The city of Lexington considers selling three buildings, including the home of LexArts on Mill Street.
A Lexington council subcommittee reviewed 658 Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council-owned properties to determine if any should be sold. Most properties were excluded based on a host of criteria that limited the properties to be evaluated to 43.
ArtsPlace is one of three targeted properties along with Morton House on N. Limestone and Old Fire Station #2 on East New Circle.
The subcommittee, which included Vice Mayor Steve Kay, Councilwoman Amanda Bledsoe, Councilman Richard Moloney and former Councilman Bill Farmer Jr., recommended the city talk to LexArts, a nonprofit, about purchasing the Mill Street property. The subcommittee also recommended talking to The Nest, a nonprofit that serves family and children, about purchasing the Morton House in Duncan Park.
The committee voted unanimously in late January to allow city officials to begin initial discussions with LexArts and The Nest about the buildings. ArtsPlace is leased to LexArts for $12,000 a year. The lease expired in 2018 after several extensions were granted. The city takes care of all maintenance and repairs over $5,000. LexArts is responsible for other expenses including cleaning, utilities and management of the building.
Bledsoe said the subcommittee will continue to look at other buildings and property in the coming months to determine the best use of some properties. The group is also asking a city parks advisory committee to evaluate some park properties. The city has more than 200 parks and dozens of community centers.
