Bluegrass destroys growth, but not forever
I returned to Lexington this week after a long vacation to find that CentrePit had been transformed into a grassy meadow, and workers were installing a classic horse-farm fence around the perimeter.
The past half-century of Lexington’s growth has been defined by grassy meadows and horse-farm fences giving way to homes, office buildings and shopping centers.
Dudley Webb may go down in history as the only Lexington developer to do just the opposite. And he did it in the center of town, on a block that has been developed urban space since the 1700s.
Seriously, though, I have to give Webb credit. I’ve always thought his CentrePointe development was poorly conceived and not in the community’s best interests. The fact that he can’t seem to find financing for the $250 million project speaks to some of its issues.
But in this instance, Webb is doing the right thing: Making his demolition site look attractive until he and landowner Joe Rosenberg decide the block’s ultimate fate.
Other local developers of stalled projects, such as at the corner of Richmond Road and Man O’ War Boulevard, and abandoned eyesores, such as Lexington Mall, should follow his lead.
Thank you, Dudley Webb.
Fencing is installed around the CentrePointe block. Photo by David Perry
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October 4th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
The fact that he can’t seem to find financing for the $250 million project speaks to some of its issues. But in this instance, Webb is doing the right thing: Making his demolition site look attractive until he and landowner Joe Rosenberg decide the block’s ultimate fate.
(Tom the fact is Dudley Webb never had the financing for CentrePointe. Also the Mayor is calling this a proposed project, not the promised project of 900 jobs as it stated in 2008.)
Thanks Dudley, Thanks for nothing.