I remain unconvinced that downtown Lexington needs or can sustain a development on the massive scale of the proposed CentrePointe. However, I do believe a new government center is needed downtown. Perhaps then, the former Lafayette Hotel now occupied by the Urban County Government could be restored to the glory of its heyday, either as a hotel or as a combination of condos and hotel. Louisville's Brown Hotel proves such restorations can be done successfully.
Larry Dale Keeling, a columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader, has spent most of his 35-plus years in journalism reporting on or writing editorials and columns about Kentucky’s politics and political issues. He now brings his experience and expertise on those topics to the KyKurmudgeon blog.
What qualifications do you have and what research have you completed to back up your claims? If downtown Lex won’t support centre point then why would it support the redevelopment of the Lafayette Hotel? We all know what they say about opinions.
I didn’t know qualifications were necessary to voice an opinion. And a refurbished Lafayette Hotel would be much smaller in scope than CenterPointe.
ldk
You don’t need qualifications for an opinion but it helps to have some facts and relevant knowledge to back up what you say. Most business people do their homework prior to trying to invest in a project and I know Marriott wouldn’t put a hotel in without a market study. They may be wrong and you may be right but I will take educated guesses over blind luck any day.
I have no doubt they have done a market study. I still question the need for a project of that size.
ldk
I’m don’t care if they build it or not, I doubt there’s need but they can waste money and go broke if they want to. Just don’t want them to get the TIF.
I question the need for a Herald-Leader everyday. This is the first time I have commented on something related to the HL, tired of seeing people (not just you) complain about stuff that they have no understanding of. Judging by the number of comments on your blog, doesn’t loom like many people find your writing compelling enough to comment on and I won’t further.
Does anyone know what the Hotel occupancy rate is in Lexington and Fayette County YEAR ROUND?
I would think that would be a good starting place, but the developer has PROBABLY already done that.
And the building of a multi unit condo complex in the same location . . . especially considering the present state of the real estate stress raises the risk on the roll of the DICE.
IMO, the heaviest concern is . . . what if the structure fails to meet projected financial projections for amortization?
What then happens to this monument in downtown Lexington?
The real question . . . no one is able to answer . . . how far down will the current recession drop? This is a very BOLD MOVE during this time of the nations downtown in economic development.
But, these two brothers will perhaps build and we will see if CENTERPOINTE is a
FIELD OF DREAMS.
Dear Mr. Keeling,
I am trying to trace the history of my grandfather, George Hubert Mayes. He was printer at a Lexington newspaper (I’ve not yet discovered which paper) and lived in the La Fayette Hotel in 1930. Are there local resources to which you could direct me where I could obtain more information about that hotel?
I reside outside of the US, so accessing information is, at times, a challenge. Any assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Joanna
Dear Mr. Keeling,
I am a civil engineer in Lexington. My firm submits proposals to the LFUCG on sanitary and storm water projects. In the last several years we have notticed a trend in the award process. First, the firm awarded the project is not always one of the low bidders. In fact they may not even be the most qualified to do the work. For example, a local architectural engineering firm was awarded a storm water project RFP#41 for $95,000. There were several(9) local civil engineering firms well below that price. Prices from these firms ranged from $38,000 to $82,000. I just do not understand how LFUCG could justify paying more than double and in some cases triple the fee for simple storm water design work. Unless it was polical. Times are tough and LFUCG needs to spread the work around to local firms.
I don’t have an answer for you on the engineering issue, but I have alerted our news department to your concern.
ldk