Lexington’s 100-year-old City Hall entrance is getting an upgrade

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – City council members approved a rebuild of Lexington’s City Hall entrance.

In May and June of this year, EOP Architects examined the building and found water damage which creates a fall-risk for the limestone blocks.

Mayor Linda Gorton brought up the issue in a council meeting last week.

“This is a safety issue.  It’s a decision this government has delayed for more than a decade, kicking it down the road. Now, it’s time to act,” Gorton said. “We must take steps to protect the members of the public and the City employees who use this entrance every day.”

The council said it’s borrowing $250,000 to rebuild the Main Street entrance.

Gorton said during the project, additional improvements will be made to further the longevity of the building.

“Safety comes first. And we must also recognize that failing to act in the short-term just increases costs in the long-term,” she said.

The money is coming from a bond package.

“The annual bond package is used for one-time expenses, such as police cruisers and other vehicles, paving and new voting machines,” said the Mayor’s office in a release. “The bond Gorton included in this year’s budget is the lowest bond package since 2013, even with the addition of the funds for the vestibule.”