Time may be running out for the future of an architecturally distinct building in Lexington. The owner of the former Peoples Bank Building on South Broadway received a new demolition permit on Wednesday.
Preservationists call the building with the zig-zag roof and blue tile, one of the last examples of mid-century modern architecture in Lexington, and they are hoping to convince Langley properties to move it elsewhere instead of tearing it down. On late Thursday afternoon principal owner Robert Langley agreed to delay any final decision for three weeks.
Bill Johnston, who chairs the Bluegrass Trust’s Community Preservation Committee, says relocating the building would be preferable to seeing it lost forever.
"We would like to get everybody together so that we can get a better handle on exactly what's happening and the time frame so there are as few misunderstandings as possible in the future," Johnston told WUKY.
Johnston says the building, completed in 1961 symbolizes the optimism of the the early 1960's, and has been a casualty of the changing times.
"It's really well thought of when it's built. And then as it ages, no one thinks it's historic because they grew up with it and it's always there. It's old fashioned...let's get on with something new. Then down the road people start looking at it with a different perspective and they see that it really had a place in history. I think that's particularly true with mid-century modern. We are right at that point where people are starting to think gosh, if we tear all of this down, we won't have anything historic because it won't be there," Johnston said.
The building’s future became endangered after the announced plan to build a 12 screen theater complex on that block. Lexington Mayor Jim Gray has some $150,000 in his proposed budget to help pay some of the moving expenses, but adds that since the building is on private property the city can’t do anything to prevent the owner from tearing it down.