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Main Street Lexington is embarking on an initiative to rejuvenate the grounds at Courthouse Square – the common area outside the old county courthouse at the corner of Main and Washington streets in downtown Lexington.
MSL’s design committee, which recently oversaw the completion of the Gateway Triangle Garden at the northern entrance to downtown, is now preparing to undertake a similar enhancement project at Courthouse Square.
A public forum is to take place next Thursday, Nov. 2, from 2 to 4 p.m., in the community room of the old court- house, for a presentation on what’s being proposed and to get public input on what people would like to see in the common outdoors space at courthouse square. Citizens attending this forum will have an opportunity to submit their ideas via comment cards.
“From strategic to tactical, from broad to simple, all ideas and thoughts are desired,” said a spokesperson, who noted that “preplanning and investigation, along with historical research, [have] been ongoing.”
Jesse Lyons, who is chairing the committee overseeing this project, appeared before the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors Monday to enlist the county’s participation in the project. “We’re working with all stakeholders,” Lyons told the supervisors.
The mission of this initiative, he said, is “to rejuvenate courthouse square to instill collective community pride in a jewel of downtown Lexington.” Five goals have been adopted – “maximize positive community and personal usage, improve overall appearance, landscape design and included items, ensure effective maintenance, connect to historical customs of the space and enhance engagement with and preservation of the Veterans Memorial.”
The common outdoors space at courthouse square is owned by the city of Lexington, with the exception of the Veterans Memorial, which is owned by the county. In order to facilitate the process of enhancing courthouse square, said Lyons, the committee is requesting that the supervisors consider transferring ownership of the Veterans Memorial from the county to the city of Lexington. He noted that there have been discussions in the past about transferring ownership so as to “simplify maintenance of the entire, contiguous area.” To date, no action has been taken.
Supervisor Jay Lewis said he is opposed to “ceding the property to the city.” He expressed support for enhancing the courthouse square common space but didn’t think it was necessary for the county to transfer ownership of the Veterans Memorial to the city. “I don’t think this would be a deal breaker,” he commented.
Supervisor Leslie Ayers said she understood the desire for streamlining the enhancement and maintenance efforts but did know that divided ownership of the property had anything to do with those efforts. She asked how the division of ownership of courthouse square came to be.
County Attorney Vickie Huffman said the county gifted the courthouse square grounds to the city in the early 2000s – with the exception of the space designated for a planned veterans memorial – after the courts moved into a new facility and the old courthouse building was sold. Transferring the Veterans Memorial property to the city was broached in 2011 but didn’t happen.
Supervisors Chairman David McDaniel asked County Administrator Spencer Suter to do due diligence on the transfer request and to return to a future meeting with additional information.
