Lexington city council reviewed photos Wednesday of a nearly complete office-residential-retail development in the heart of downtown. The project is 10 years in the making.
Webb Companies Co-Founder Dudley Webb updated the council budget committee on the status of the project Tuesday. While the 2008 recession and financing challenges resulted in changing designs, a fully built and furnished City Center is now expected by mid-November. Webb told council members the project accommodates day and night activity. “After 5:00, that’s when downtown is important as well. This downtown needs to be something for everybody and it needs to be alive 24/7. So, that’s what we’re trying to push to,” said Webb.
Webb says City Center is now about 96% complete.
The developer said Marriot Hotel officials asked for model rooms to be constructed in an off-site building. Webb said that was challenging. “We did those and they kept coming back and coming back and coming back, critiquing this critiquing that, flew people in. And finally I said, “Look, we can’t go on like this.” And they told us why, that this is the new prototype hotel for Marriots around the world. So, we’re going to be the first on a lot of this stuff,” noted Webb.
In addition to bars and restaurants, City Center will be home to offices, hotels, condominiums, and an underground parking garage.
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