Lexington is again looking for a private developer to help it find a new home for most of the city’s operations.
The city released its request for proposals — a type of bid — for a new, 100,000-square-foot city government center in September. All proposals are due by Nov. 8.
For decades, the city has started and stopped its quest to replace its current home at 200 E. Main Street. It has spent more than $475,000 since 2016 on studying the effort.
Earlier this year, it released a request for proposals. The two bids the city received were ultimately rejected.
But Brandi Peacher, a project manager for the city, said the latest request for proposals was different.
This request is for a much smaller footprint — 100,000 square feet. Also, developers can propose to use the city’s current buildings on Main Street — either to renovate or tear them down. The previous bid did not allow the use of the city’s current building.
A 2023 study by Ernst & Young and Kersey and Kersey showed the city needed about 160,000 square feet of space. The city currently has 248,000 square feet over three buildings— the main government center at 200 E. Main St., the Switow building at 212 E. Main St. and the Phoenix building at 101 E. Vine St.