The city of Lexington is demanding Centre Point developers take necessary steps to fill in the large hole in the center of downtown. A written notice was delivered to the Webb Companies office Tuesday afternoon.
The letter serves as notice and written demand to Centre Point Vertical to restore the property to its pre-existing condition. A large deep area has been excavated in preparation for an underground garage as part of the multi-million dollar high rise commercial development. City Attorney Mason Miller says the developer has failed to make sufficient progress.
During the weekly work session, Council member Richard Moloney called the issue an embarrassment. "Now everywhere I go, this is the hottest issue I've ever had in the years I've been on this council,” said Maloney. “I've been here just as long as a lot of them here. I have never in my life, everywhere I go, get a question what are we gonna do with that hole."
Developer Dudley Webb told the Lexington Herald-Leader he was shocked that the city had taken this step. He said that workershave been on site this week and he planned to talk to city leaders to see if an agreement could be reached to continue on. Two super-sized cranes have been positioned inside the deep pit for months. Lexington Mayor Jim Gray says use of the tax increment financing incentives gives the city some leverage on the matter. "It's unusual that the city would actually have an agreement which provides for recourse, which provides for a cure, in the event that the development does not proceed," said Gray.
Miller said the developer had not hit milestones for construction as set out in the agreement. He says the timeline was developed to ensure the city was not left with an eyesore in the middle of downtown.?
