- Ben Ali Apartments
The Ben Ali Apartments was a proposed 12-story senior citizens apartment building at corner of 119 Main Street and Limestone in
Lexington, Kentucky . It would have been constructed above the existing four level Ben Ali parking structure.The developers, Joe Graves, William Moore and former Governor
Louie Nunn , were seeking $15 million in tax-free housing bonds to construct 156 apartments. [Duke, Jacqueline. "Apartments for elderly are planned for downtown." 14 May, 1985. Herald-Leader [Lexington] . 12 Nov. 2006.] In October 1985, the Urban County Council approved a $15 million housing bond issue for the towers. [Duke, Jacqueline. "Council backs revived downtown apartment project." 5 June 1985. Herald-Leader [Lexington] . 12 Nov. 2006.]The project would have cost $18 million; the developers would contribute $1.8 million. The name of the project is derived from a theater that once stood at the corner of Main and Limestone. It was constructed by James Ben Ali Haggin who constructed the theater in 1913 as a "tribute to his wife." It was demolished in the 1960s in favor of a parking structure.
The high-rise would have also included an attached two-story structure that would have fronted Main Street, containing retail shops, a convenience store, and a restaurant.
Today, the site is home to the
Fayette County Courthouse complex.References
See also
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Cityscape of Lexington, Kentucky
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