Lexi-FAIL

From designcurves

Stewing in my brain for the last several months has been what I feel is single handedly the most dastardly, unabashed, and destructive act of suburbanism I have ever seen.  I haven't spoken about it mostly because is pisses me off.  As an architect, furthermore one who loves urban planning and the roles cities play in the real American life, the complete absurdity of one particular project in my old college town has sent me off the rails.  This hell is CenterPointe, another project in what I'm sure will continue to be the illustrious portfolio of the Webb companies.

Don't get me wrong here folks, I'm all for improving the city of Lexington.  For years it seemed that the city had strived on improving street life, bringing new businesses to the historic buildings that remained, sprucing up the streets, adding lighting, greenery and making the downtown inviting for the arts scene, the pedestrian crowd, and everyone in general.  It seemed at last like Lexington had learned from the mistakes of the Pedway system, the Courthouses, and the destruction of the historic Walgreens building.  After all, people like Jim Gray had saved and maintained pieces of history around, like the conversion of his offices from a historic department store.  But like an angry animal cycling into another rabid period, back come the Webb brothers to damn this city with another "landmark" project.

What is wrong with CentrePointe?  Lets break it down by what it contains, starting from the bottom of this wedding cake from the bakery of bland.  Surrounding the ground floor is retail, all the same, all four sides.  Repetitive and boring store facades like this one are hard to fill in Los Angeles and Chicago, yet alone a town as suburban as Lexington, yet alone during a recession.  Strike one.  Above this are several floors of what I can only assume are office suites, similar to an office park out in the 'burbs, but downtown, over presumably half filled stores.  Strike two.  Above that rises a slot shaped hotel block, rumored to be a JW Marriott, and listed as a four-star hotel with complete conference facilities.  Pair that with the already existing and well established Hyatt Regency at Lexington Center, a favorite for conventions and sporting events (Go Cats anyone?) which has just undergone a VERY nice and extensive remodel, and the soon to be rebranded as Hilton former Radisson complete with smaller conference facilities and you'll learn redundancy is always a failing formula.  Both hotels already struggle to fill rooms, and again, can you say recession?  Strike three.   Add to that the tower rising to a pinnacle from the center of it all housing more above market rate luxury condos in a city that has seen so many built that are still on the market that many are left unfinished and clearly this project is going above and beyond the limits of crazy.  The whole thing looks like a middle finger flipping us off from the hand of generic city planning.  Did I mention you can pull a car into the middle of the whole thing as well?  

And while we're reviewing this, lets run down the roster of gems that Webb has shilled out.  They blessed us with the Lexington Financial Center, turning a concept into the most boring odd and ugly building that could possibly identify Lexington.  You all know this as the big blue garbage can, or the big blue c*ck, depending on mood.  Occupancy is always open in this oddity of a building, with an octagonal floor plan and horrid public spaces.  If that's not good enough for you, look out to the Lexington Green.  Could any other mall be called such a failure.  This complex is so odd it has no idea what it wants to be, and has finally found some semblance of use in being turned into a large independent bookseller.  Think of it as CentrePointe in pieces.  Anyone been to that Hilton?  Was I the only guest on New Years?  And anyone notice those office towers back there?  Zzzzzzz.  Shall I go on?

If anything I hope the government learns that this cycle will go on until we listen to the city and those in design who KNOW what is best for a town the size of Lexington.  The gaping hole in the middle of the city lost when thriving businesses and historic architecture were decimated for yet another middle of the road unproven and unnecessary monstrosity of layered crap could in my mind be filled better by the ideas of architecture students.  One doesn't really need to think that hard to realize this building will struggle at best after a short lived burst of "new building smell."

Oh yeah, and its Center Point.  An extra e cannot buy you class.

(Photo courtesy of Urban Up)