Luxury condo offers comfort, convenience, sweeping views of downtown Lexington

This luxurious high-rise condominium offers all the attributes of city living: comfort, style, convenience and many amenities, plus impeccable workmanship, spectacular views of downtown Lexington and easy access to shopping, entertainment and fine restaurants.

“You’re really in the middle of Lexington’s downtown excitement because virtually everything is within two blocks of this building,” says Mickey Hobbs, who co-owns the condo with longtime roommate Jerry Meyer. “You’re half a block from Rupp Arena. You have Victorian Square, the new Krikorian Theater, Gratz Park, Farmer’s Market, Jeff Ruby’s, Dudley’s, Tony’s, True Fitness, art galleries, the Lexington Opera House. All easily walkable. And with enclosed walkways you can reach most places without ever going out in the weather. It’s extremely easy city living.”

The corner condo, at 345 West Vine St., is Unit 2000 on the 20th floor of the Hilton Lexington/Downtown hotel. It boasts two luxurious bedrooms, two baths, modern kitchen, a huge living room-dining area for entertaining, and more than 1,600 square feet of space.

Then, there are the special amenities, including 24-hour security, regular maintenance such as window washing several times a year and regular hallway cleaning, plus parking, private elevator service, pool and workout area, and room service until 11 p.m.

“You don’t have to cook if don’t want to,” Mickey said. “The food here is outstanding. If you come home tired from work, just pick up the phone and in 30 minutes tops your food is at the door.”

But Mickey says the condo’s main attraction might be its stunning views of downtown from 20 stories up.

“In the morning you watch the sunrise. You’re looking out over Triangle Park, St. Paul Church, the Civic Center. You can see down South Broadway all the way out to Beaumont,” Mickey said “We like to sit and watch storms roll into the city like ocean waves. You can even see Henry Clay’s Monument looking out over Lexington Cemetery. The nights are spectacular, like living in New York City.”

Mickey and Jerry bought the condo nine years ago as a full-time home — some owners use their condos mainly for entertaining or weekend getaways — and they recently put it up for sale. But they actually ended up there essentially by accident.

The two are partners in a successful hair styling business that employs 20 people. They had owned two large Lexington homes, but felt they maybe didn’t need so much space.

“We measured the area of the house that we actually lived in and it was just 1,500 square feet,” Mickey said. “We said let’s get rid of this and do something different.”

When the house quickly sold, however, they had nowhere to live. Fortunately, former University of Kentucky sports announcer Ralph Hacker and his wife, Marilyn, leased their condo at the Hilton to Jerry and Mickey while they looked for new digs.

“We’d never considered living in a hotel. But the longer we stayed at Ralph’s, the more we thought it was really nice,” Mickey explained. “So, we bought the condo next door, which had once been owned by former Kentucky Gov. Wallace Wilkinson. And we love it here.”

Before moving in, they spent six months renovating the condominium, including a new kitchen, new bathrooms in white marble, new bedrooms with great views, new hardwood floors, new doors and woodwork handmade by Leininger Cabinet and Woodworking of Lexington, and a new sound system to spread music throughout the home.

“It really hadn’t been touched since it was built in 1982,” Mickey explained. “We took out some walls and made it more streamlined and contemporary. A lot of thought went into it.”

The two drew a diagram specifying where every new light fixture would go, worked out a design for interior doors, and planned a 15-foot buffet for the dining area that matches the doors. They even found some dead space between the bathrooms which became marble niches for storing towels.

“We’re really proud of our doors, which have milk glass panels in them,” Mickey said. “When the doors are closed and the inside lights are on, you can’t see into the rooms but the panels glow. It’s a very interesting. We’re not designers, but we know what we want to see. I’ve been known to move a light fixture a half inch because it didn’t look symmetrical.”

The result of all the work is beautiful and roomy.

“It’s a great open space for entertaining,” Mickey says. “The living room is about 16 feet wide, but it’s also 35 feet long. The dining area can seat 12 easily. We have a Christmas party ever year for our staff and their children, and we’ve has as many as 50 or 55 people up here. The neighbors are very accommodating if things spill over into the hallway.”

The condo’s outer walls are basically all glass, so the outside views quickly grab the attention of first-time visitors.

“There is a phenomenal view out toward Beaumont when you come in,” Mickey says. “Visitors immediately start toward the windows, but a lot of them stop a few feet away because maybe they get a little dizzy. We did too at first but you get over it. It’s interesting the things you start noticing when you’re up this high. We spend a lot of time watching birds flying in groups and making those swooping moves in the sky. We watch planes landing at the airport. I pay more attention to sunrises and sunsets. The fireworks on the Fourth of July are spectacular, like they’re right in your house.”

No doubt those views will be missed if they ultimately decide to sell the condo.

“We’ve been thinking lately about switching to a small house with a tiny yard, maybe tilling the yard a little. We used to be really big gardeners. That’s where we are right now. If we sell, OK. If we don’t, we’ll still be fine.”

This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Luxury condo offers comfort, convenience, sweeping views of downtown Lexington."