By Alan Lytle
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-971709.mp3
Lexington, KY – More than three hundred people crowded into the old courthouse inside the Lexington History Center for a public meeting Thursday on the long-delayed CentrePointe project. Chicago Architect Jeanne Gang and her firm, Studio Gang, presented their re-imagined ideas for the lot which has been vacant for nearly three years.
"There was an amazing turnout especially in this hot room. It was packed to the gills. It shows that there's interest and people do care about it. Actually it's a really good sign for Lexington because it means that there's civic engagement. If we do a good job, it's going to be embraced by the community."
Gang says instead of one big skyscraper, her team envisions a tall tower to be built along Vine Street, and a shorter one bordering Main Street with other structures in between designed by local architects.
"What we design won't be a replication of the past. I think that tends to be like Disneyland, you just re-create something in a fake way. So we are not going to do that. But what I had hoped to do was show how these two things can co-exist and actually make things more exciting."
Few citizens voiced support for Webb's original plan of a massive skyscraper that would have taken up the entire block. Studio Gang hopes to reveal more comprehensive renderings during a public meeting next month.