College Square improvements planned to capitalize on Artisan Center traffic

With the Kentucky Artisan Center slated to open next summer, the College Square commercial district could greatly benefit from the increase in tourist traffic.

But when tourists are ready for College Square, College Square needs to be ready for tourists, according to Berea’s Vice President for Business and Finance Diane Kerby.

“The Artisan Center has influenced us to say, ‘Let’s revisit this plan, develop an implementation plan, and let’s do it fairly quickly,’” said Kerby.

With that in mind, the college has hired a planning firm in Lexington to address two tracks for improving the district: a long term plan that will address major renovations, as well as shorter term goals that can be accomplished relatively close the center’s opening date. The college’s goals remain pretty much the same as those proposed in the 1992-93 Master Plan: create a commercial space that will be as convenient, attractive and tourist friendly as possible. “The whole concept was about how we get people to the square, get them to a parking area, then create a nice pedestrian area for them to shop and get information about the college,” Kerby said. “We want people to be able to park, visit and shop without being totally confused.”

In addition to expanding the parking lot behind what is now the college’s Academic Services building, Kerby said there have been suggestions to close Short Street and create a pedestrian mall, but nothing has been formally proposed to the city.

“We’ve talked to the city a couple of times, but only in passing,” Kerby said. “No formal requests.”
In the meantime, the college razed the college annex building on Short Street, which may become the future site of either a visitor’s center or another retail space. Maybe both. The final decision that space may come as early as the end of March when the College Square facet of the Master Plan is updated, with implementation beginning as early as in May or June.

Other issues that will be addressed as the Artisan Center opening approaches will be the use of vacant spaces on College Square, including the units formerly occupied by the Cardinal Deli and Dr. Neil Klemick. Kerby said the final decision is on hold until the Master Plan is updated, but the initial idea was to install a community-oriented business that would serve both residents and visitors.

“For the Cardinal Deli space, we’ve looked at a bakery/bistro that would serve tourists and regular customers,” Kerby explained. “It would feature baked goods, pastries, but it would also have a deli component. We have fixed everything for that in terms of the flooring, walls – all the infrastructure. But until we figure out how the entire (College Square) plan will fit together, the bistro/bakery plans are on hold.”

The same is true for the space vacated by Dr. Klemick. Kerby noted that the college consulted merchants on the square to get an idea of what would best meet the needs of tourists. Some have suggested the space should house an arts supplies store, while others recommend a space where craft demonstrations or classes could be offered, but again, no final decision has been made.

“Those are really preliminary discussions,” Kerby said. “We haven’t seen anything bubble up to the top yet.”

In addition, the Berea Arts Council will likely stay where it is for now, Kerby noted, but the college wants to remain flexible as the final plan takes shape.

Said Kerby, “We want to keep all of our options open as we plan for this, but we do like having them where they are.”

Improvements for the square will likely run between $2-4 million, Kerby said, but if the college pursues its more ambitious, long-term plans that include roadwork, that cost could run significantly higher.

Reconstructing the intersection at Chestnut Street, Walnut Meadow Road and U.S. 25 is one important element of that proposed plan, which involves redesigning it to be more like a conventional three-way stop. The current design of the intersection, which allows two-way traffic to flow to and from Main Street, can be confusing to tourists, some suggest.

The State Transportation Cabinet’s has indicated a plan to revamp the intersection would be considered - as long as Berea College foots the bill.

Kerby said plans to close Jackson Street and create a Rawlings Street bypass from Prospect Street behind the Log House to U.S. 25 were also considered when the plan was drawn up a decade ago, but that is not likely to happen now.

With just seven months to go until the Artisan Center is due to open, the college’s efforts to implement revisions to the Master Plan will be focused on preparing the center’s impending opening. Kerby admits the deadline will be tight, but there is still time to prepare the district for tourism. According to early estimates provided to the city, the Artisan Center is projected to attract 400,000 visitors annually.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to implement some of the simpler pieces by the beginning of summer,” Kerby said. “It is a pretty fast track.”

Written by Andy McDonald