"Buildings that were built in a city for 55,000 people aren't going to house a city with 325,000 people, and that's just the reality."Brenden Gross, attorney for Core Spaces
Chicago-based Core Spaces intends to construct the high rise, bringing more than 900 beds to an area close to campus -- as the need for student housing grows. Although the move means taking down some buildings dating to the 1920s, Branden Gross, an attorney for the developer, said buildings tell the story of their time. And right now, growth is central to that story.
"Buildings that were built in a city for 55,000 people aren't going to house a city with 325,000 people, and that's just the reality," he said. "If we want to build up and not out, these are the type of efficient projects that we need to proceed with."
But some opponents who live nearby say they weren't kept in the loop on the plans and they don't see the new designs as an improvement. Catherine Pence, a historic preservation student at UK, disagreed with the plans to demolish existing structures.
"These are excellent examples of Lexington's unique historic architecture," she said. "I think it would be irresponsible to tear them down to put in a cookie-cutter and frankly ugly design that you can find in virtually every city where they are trying to gentrify neighborhoods."
Pence and others also pointed to increased traffic along a busy corridor.
The development ultimately received the go-ahead from the planning commission.