The Peoples Bank on South Broadway in Lexington was on Demolition Watch a couple of weeks ago today. During the day, some equipment was rolled onto the site to begin demolition but negotiations with the property owner and preservationists ensued and the property owner gave a promise to let the building stand for a 3-week period while a plan could be developed.
We have one week left. Click here to help.
Here’s what’s happened in the past two weeks. The Warwick Foundation, a non-profit committed to promoting the legacy of Clay Lancaster, has offered up a commitment of up to $300,000 to move and relocate the incredible mid-century Peoples Bank.
In the words of the Warwick Foundation:
The Warwick Foundation wants to transform the iconic mid-century modern Peoples Bank building in downtown Lexington into a Peoples Portal to the Rupp District. The Peoples will be razed in its current location, but the owner will donate it to Warwick if we can move it to a new site. We are asking the Lexington Center – a government body – to allow us to move the Peoples to West High Street, across from Rupp Arena, on a parcel Rupp District designers have suggested.
The cost is $850,000. Warwick has committed $300,000 to move the building and we need to match those funds with $250,000 in donations from the community. The Peoples Portal will be by the People for the People! Mayor Gray has included $150,000 in the Urban County Government budget, now being reviewed by Council. Please ask your council member to support Mayor Gray’s funding! The balance would come from the Lexington Center, to improve the receiver site.
Warwick will operate the Peoples Portal as an enduring monument to the values of respect and inclusion, partnering with nonprofits and universities throughout the area to offer programs on those themes.
Please give what you can – in any amount! If enough money isn’t raised or the receiver site falls through all donations will be returned. Your donation is tax-deductible and will mean the difference between whether this building finds an important new function serving the community or is demolished.
The Warwick Foundation has answered some FAQ about the structure, the process, and the plan here.
So here is the People’s Portal: CLICK HERE TO GIVE.
Since the portal began accepting donations, over $33,000 has been raised but there is much more needed in order to match the Warwick Foundation’s donation. You can follow the status of the giving on the Facebook page, People for the Peoples.
