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Centrepointe
What is the central point for Lexington?
Centrepointe has demonstrated yet again that Lexington has difficulty dealing with development issues. Our recent Centrepointe experience presents an opportunity to learn some lessons which might prove useful when the next development proposal arises. Over the course of this and several emails to follow, I want to share some observations about Centrepointe's benefits, some myths that arose during our recent debate, some values to guide future debates, and some steps we might take now to have a more productive debate in the future.
Sincerely,
Jim Newberry
EMAILS COMING UP:
Tuesday:
Myths and Realities of Centrepointe
Wednesday:
Values to Guide Future Debates
Thursday:
Steps Lexington Needs to Take
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Why Lexington should support Centrepointe:
From its initial presentation, I have supported the Centrepointe project. I do not consider it to be a perfect development, but on balance there has never been any doubt in my mind but that the best interests of Lexington are served by the completion of Centrepointe. There are multiple reasons for that belief:
NEW JOBS
The increase in employment on the Centrepointe block from 40-50 jobs to approximately 900 jobs is a compelling reason to support the project, especially when most of the 40-50 original jobs were capable of being relocated to other places in downtown.
MIXED USE
The mixed uses for the block - office space, retail space, condos and the hotel - add to the economic diversity and vibrancy of downtown.
'GREEN' BUILDING
The LEED certification makes the building Lexington's first "green" building - a model for other developers and the city to follow as new buildings are proposed in the future.
REMOVES BLIGHT
The project would remove a group of blighted buildings from Main Street - buildings which once were considered for historic preservation purposes and were not deemed worthy of historic designation.
SAVES FARMLAND
By building the condos up, rather than out as single family dwellings, Lexington saves as much as 35 acres of farmland from residential development.
Centrepointe makes our urban core more dense - a necessary occurrence if we want to grow and preserve farmland at the same time. In due time, I hope we will build a dense and vibrant urban core that will be surrounded by our rural paradise. Lexington can and should have the best of both the rural and urban worlds.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
Beyond the Centrepointe development, tax increment financing may afford Lexington the opportunity to supplement the Centrepointe development with millions of dollars in public improvements in the downtown area. So, since the project was announced on March 4, I have supported the redevelopment of the block bounded by Main, Upper, Vine and Limestone Streets as well as an array of public improvements around the old courthouse and in Phoenix Park. I believe today, as I believed on March 4, that Centrepointe will serve our city's need to develop a more vibrant and attractive central business district
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