Soybeans | Photo by Jeff Rogers, www.jeffrogers.com
On Thursday, April 21 from 8 am until 4:30 pm Sustain Communities Lexington will be hosting the “Bluegrass Local Food System Summit: Eating from Our Own Soil.” Registration for this event is $45, but there are scholarships available for those in need of financial assistance. In addition to the summit there will be a Kentucky wine tasting at the Kentucky Proud Market from 5-7 pm.
In recent years there has been an explosion of interest in the topic of local food systems. This heightened interest can be found among policy makers, planners, public health professionals, environmentalists, community developers, academics, farmers and ordinary citizens. While there are common characteristics that most local food systems share the purpose of this conference is to explore the unique challenges and opportunities associated with local food systems located within our Bluegrass rural and urban regions.
To download a flier for the event Click Here. To see a detailed agenda for the Summit Click Here. To see the event website and register online Click Here.
The UK College of Design in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning sponsored the Historic Preservation Symposium, “Adaptive Reuse: Preservation Through Innovation.” The symposium was held March 31-April 1. It focused on adaptive reuse and brought together professionals with historic preservation expertise in the areas of real estate development, economics, and urban planning. Adaptive reuse has become an important focus for the College of Design and indeed for historic preservation efforts in Lexington and the Commonwealth.
“Adaptive Reuse: Urban Planning”
Lecture by Roberta Brandes Gratz, Journalist and urban critic, lecturer and author of ‘The Living City’ and ‘Cities Back From the Edge’, 3.31.11
Adaptive Reuse: Real Estate Development
Lecture by Holly Wiedemann, Principal, A.U. Associates, 3.31.11
Adaptive Reuse: Economics
Lecture by Donovan Rypkema, Economist, historic preservationist, author, and Principal of Place Economics, 4.1.11
Adaptive Reuse: Nonprofit Redevelopment
Matthew Kiefer, Attorney, Harvard University Loeb Fellow, and Board President of Historic Boston, Inc., 4.1.11
Click here for the symposium schedule and more information about the event.
Preservation and reuse is good for Lexington’s health and future
By Tom Eblen, 4.06.11, Kentucky.com
Lexington’s historic- preservation movement began in 1955. A group of citizens got together to prevent demolition of the Hunt- Morgan House after The Thomas Hart/John Bradford House across the street was torn down for a parking lot.
That tragedy showed people the need to preserve buildings associated with the men and women who made Lexington an important early-American city.
Lexington’s preservation movement reached another milestone three summers ago. That is when developers demolished 14 commercial buildings dating to 1826 for the CentrePointe tower that has not been built and might never be… Read more at Kentucky.com
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Symposium Examines New Ways to Reuse Old Buildings
By Margaret Buranen, 4.05.11, BizLex.com
Lexington, KY – The University of Kentucky’s College of Design and its Historic Preservation Graduate Organization held a symposium on historic preservation titled “Adaptive Reuse: Preservation Through Innovation.” The two-day program, held last week, drew attendees from the architectural, governmental and preservation communities along with students, developers and interested members of the general public.
The setting for the symposium was — appropriately — the building that was the first home of Lexington’s Public Library and now houses the Carnegie Center for Literacy. Holly Wiedemann, the only Lexington presenter at the symposium, recalled lingering in the old library on her way from school to her piano lesson. Today, as interest in green buildings and LEED (Leading Energy and Environmental Design) certification has grown, Wiedemann told the symposium audience that she sees the recycling of existing buildings like the one housing the Carnegie Center as “the ultimate form of green building.” Read more at Bizlex.com
Gratz Park | Photo by Jeff Rogers, www.jeffrogers.com
States With the Most Couch Potatoes
by Greg Bocquet, 3.22.11, Yahoo! Finance
“In the earliest days of the U.S., the frontier was a tough place to live. Surely more than one pioneer, upon reaching the rushing and roiling Mississippi River, turned to his wagon-mates and said, with a wave of his hand, “Yeah, this looks like a nice place to settle, let’s call it a day.”
Whatever heartiness allowed people to settle successfully in the West may have been diluted by internal migration during the past two centuries, but to get an idea of how much different states vary in their residents’ fitness levels, MainStreet looked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, 2010…”
Listed at #4 for lowest fitness level is Kentucky with 57.9% of adults physically active.
“Kentucky, whether it wants to or not, is known throughout the world for its fried chicken recipe popularized by Col. Sanders. While deep-fried anything is delicious, it should really be enjoyed with a side dish of vigorous exercise. Unfortunately for most Kentuckians, there doesn’t seem to be as many opportunities to get that exercise as there should be: The CDC reports that only 10.1% of census blocks have a park, half the national average of 20.3%….” Read more at finance.yahoo.com
Horse on Fayette County Farm | Photo Courtesy of Jeff Rogers, jeffrogers.com
Fayette County agriculture and agritourism have a $3 billion impact on the regional economy. Learn more. Our farmland is the factory floor of an incredibly important economic enterprise and international “Bluegrass” brand.
Its presence not only makes smart economic sense, but anchors our unique cultural identity, quality of life, environmental well-being and heritage. Our farms are a big deal. If protected and advanced, they will play a vital role in both community and economic development…by retaining and recruiting the brightest professionals in America, while acting as a major driver of our regional economy and natural environment. Read more about the equine cluster and its opportunities here.
Our equine industry, agricultural enterprises, local food systems, and greenspaces are critical components to achieving a sustainable Lexington that benefits all of us. The Fayette Alliance remains steadfastly dedicated to promoting and preserving our unique rural landscape, and signature industries in Fayette County, and we’ll keep you of all progress here at www.fayettealliance.com. Let us know how we can leverage our greatest natural asset–our farmland.
Lexington | Photo by Jeff Rogers, www.jeffrogers.com
Over the past several weeks, the LFUCG downtown design taskforce has met regularly to discuss the vision and attributes of Lexington’s urban core. Members include interested citizens, developers, architects, neighborhood advocates, planning professionals, and elected officials.
The group continues to tackle a central question facing our community “how do we promote design excellence” downtown– so it remains a special, viable, human-scale destination for Lexingtonians and visitors alike.
Once a vision is determined, various design tools may be recommended to accomplish a downtown we can all be proud of. It is likely this discussion will continue in the months to come- so let us know what you think, and we’ll pass it on to the group! You can email us at director@fayettealliance.com.
Once complete, the group will report its recommendations to the Council for consideration and potential adoption. We’ll keep you posted at fayettealliance.com.
We are a coalition of citizens dedicated to achieving sustainable growth in Lexington-Fayette County through land use advocacy, education, and promotion.
As the voice for sustainable growth, we believe that preserving our unique and productive Bluegrass farmland, advancing innovative development, and improving our infrastructure are essential to our collective success in Lexington.
Since 2006, we have worked with city-hall to usher over 55 major land-use policies into law that further sustainable growth. Through our efforts at government and beyond, we positively impact planning and zoning laws - which are the building blocks of a better quality of life, economy, and environment for all of us.
Join today, and together we can achieve a world-class city in a world-class landscape in Lexington.
