Town Branch Commons: An Urban Transformation in Lexington, Kentucky

Weaving 2.5 miles of green infrastructure and multi-modal transit through downtown Lexington to the rural communities on either side of Fayette County, Town Branch Commons is a transformational public space project for the city and county at large. Developed over a decade of public-private partnership, investment, iterative design, and engagement, the project is the culmination of in-the-weeds coordination with stakeholders and funders at the federal, state, and local level—a model for urban-scale green infrastructure projects in mid-sized American cities.

Inspired by the karst geology and native Bluegrass landscapes of Central Kentucky, the Commons thread limestone features through nearly every aspect of the design. from interactive water features to signature “cross-hatch” paving and traditional dry-laid stone fences created with local stonemasons. At a broader scale, the Commons represent a dramatic investment in resilient green infrastructure—curbing urban heat island effect, drastically expanding the city’s tree canopy, and introducing lush, native bioswales. The Commons also link into a regional open space network, connecting to the Legacy Trail and Town Branch Trail to the North and West in Fayette County.

Specifically, the project helped reconnect a historically Black community on the East End to Main Street, introducing a more direct connection through Thoroughbred Park and a new destination playground at Charles Young Park as part of larger civic investments secured through the planning process. It also improved connections at the Transit Center downtown, which primarily serves residents without other transportation options.