City leaders, business owners come together for Lexington’s State of Downtown meeting

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Lexington’s downtown business owners say they’re bouncing back since the start of the pandemic.

They said new additions and major investments are drawing more people downtown. But that comes as there’s growing concern over safety.

“Making it more inviting for people to come live, work and play,” said James Frazier with Downtown Lexington Management District.

Frazier pointed out Wednesday evening at the city’s annual State of Downtown meeting that in terms of revenue and new business, the downtown area is now doing better than it was in 2020. But it’s still behind where it was in 2019, pre-pandemic. Although, they noted through Lexington police statistics, crime in some areas has returned to, or surpassed 2019 numbers.

For example, in 2021, there were three murders, one in 2020 and 0 in 2019.

The victim of the latest attack on Main Street is still recovering in the hospital. Logan Parsons was jumped by three men on June 19 and needed brain surgery.

Frazier said the DLMD had partnered with the city to hire two extra sheriff’s deputies in the Tandy Park/Fifth Third Pavilion area Thursdays-Saturdays until midnight, and additional security officers in the Victorian Parking Garage until 4:00 a.m.

“These extra forces, extra enhanced security provisions, along with the resources of the government have given us a larger uniformed police presence in the downtown area,” Frazier said.

Police are still asking for anyone with information in Parsons’ case to report it.

Copyright 2022 WKYT. All rights reserved.