By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
The city of Florence has some big-time plans for some city-owned property.
Josh Hunt, the City’s Chief Administrative Officer, gave an overview of the plans at the last council meeting, but most of the council members were already slightly familiar with the plans, having heard them mentioned at their budget review.
The plans are exciting, especially for the east side of the city, where most of the areas are located.
“Some of these areas we have owned for 6 or 7 years, and some we just got last year, so we contacted KZF Design and were able to come up with a Master Plan design,” said Hunt.
The first area is called the Florence Nursery property, because the property was owned by Florence Nursery until they left and the city purchased it. It sits right beside the Skees Senior Center.
“I led the charge on buying this,” said Hunt. “It was originally purchased for, and was always earmarked for, a new library. That is still what we would like to see there. I’m happy to say that the mayor has been leading that charge,and has had conversations with the library board and their new chair, so there is some positive momentum going on with the new library.”
He said as a result of surveys sent out to residents, they found out that a lot of people would like to see an expansion of the senior center.
“They would like to see more amenities, like outdoor exercise, and pickle ball courts,” Hunt explained. “The entire area, with the library and the senior center, is about ten acres altogether, so we could put in an amphitheater, and a play area and possibly some botanical gardens, and lots of trails. We don’t have any cost estimates for the design yet.”
The second area is right across the street, and the 3½ to 4 acre site has just been cleared.
“We just acquired this property in the last two years,” said Hunt. “With this property, we were thinking that the subdivisions that were built in the 1960’s and the 1970’s, which this area was built up in, didn’t create any play areas. They were an afterthought. On the surveys, we had an overwhelming response for a dog park, or a picnic area, and a play area. We have some elevation areas, and we have thought about a bike trail, or a skywalk, but right now we are thinking it will be a passive type park.”
A third area is where the city bought and demolished a strip mall on Main Street.
“We have had a lot of requests from vendors who would like to sell produce and even crafts, and Main Street is a good area for that, sort of a Findlay Market type of open air vibe,” explained Hunt. “We could also do a programming series in that area.”
The only problem is parking, and that is systemic throughout Main Street.
“All of these sites are just in the idea stage,” said Hunt. “Nothing is firmly planned.”
The last place he featured is at 21 Girard Street. This is the site of one of the oldest churches in the city, and the first African-American church in the county.
“This site has a set of plans that is definitely more thought out than any of the others,” Hunt stated. “This is one of the oldest buildings in the city, and it is a true historical preservation project. It was built in 1870, and we want the outside to look like it did in 1870.”
One of the biggest issues they have had is that it is not ADA accessible. So they put in a ramp on one side of the church. The steps go almost down to the street, and there is a historical marker on the site that has been there for a few years.
“We are looking at a lot of beautification, and some historic storyboards,” said Hunt. “Also lots of landscaping.”
Hunt explained that there are a lot of federal dollars out there that are available for projects like this, and there are people who are experts at going after those funds.
“We will be targeting those funds,” he said. “Then we can map out a phased approach to the renovation.”
Council member Lesley Chambers asked what Hunt thought the church could be used for?
“I think maybe a meeting space – very passive,” he said. “When you get grants for projects of this type, they want to know what you are going to do, and they hold you to it. It will be a pretty clear path as to what it can be used for.”