Team behind City Center project is tackling vacant Romany Road grocery — and you can help
The former grocery store on Romany Road has new owners and they are asking for the public’s help with what to do with it.
The Greer Companies and The Webb Companies, who partnered to complete the $220 million City Center development in the middle of downtown Lexington, announced on Friday they have acquired the property at 344 Romany Road that had been a Kroger in a joint venture.
The purchase price was not released but the Fayette Co. PVA lists the fair cash value at $1.6 million.
Lee Greer, president of Greer Companies, said in August they were considering becoming involved and hoped to develop a plan that would appeal to the Chevy Chase neighborhood.
Woodford Webb said that they have been watching the property and wondering what might happen there like everyone else.
So they are asking for public input on what to do with the site; you can submit ideas or suggestions at contactus@thewebbcompanies.com.
“We want something great for the neighborhood,” Webb said. “I grew up two blocks away and live close by, and I care about the neighborhood. We feel like a grocery store would be a great fit to go back in but we don’t have one ready to go back in at this point. That would be our first choice.”
Another possibility, he said, might be a mixed-use development, with retail on the ground floor under several floors of residential units.
The building has been empty since Kroger closed the store in September 2015. Now boarded up, the existing 26,000 square foot building is leased to Laurel Grocers, who had hoped to establish an independent grocery store. But plans fell through and the building was left gutted and open until the city ordered it to be either demolished or repaired in October 2018.
The site is 1.72 acres including the parking lot and zoned for B-1, which allows neighborhood shopping facilities, including grocery stores, retail shops, restaurants and other service industries.
This story was originally published December 13, 2019 at 5:01 PM.
