By Stu Johnson
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- – Preservation group ProgressLex is seeking changes to the exterior of a proposed downtown drug store. As proposed, spokesman Dan Rowland says it just doesn't fit with the downtown streetscape.
"It sends a signal that is wrong by 180 degrees. It says, oh, here's a suburban building, you're entering a suburban mall, when in fact what you are doing is entering the heart of our downtown."
ProgressLex says 1300 citizens signed a petition vowing not to shop at the CVS store unless design changes are made.
"I know that the process is well along and I simply don't know the degree to which it's possible at this point for the mayor to influence the decision," says Rowland.
Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry, while sympathetic, says design guidelines for such downtown development are not on the books.
"We don't have any in place that would govern the CVS project specifically."
The urban county council has begun examining such guidelines. Rowland says ProgressLex would like to see a drug store on East Main Street that at least looks like a two-story structure.