Big changes are coming to the area around Kroger Field, including the removal of the first home for the Bluegrass Community and Technical College.
During Tuesday morning’s Champions Blue LLC Board of Governors Meeting, Kevin Locke, who serves as UK’s associate vice president of planning, design and construction, detailed the plan for moving forward with the “Cooper Connector” layout near Kroger Field. Four layouts were proposed back in February, with UK opting for the plan that will replace buildings currently occupied by BCTC on Cooper Drive.
“Food and beverage, that would serve as the anchor use for this scheme,” Locke told the board. “This location needs genuine energy, with multiple retail spots creating critical mass, rather than an isolated, one-off destination. And with the right mix of food, entertainment, and access, this corridor will come alive and attract private investors as well as become an asset for the university, staff, and surrounding community.”
Locke added that the location for a hotel conference center, which would be included in the “Cooper Connector” plan, is still being studied and will be worked on over the next several weeks. A BCTC spokesperson told the Herald-Leader that the school, which was originally established in 1976, will vacate the current campus’s location by the end of the year. BCTC still has other campus locations spread throughout central Kentucky.
Locked also discussed the plans for a multi-use facility, which would include a new basketball practice facility. The idea first came to life back in September, although a location for the multi-use facility is still being determined. Locke added that it could be included with the “Cooper Connector” plans, or built near Historic Memorial Coliseum, which will also undergo (and already is undergoing) a major facelift.
“For the Historic Memorial Coliseum district, a mix of retail and various housing types, both student market-rate housing, as well as structured parking, is considered the most desirable for this location,” Locke said. “…More conversation study is needed, as we hope to answer that question in the coming weeks as well. So we are still on track for completing the study in the summer of this year.”
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