City Center lights up after dark. It’s the first installation of LexLights! art program.

On Wednesday night, the not-yet-opened City Center office building in downtown Lexington was lit up with multi-colored LED lights. The building on the corner of Limestone and Main streets was the first building to participate in the new LexLights! program.

Started by the Downtown Lexington Management District and the Downtown Lexington Partnership, LexLights! is designed to add public art and better lighting in downtown.

In addition to colorful lighted art displays, such as the one at City Center, the two downtown groups will offer grants to downtown property owners to upgrade, repair and otherwise enhance lighting on privately-owned buildings, the groups said.

The program is aimed at adding character and deterring crime, the Downtown Lexington Partnership said.

Downtown residents and business owners identified better lighting as a top priority at an open house in 2018. In another survey in 2018, residents ranked lighting improvements as the number one initiative the Downtown Lexington Partnership and Downtown Lexington Management Group should pursue.

The Downtown Lexington Management District was created in 2015 to enhance downtown through a special tax assessment. The Downtown Lexington Partnership is a nonprofit umbrella organization for downtown organizations.

This story was originally published May 17, 2019 at 10:52 AM.