This City Gets to Start From Scratch

Summary

The video explores Covington, Kentucky's opportunity to redevelop 23 acres in its downtown core after demolishing an old IRS building. Once a suburban-style office complex, the site will now be transformed into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood that reconnects the street grid, prioritizes walking and biking, and integrates seamlessly with surrounding areas. The plan includes residential, retail, green spaces, and educational facilities, aiming to create an adaptable, sustainable urban environment. Covington's unique approach fosters local development and reflects the city’s authentic character while promoting long-term community growth.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ Covington, Kentucky, has a unique opportunity to redevelop a 23-acre site in the heart of its city, previously occupied by an IRS processing center.
• 🏢 The IRS center was built in the 1960s to retain jobs during economic decline but became obsolete due to technological advancements and was closed in 2019.
• 🌱 The city views the vacant site as a 'blank slate' to start fresh and has developed a vision for a mixed-use, walkable, and bike-friendly neighborhood.
• 🌆 Reconnecting the street grid and integrating the area with surrounding neighborhoods is a top priority for the redevelopment plan.
• 🚶‍♂️ The development will include residential, commercial, and entertainment spaces, aiming for a lively, adaptable neighborhood with a strong emphasis on green spaces and outdoor areas.
• 🌉 The site’s proximity to the river presents an opportunity for parks, plazas, and connections to the riverfront trail, making it a key feature of the neighborhood.
• 🏗️ Instead of offering incentives, the city is building the necessary infrastructure (roads, utilities) to make the site 'build-ready' for smaller local developers.
• 🛠️ The city's approach focuses on smaller, local developers to ensure a diverse and authentic design, rather than handing the entire project to one large developer.
• 🚴‍♂️ Safety improvements, like adding wider sidewalks and bike lanes, are being implemented in the surrounding streets to increase accessibility and slow down traffic.
• 📅 The ultimate goal is to create a vibrant, adaptable neighborhood that stands the test of time, potentially becoming a historic district representative of 21st-century urban design.

Q & A

What was the initial purpose of the IRS building in Covington, Kentucky?

The IRS building in Covington was built in the 1960s to serve as a processing center, aiming to retain an economic base in the city during a time of economic decline. It housed over 4,000 employees and was the city's largest employer.

Why was the IRS building in Covington demolished?

The IRS building became obsolete due to advancements in technology, particularly the shift from paper tax processing to computers. The federal government decided to close the facility in 2016, and the building was demolished in 2022 to allow for redevelopment.

What opportunity did the closure of the IRS facility create for Covington?

The closure of the IRS facility presented Covington with a rare opportunity to reimagine and redevelop 23 acres of land in the heart of the city, enabling the creation of a mixed-use, walkable neighborhood integrated with surrounding areas.

What is the city's primary goal for the redevelopment of the land where the IRS building stood?

The city's main goal is to reconnect the street grid and create a vibrant, walkable, and bike-friendly neighborhood that mixes residential, commercial, and recreational spaces while also generating jobs and tax revenue.

How is Covington's approach to this redevelopment project different from traditional methods?

Instead of offering incentives to a single large developer, Covington is building the infrastructure (roads, utilities, etc.) itself and dividing the land into smaller parcels, making it accessible to multiple local developers, which mirrors the city's organic growth.

What types of developments are planned for the new neighborhood in Covington?

The development will include a mix of residential housing (detached homes, townhouses, and apartments), retail spaces, parks, public plazas, entertainment venues, office spaces, and educational institutions, as well as a parking garage and riverfront integration.

How does the redevelopment plan aim to maintain Covington's authenticity?

The plan aims to stay authentic to Covington by avoiding fake historic reproductions, instead focusing on modern designs that reflect the city's quirky and individualistic character. The goal is to create a neighborhood that feels naturally integrated with Covington's identity.

What is the city’s long-term vision for the success of this project?

The city's long-term vision for success is that 100 years from now, the redeveloped neighborhood will be viewed as a historic district representative of the early 21st century, demonstrating that it was designed with future adaptability in mind.

What are some of the key features of the new streets in the redevelopment project?

The new streets are designed for low vehicle speeds to ensure safety for pedestrians and cyclists. They will seamlessly connect with existing neighborhoods, fulfilling the city’s goal of making the area walkable, bikeable, and accessible to cars.

What challenges do cities face when trying to reuse large, single-purpose buildings like the IRS center?

Large, single-purpose buildings, such as the IRS center, are difficult to repurpose because they were designed for specific uses. This often leaves cities with no choice but to demolish them and start from scratch, as their rigid design limits adaptability.