MSL Committee Presents Plan To Localities
Courthouse Square in downtown Lexington, the open space outside the historic Rockbridge County courthouse, is to undergo a transformation in the upcoming year that’s intended to make it reminiscent of a community gathering area that dates to 1777, when Rockbridge County and the town of Lexington were established by the Virginia General Assembly.
“The project is focused on making this public space more inviting, usable, accessible and engaging, while respecting the historic architecture of the area, notably the former jailer’s residence and jail, designed by world-renowned architect Thomas U. Walter,” said Jesse Lyons, chairman of Main Street Lexington’s executive committee for the Courthouse Grounds Project. “This project restores and rehabilitates the space to what it was originally intended for – a common community gathering ground.”
A three-tiered open space with new trees and other landscaping will be prominently featured on the grounds between the courthouse to the north and the Hess Jewelry building and the southern Lawyers Row building to the south, directly in front of the former jail building. The grounds between the rear of the courthouse and the northeastern Lawyers Row building will be similarly landscaped. The existing maple tree in front of the northern side of the courthouse, near the corner of Washington and Main streets, is to be retained.
“A keystone of the project,” said Lyons, is to retain the Veterans Memorial within Courthouse Square exactly as it is, though it will be moved about 25 feet to the north to where it will be directly in front of the south side of the courthouse. The World War I-era German cannon, now located in front of the north side of the courthouse, is to be placed between the courthouse’s front steps and the relocated Veterans Memorial.”
A THREE-TIERED open space beside the old courthouse is seen in this view from the direction of the Hess Jewelry building. The tree in front of the courthouse is to be retained while new trees and shrubbery would be planted beside and in back of the courthouse.
To make the relocation of the Veterans Memorial possible, the Adamson Development Corp., owner of the courthouse and the land in front of it, has offered to convey the portion of this land needed for the relocated Veterans Memorial to the county.
“We have had a broad advisory group with many stakeholders,” said Lyons, who provided input on the project this past year. The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors endorsed the plans earlier this month. The plans are to be presented to the Lexington Architectural Review Board at its next meeting on Thursday, Dec. 5.
The bulk of the funding for the nearly $1 million project is expected to come from a Virginia 250 Preservation fund grant through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. The committee anticipates hearing in December whether this grant has been approved. Washington and Lee University is also providing funding and the city of Lexington has budgeted funding as well.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to rehabilitate the historic courthouse grounds,” remarked Lyons. “Collaboration has been a primary driver. The committee would like to thank the VFW Post 1499 for providing support for the shift of the memorial location. We would also like to thank Adamson Development Corp. for the generous charitable contribution of private land fronting Main Street at the entrance to 2 S. Main St., for the Veterans Memorial’s slight relocation. Further, we wish to thank the county Board of Supervisors for endorsing the project, planning to accept the new land from the Adamsons, and allowing the memorial shift, and, of course, Washington and Lee and city of Lexington for their support. We look forward to ARB review and for taking the entire project to City Council for approval.”
“After months of planning, it’s exciting to see the proposed redesign of the courthouse grounds come to fruition,” said Rebecca Logan, executive director of Main Street Lexington. “[We are] appreciative of the collaboration among so many partners. Courthouse Square is the heart of downtown Lexington, rich with history; this refresh will create an inviting space, welcoming and accessible to all.”
In a recent presentation to the Board of Supervisors, Lyons noted that the completion of this project next year will coincide with a number of milestone anniversaries – the 25th anniversary of the Veterans Memorial, the 100th anniversary of the placement of the World War I cannon in front of the courthouse and the 100th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Garden Club, which maintains the flowers and planters at the Veterans Memorial.
Bob Hopkins, a local veteran who was very involved in establishing the Veterans Memorial, expressed hope that the Courthouse Square project could be completed in time to be dedicated by Veterans Day next November. He said he envisioned a celebration similar to the one that was held when the Veterans Memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day of 2000. A parade down Main Street was held featuring veterans, many of whom had served during World War II. A flyover of F-16s was planned but had to be canceled because of bad weather, Hopkins recalled.
The Courthouse Square project has the support of VFW Chapter 1499, whose commander, David N. Kuroski, wrote to Lyons earlier this year that “the post’s officers and members were all quite pleased with the latest proposed design of how the Veterans Memorial will be preserved as is but only be moved slightly to the side. In fact, I believe your design will be an enhancement of the memorial with the landscaping proposed, sidewalk widened and bringing the German WWI cannon into closer proximity to the memorial.”
The question of who would be responsible for future maintenance of the memorial was an issue that Hopkins brought up at the supervisors’ meeting. While the county owns the Veterans Memorial, Courthouse Square is owned by the city of Lexington. Hopkins suggested the neighboring localities enter into a memorandum of understanding to state clearly who is responsible for maintenance of the memorial.
The Blue Ridge Garden Club maintains a planter within the memorial but the overall maintenance of the memorial is apparently the responsibility of one or the other localities. Hopkins mentioned that there have been issues in the past with maintenance, such as keeping the memorial cleared of leaves. Supervisor Day Lyons said the county needed to “get on this right away,” suggesting that Lexington’s public works do the work and send the county a bill.
THIS MAP shows the redesigned Courthouse Square. The Veterans Memorial would be moved to in front of the old courthouse, with the World War I German cannon relocated beside it. New landscaping would be installed in the courtyards beside and behind the courthouse.
THIS VIEW looks toward the Hess Jewelry building from the direction of the old courthouse and shows the proposed tiered landscaping.
