VERSAILLES, Ky. — Major improvements are coming to downtown Versailles after nine years of planning and pre-construction. It’s a project called the Versailles Community Market Pavilion and the city says it defines what makes Versailles, Versailles.
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Right now, the site is a public parking lot with not much else, other than parking spaces and a U.S. Postal Service mailbox. Starting next month, the area will be under construction and will transform into a permanent home for the Versailles Farmers’ Market, live entertainment and a place for the community to enjoy downtown.
Mayor Brian Traugott said it’s taken nearly a decade for this revitalization project to get going. Friday, the city officially broke ground on the project.
“It’s been a long time coming, and it’s really going to change downtown. You have to come back in 14 to 15 months and check it out,” Traugott said.
Traugott said the city will finance around 55% of the $3.6 million project. The rest will be funded from private funds from businesses partners.
“It’s on the heels of a lot of private investment which you want to see come first,” Traugott said.
Traugott described it as the largest revitalization project downtown Versailles has ever seen. By sprucing up downtown, it keeps it vibrant and a place people are proud to be.
“They [downtowns] are the civic center and social center of a community, but also it is really the heart of an identity to any city so you want your downtowns to be safe, to be attractive, you want it to be welcoming and you want people there,” Traugott said. “I think this meets all those goals.”
Once complete, the Versailles Farmers Market will have a permanent, covered space. It’s something resident Rick Reed says is long overdue. Reed himself is a fan of the farmers’ market.
“For the past year or two, the farmers’ market has been out at the old Kroger building off 60, headed toward Lexington,” Reed said.
Reed said while the current location is fine, a permanent spot would provide better parking and better overall vibe.
“To have a place downtown where you have downtown merchants and people walking around all day, it might be a better atmosphere,” Reed said.
The Versailles Community Market will also feature a live entertainment stage and a water feature set on the banks of Glenns Creek — the water source for Woodford Reserve. It was once the home to the Old Pepper Distillery in pre-prohibition days.
“There is a rich history of bourbon in that spot and we’re really going to bring out that water feature,” Traugott said.
Traugott says parking will be a concern during construction, but once finished there will only be minimal parking loss.
“When it’s all said and done, we may lose a net of about five parking spaces and we’re really working hard to make those up elsewhere,” Traugott said.
In addition to the farmers’ market, the space will also be able to accommodate other events throughout the year.
The lot is located off of Rose Hill Avenue behind rows of storefronts that face Main Street in downtown Versailles.
Construction is expected to start in May and once it gets going, and Traugott said it will take about 14 to 15 months to complete.
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