Lexington’s resilient downtown

A busy downtown at dusk with cars driving fast

Hey, downtown Lexington, we think you’re pretty cool too. | Photo by @femibranded

On Wednesday, The New York Times released a list of 10 cities whose downtown “have come back even stronger and more resilient” since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And guess who was listed — we were.

Here are a few key points:

  • The resurgence of downtown in the 2010s — thanks to new restaurants, bars + the repurposing of old buildings — took the area from “an afterthought” to “blooming.”
  • Lexington is more recession-proof due to our largest employers being universities and hospitals.
  • While the pandemic has been cited as the cause for many hits + closures, some business owners say in terms of people out doing things — numbers are better than in 2019.

And with the addition of Town Branch Park, the Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center renovations + the High Street development, our resilience is strengthened and even growing.

So, let’s write a love letter to downtown. Share with us your favorite memories, businesses, or features of downtown.

More from LEXtoday
Independent Bookstore Day is your chance to turn the page on your next adventure while supporting local businesses and authors.
From who’s headlining to what their sound can be compared to.
The James Beard finalist is bringing her Sri Lankan-inspired cooking to national television while celebrating 10 years of Tuk Tuk Snack Shop with limited Saturday pop-ups in Lexington.
We dive into horse-related place names around Lexington.
The Lexington Public Library offers free educational resources that citizens can utilize to learn new skills, advance their careers, or just continue to stay curious.
Make the most of good weather by taking your meals al fresco on one of Lexington’s many beautiful patios.
Put your money where your community is and help us create a guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local spots and sharing this page with a friend.
Talk about a work walk of art.
Discover and document local species as part of a worldwide effort to track biodiversity this spring.
Directly north, east, south, and west of us, cities across the world await.