Theatre District Map
A map of the district provided to potential developers
Lexington, KY – Lexington officials have requested developers to step forward and offer ideas for a “Cinema, Entertainment, Restaurant” project to encompass a swath of downtown already boasting films and theatrical performances in the hopes of forming a defined Theater District.
“The Lexington Downtown Development Authority (LDDA) and the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) have determined certain city-owned parcels of property in the downtown area could be redeveloped to build upon the ongoing renaissance of Lexington’s downtown night life,” states a Request For Qualification (RFQ) issued by the city last week.
“The District lies a few blocks north of the University of Kentucky Campus, near residential neighborhoods, retail and other businesses. The District is only four blocks from Transylvania University to the North. The significant potential for a high degree of vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle interconnectivity within this area lends itself to an urban oriented entertainment/restaurant project in downtown Lexington. The LDDA and LFUCG believe that a creative development proposal for the District will facilitate the continued revitalization and economic growth of downtown Lexington with the development of a theater, entertainment and restaurant district while providing a business opportunity in an underserved market.”
LDDA President, Jeff Fugate, said the city had been approached by a developer with the idea of obtaining the air-rights, or the right to develop, on top of the parking garage along High and Vine split by Martin Luther King.
“The RFQ was a way for us to keep the discussion going in a meaningful way,” Fugate said. “There’s a lot of details still to workout, not the least of which is what the value of the air-rights are.”
The RFQ calls for at least a six-screen theater to be built as well as a restaurant and bar in the area with “additional uses and concepts” being encouraged.
“The folks we’ve had the chance to talk with so far… feel confident about the market, particularly the proximity to the campuses,” Fugate said. “But all indications are it will also need to draw from the rest of the city so therefore it becomes an attraction downtown.”
At this point, Fugate said it is not a done deal that any project will actually ensue.
“We’re looking forward to see the interest we get and hopefully being able to bring a package that makes sense for the consideration of council later in the fall,” he said. “What we still need to work out is whether or not this makes the most sense for downtown Lexington and for the taxpayers.”
In the middle of the last decade the LDDA was considering a mixed-use development project, combining entertainment, retail and residential in one structure atop the transit center. Built in the late 1980s, the 770-space parking garage and bus terminal was designed to support a multi-story structure on top.
The project was much talked about by Harold Tate, Fugate’s predecessor at the LDDA, but as the economic downturn intervened, the concept never got past the discussion stage with Dallas-based developer Trammell Crow Company.
The RFQ for this plan includes a district map encompassing much of the city owned property around the transit center and Natasha’s on Esplanade, a bar and restaurant that features live music and theatrical productions. Fugate said the map should not be misconstrued as a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district that would allow newly created tax revenue to be used to pay for public infrastructure work done in the area.
“The map was really an acknowledgement of the existing sort of theatre and performance entities we have downtown... and it’s adjacency to large, developable city owned property,” he said.
They city was hosting a pre-proposal meeting for interested developers Tuesday morning and the sealed RFQs are due Sept. 4th.