Ground was broken Monday morning for a new state-of-the-art senior citizens center off Richmond Road in Lexington.
When it’s completed just over a year from now, Lexington’s senior citizens will have a two story, 33-thousand square foot space to replace the current outdated and cramped center on Nicholasville Road. Beth Mills, Commissioner of the Department of Social Services predicts it will quickly be known as one of the best facilities for seniors in the country. “We’re going to have a fully equipped gym and we’re having that gymnasium with senior friendly equipment. We have a forced exercise staircase with smaller treads and there’s a landing on the first floor. A multipurpose room with a stage, covered outdoor patio space, music room, state-of-the-art classroom, two art studios that overlook the park, a coffee café with wired in music. It’s got a little bit of everything.”
Mills says the project has been in the works since 2002 and is long overdue. The City budgeted $13 million for the center, with the goal of achieving LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council which means the building has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. You can keep up with project updates by visiting http://www.lexingtonky.gov/seniorcenter.