Better Skyline: Covington or Lexington (Louisville, Bellevue: relocate, real estate, apartments)

[censusdata]

I was looking through Commercial Real Estate Information and Construction Data / Emporis.com and was surprised how few tall buildings Lexington has built lately. The last new building constructed in the city's 25 tallest was the 5/3 Building (Lex Fin Cent) in 1987.

Covington has built 2 of its 3 tallest buildings just since 1998 and now has a pretty nice skyline. Does anyone else think it has overtaken Lexington for the state's 2nd best skyline?

Covington (I took this on July 18, 2008)


Lexington (not my photo)







# Name Height Year 01. RiverCenter I
94 m 1990 02. The Ascent at Roeblin..
89 m 2007 03. RiverCenter II
89 m 1998 04. Mother of God Roman C..
55 m 1871 05. Madison Place

2001 06. Radisson Hotel Cincin..

1970 07. Golden Tower

1972 08. Panorama West Apartme..

1972 09. Panorama Apartments

1967 10. Cincinnati Marriott R..

1998 11. The Colony Apartments


12. Riverside Plaza

1986 13. Kenton County Buildin..

1970 14. Courtyard Cincinnati ..

1999 15. Gateway Center

1994 16. Embassy Suites Hotel ..

1990 17. Hathaway Court


18. Kenton County Justice..

1998 19. Covington City Hall

1909 20. Baptist Towers


21. Fifth Third Bank Buil..

1904 22. Hampton Inn Cincinnat..


23. St. Elizabeth Medical..


24. St. Mary's Cathedral ..

1910



# Name Height Year 01. Lexington Financial C..
125 m 1987 02. 300 West Vine
102 m 1979 03. Blanding Tower
80 m 1969 04. Kirwan Tower
80 m 1969 05. Patterson Office Towe..
76 m 1968 06. Radisson Plaza Hotel ..
73 m 1978 07. Chase Plaza
61 m 1973 08. Fayette National Bank..
61 m 1914 09. Hyatt Regency Lexingt..
58 m 1977 10. Park Plaza Apartments

1987 11. World Trade Center

1982 12. Christ Church Apartme..


13. National City Plaza


14. LFUCG Government Cent..

1918 15. Continental Towers

1965 16. Connie Griffith Manor


17. The Woodlands Condomi..

1985 18. Kentucky Utilities Pl..

1979 19. Hanover Towers Condom..

1964 20. W. P. Garrigus Buildi..


21. 106 West Vine Street

1985 22. Community Trust Build..

1980 23. PNC Bank Plaza

1972 24. Court Square Building

1927 25. Security Trust Buildi..

1927

[jcm1986]

Interesting question, censusdata.

I voted for Covington. Why? Because of their tourism and convention industries, corporate headquarter emigrations, and its close proximity to downtown Cincy the city has a steadily growing skyline. Good for it!

Bellevue, two towns east of Covington on KY 8 on the river, is building a seven-story condo complex as I understand it. So it too is expanding its skyline.

Lexington: well, I like the CentrePointe design. (It's a shame, though, that a 175 year-old historic block is now almost completely gone as a result, but I guess if the store and club owners really cared about their establishments they would have not taken any cent from the developers.) But its skyline is pretty lame. I can develop a more interesting skyline with my four top fingers. (lol)

[sandman1]

I vote for Covington as well. The growth of the city is fun to watch and it sounds like there is more to come soon. Covington's skyline paired with newport on the levee and in the future bellevue look pretty good across from cincy. It is hard to beat the cincy skyline though....drive 75 north through the cut in the hill at night and all of the sudden you make a turn and there is cincinnati...it is pretty cool. Lexington hasn't changed much in a long time but with Centre pointe who knows. I like the fifth third building...it can be seen for miles around and definately is a staple downtown. Would you like some sweet tea?

[lexingtongal]

I think the Centre Point design is horrible. And typical of the Webb's they are forging ahead without any concern or input from the residents of Lexington. I predict they will build yet another white elephant to stand vacant in downtown. Graham Pohl sketched a better design on a napkin!

[Off Topic]

Some very interesting building designs in Covington. Thanks for sharing that.

[stephanieuk]

Covington obviously has the better skyline, but truthfully that makes me happy considering I live in Lexington. The less city like, the better for me...

If you look at the picture (and I realize it was probably the weather the day it was taken) but the Lexington picture looks so much clearer. Also, I love the Centre Pointe idea and it's well on it's way. It will not be a white elephant and could not be any worse empty and new than the buildings that are there now, what an eyesore with the dismay and alternative clubs pooring into the streets.

I will say that Cincy does have an incredible skyline and althoguh I'm not a big fan of cities (other than to shop) .......their skyline is awesome!

[rnc76]

I think Centrepoint is a pretty nice looking building. It might not be groundbreaking architecture, but it is a nice looking design IMO. I am not really sure why everyone is calling that block "historic". There is nothing particularly historic about those buildings. They are simply old and they weren't maintained well over the years. There is very little architectural detail worth noting. Have the businesses relocated or in the process of doing so?

[nlschr0]

Also, many of the businesses on the Centrepoint block were leased properties, like the Dame.

The property owners sold to the developers and the tenants were put out of a lease, so they had no choice but to move out.

[stephanieuk]

Yes it was not "great" the way they sold and the businesses had no choice but to move, BUT they were given a nice some of money to do so and to me "business is business"

[palmtrees_are_kool]

Its hard to beat the Covington Skyline in Kentucky (maybe Louisville is better) in my opinion. Lexington is great but what catches my eyes when looking (for just skyline wise) is tall buildings, and like you said before it has built 2 or the last 3 tall buildings(just taking your word). The condo place, looks great in covington skyline. I did see in a newspaper that Lexington was building some huge building.Anyone know if that is true?