Lexington Mayor Jim Gray says the hiring of a project management director is aimed at bringing efficiencies to 100 million dollars budgeted for construction. The mayor says the local government currently has no common template for project management. He cites a number of current projects including a plan to develop a linear park through the downtown area, "Town Branch Commons, for restoring and renovating the old courthouse, plans to design a city hall that would allow the existing city hall to be repurposed."
Already underway in Lexington is the construction of a new senior citizens center. Gray says the new project management director would also be keeping tabs on parks projects across the city.
The mayor says this new director would not have any connection to a Rupp Arena project, if that occurs, "The Rupp project is actually managed by the Lexington Center Corporation and they had on board a program manager which actually provides the function of project management." The mayor says that company is in place and would be ready to go, if and when the project is re-activated.
Mayor Gray anticipates the new project management director to be on board sometime this fall. Funding for the position was included in the just-approved city budget. ?