old buildings are being fixed up, and new ones are being built. This often uses "urban infill" ideas. This means building on empty lots or old parking areas. Some new projects are even turning old tobacco warehouses into cool new homes.
Contents
Downtown District
Major Buildings
In 1976, downtown Lexington became a hub for fun and business. The Lexington Center opened, bringing many things together. It included a convention center, Rupp Arena, a shopping mall, and the Hyatt Regency Hotel. This was one of the biggest projects of its kind in the U.S. when it was finished.
In 1979, the 22-story Kincaid Towers was built. This modern building was the tallest in central Kentucky for eight years. Today, it is home to Central Bank and other businesses.
More big buildings opened in the 1980s. The World Trade Center and the Radisson Plaza Hotel (now Hilton) opened in 1982. The Hilton is a large hotel with 368 rooms. Two years later, Woodlands was completed. It offered fancy apartments and a restaurant.
In 1987, the tallest building in Lexington was finished. This was the Lexington Financial Center. It is 410 feet tall and has 31 floors. It houses Fifth Third Bank and other financial companies.
Also in 1987, Park Plaza opened. This 22-story building has 202 apartments. It is next to Phoenix Park and the Lexington Public Library. The library itself, a five-story building, was finished in 1988. It was built where the old Phoenix Hotel used to be.
Other Important Buildings
In 1980, the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper opened its new office and printing plant. This large building is at the east end of downtown. It has big windows where you can see the huge printing presses inside.
In 1985, the Lexington Chamber of Commerce moved to a new glass and granite building. Also that year, the West Vine Place office tower was completed. It has a shiny granite front. A whole block of old buildings was also renovated. This area was named Victorian Square. It now has nice restaurants, clothing stores, and art galleries.
In 1986, Festival Market opened. Today, it is known as the Triangle Center. It was first planned as a place for shopping and dining. Now, it has offices, restaurants, and a coffee shop.
In 1987, an old building called Ades Dry Goods became a new kind of living space. This project turned the building into a mix of uses. The first floor has a fancy restaurant. The second and third floors have offices. The fourth floor has loft apartments.
Goodwin Square opened in 1988. This brick building has retail shops and offices.
The Government Center parking garage is very old. It is thought to be over 50 years old. It needs a lot of repairs because of rust and other damage.
Projects That Were Never Finished
Some big plans for Lexington never fully happened. The Lexington Transit Center was supposed to have apartments on top. But money problems stopped it for a long time. Now, there are new talks about building apartments and shops there.
Another project that was never built was the Galleria. This was planned to be a 24-story glass skyscraper. It would have had shops and offices. The project started in 1983 but was never built.
The Ben Ali Apartments complex was also planned but never built due to money issues. This site is now part of the Fayette County Courthouse. Gameday Center was a recent project that didn't happen because of land problems.
The biggest failed project was the World Coal Center. The Phoenix Hotel was torn down for it. But the skyscraper was never built. For years, there was just a pile of rubble where the hotel used to be.
Another big idea that never happened was the Lexington Sky Bridge Plaza. It was proposed in 1984. This public space would have been built high above a road. It was planned to have a bandstand, an outdoor cafe, and a place for local art. It even thought about having an ice-skating rink!
New Development
Land in Lexington is getting more expensive. Also, more people want to live downtown. So, many new projects are being planned or built.
One exciting new project is 500's on the Main. It is across from the Lexington Center. This project will have homes and businesses. It will include 10 penthouses, 54 loft apartments, and 12 retail stores. There will also be a grocery store and a rooftop restaurant.
Fairmont on Main was built between 2004 and 2006. It has luxury townhouses. Across the street is NewPast on Main. This project has environmentally friendly loft apartments. They use things like energy-efficient systems and solar design.
Main+Rose was finished in 2007. It has 96 apartments and shops like Jimmy John's and Dunkin' Donuts. This building replaced an old, abandoned motel.
The Nunn Building was originally built in 1917 for the Lexington Herald newspaper. It was remodeled with a new part added in 2007. Now, it has 26 residential loft apartments.
Tallest Buildings
| Building | Height | Floors | Year completed/projected | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Financial Center | 410 ft (125 m) | 30 | 1987 | Completed |
| Kincaid Towers | 333 ft (101.5 m) | 22 | 1979 | Completed |
| Blanding Tower (UK) | 264 ft (80.5 m) | 23 | 1967 | Completed |
| Kirwan Tower (UK) | 264 ft (80.5 m) | 23 | 1967 | Completed |
| Patterson Office Tower (UK) | 250 ft (76.2 m) | 20 | 1968 | Completed |
| Hilton Hotel | 240 ft (73.2 m) | 23 | 1978 | Completed |
| World Trade Center | 233 ft (71 m) | 23 | 1982 | Completed |
| Park Plaza Apartments | 213 ft (65 m) | 22 | 1987 | Completed |
| CentrePointe | unknown | 19 | 2016 | Under Construction |
| Chase Bank Plaza | 200 ft (61 m) | 15 | 1973 | Completed |
| Fayette National Bank Building | 200 ft (61 m) | 15 | 1914 | Completed |
| Hyatt Regency Hotel | 190 ft (58 m) | 17 | 1977 | Completed |
| National City Plaza | 173 ft (52.7 m) | 13 | 1975 | Completed |
| LFUCG Government Center | 160 ft (48.8 m) | 12 | 1921 | Completed |
| Christ Church Apartments | 149 ft (45.4 m) | 12 | 1971 | Completed |
| Albert B. Chandler Hospital (Pavilion A) | 130 ft (39.6 m) | 12 | 2010 | Completed |
Chevy Chase Area
The Chevy Chase area is a neighborhood with small shops, restaurants, and a TV station. It has nice homes and new projects like the Mark Lofts. These lofts will have 36 apartments and shops on the ground floor. Construction started in 2006.
A unique project was planned here but never built. This was the nine-story Chevy Plaza. It would have included homes and businesses. The $25 million project was proposed in 1984.
The area even has its own community magazine called the Chevy Chaser Magazine.
"College Town" Area
The "College Town" area is right next to the University of Kentucky. It has new buildings like CenterCourt. This building has four floors of businesses and homes. It is designed for university staff and other professionals.
Another project, Shelbourne Plaza, is being built. It will have a grocery store. This project will also include 230 apartments and many retail shops.
Images for kids
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Patterson Office Tower, the city's 5th tallest building.
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Windows being installed on the 500's on the Main project along West Main Street.
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The iconic Kirwan and Blanding Towers.
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Third Street in north Lexington.
