Gameday Center
Encyclopedia
GameDay Center was a planned 15-story residential condominium at the corner of Broadway and West High Street in Lexington, Kentucky
. The 188-unit project was planned by Gameday Centers LLC who had hoped to construct the tower to give University of Kentucky
basketball fans a residence near Rupp Arena
. Retail stores would have occupied the first floor, with a sports-themed restaurant on the second. Parking would have been located in an underground three-story garage.
The concept, according to Gameday Centers, would have been patterned from similar projects in Auburn, Alabama
, Knoxville, Tennessee
, Tallahassee, Florida
and Athens, Georgia
. The Gameday Center lot contained a vacant lot with a historic structure and a small one-story office flat. The historic building, constructed in 1808, would have been preserved as a fitness center and conference facility; the one-story office building would have been demolished. Construction would have begun in spring 2005 as the 1.3 acres (5,260.9 m²) corner lot was adequately zoned, however, the architectural review board had concerns that the height of the building would overshadow the nearby residents in the South Hill district.
On February 15, 2005, the Gameday Center was shortened from 15 to seven-stories due to worries from South Hill residents that the residential tower would have "dwarfed" nearby two and three-story rowhouses and townhomes. The plans that were unveiled called for 8000 sq ft (743.2 m²). of first-floor retail followed by a two-story parking structure and four-stories of residential space above. This plan received welcome support from most adjacent residents.
It was later revised in June to ten stories with 126 units. The proposed project now contained 7600 sq ft (706.1 m²). of first-floor retail, with 180 parking spaces spaced between the first and third floors with seven-stories of residential condos above. It was rejected on June 21 because the city of Lexington's historic preservation staff disapproved of the project because it failed to meet any of the "design criteria for a structure in a historic district" and was once again too tall for its surroundings. It was considered "overkill" instead of "infill."
More than 50 people had made their initial deposit towards their condo, however, they were returned and all projects regarding Gameday are on indefinite hold.
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. The 188-unit project was planned by Gameday Centers LLC who had hoped to construct the tower to give University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
basketball fans a residence near Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena is an arena located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. Since its opening in 1976, it has been the centerpiece of Lexington Center, a convention and shopping facility owned by an arm of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, and serves as home court to the University of...
. Retail stores would have occupied the first floor, with a sports-themed restaurant on the second. Parking would have been located in an underground three-story garage.
The concept, according to Gameday Centers, would have been patterned from similar projects in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
, Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
and Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
. The Gameday Center lot contained a vacant lot with a historic structure and a small one-story office flat. The historic building, constructed in 1808, would have been preserved as a fitness center and conference facility; the one-story office building would have been demolished. Construction would have begun in spring 2005 as the 1.3 acres (5,260.9 m²) corner lot was adequately zoned, however, the architectural review board had concerns that the height of the building would overshadow the nearby residents in the South Hill district.
On February 15, 2005, the Gameday Center was shortened from 15 to seven-stories due to worries from South Hill residents that the residential tower would have "dwarfed" nearby two and three-story rowhouses and townhomes. The plans that were unveiled called for 8000 sq ft (743.2 m²). of first-floor retail followed by a two-story parking structure and four-stories of residential space above. This plan received welcome support from most adjacent residents.
It was later revised in June to ten stories with 126 units. The proposed project now contained 7600 sq ft (706.1 m²). of first-floor retail, with 180 parking spaces spaced between the first and third floors with seven-stories of residential condos above. It was rejected on June 21 because the city of Lexington's historic preservation staff disapproved of the project because it failed to meet any of the "design criteria for a structure in a historic district" and was once again too tall for its surroundings. It was considered "overkill" instead of "infill."
More than 50 people had made their initial deposit towards their condo, however, they were returned and all projects regarding Gameday are on indefinite hold.