Nicholasville streetscape project comes to a close with a ribbon-cutting

It was a difficult project that took its toll on the community and the businesses of downtown Nicholasville.

But on Tuesday, the ribbon-cutting marking the completion of the city’s streetscape project was celebrated by those who had persevered over the past couple years.

The development was just a glint in the city’s eye in 2010, and now it is time for the citizens to enjoy the fruits of the city’s labor, Nicholasville Mayor Russ Meyer said.

“I think we should all give a hand for (the downtown businesses’) patience and patronize their stores to show our appreciation,” Meyer said. “They definitely deserve it.”

Among those in attendance were Nicholasville city commissioners Doug Blackford, Johnny Collier and Andy Williams, Jessamine County Judge-Executive Neal Cassity, state Rep. Bob Damron and state Sen. Tom Buford, plus many more community leaders and elected officials in the crowd.

It was a big day because the city was not just celebrating a marker in the streetscape project completion but celebrating the people and effort it took to get there, said Scott Southall of CDP Engineers, which developed the project.

“During the course of the project, we discovered issues dating back 10, 50, 100 years that we had to overcome,” Southall said. “By definition, this project was a definition of perseverance; that’s why I want to thank (everyone) who was involved. This project will live on to benefit the city.”

Other work downtown continues around Main Street, but Meyer said there wasn’t a timeframe of completion available yet.