Planning Commission approves conditional use permit for administrative university space in Grama Building over objections about 'W&L expansion and parking

The Lexington Planning Commission on Feb. 27 approved conditional use permit CUP2025-03, allowing portions of the Grama Building at 1 South Main Street (tax map 23-1-70) to be used for administrative facilities related to an educational facility (college/university). The motion passed on a 5-1 roll-call vote.

Staff framed the request as a limited authorization: the applicant asked that the basement beneath the Main Street storefronts and a portion of the building behind the Main Street storefronts and above a proposed Washington Street storefront be allowed for administrative facilities connected with an educational institution. Staff noted that primary street-facing spaces on Main and Washington Streets will remain retail, permitted by right in the C-1 (Central Business) zoning district, and recommended two conditions restricting the CUP to the identified non-street-front portions of the building and excluding the storefronts from the CUP.

Applicant John Adamson described the building as unusually split-level and said the proposal aims to preserve and restore prime Main Street and Washington Street storefronts while using lower and rear volumes for…