Rose Street Offices Still Up and Running

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 16, 2016) — The University of Kentucky's offices for the Alumni Association, Opera Theatre, James W. Stuckert Career Center and Singletary Center for the Arts are open and operating on normal business hours. Access to the main entrances of these buildings is temporarily blocked by a city (Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government) project to widen Rose Street and connect the Rose Street bike lanes with the bike lanes on Avenue of Champions/Euclid Avenue.

Though the main entrances are currently blocked, other entrances such as back doors and side doors remain open to all visitors. The project is expected to be completed no later than mid-September.

Anyone wanting to visit the UK Alumni Association, housed in the King Alumni House, can enter through the back door/elevator entrance or a side door located on Euclid Avenue.

"We have signs at the Euclid Avenue entrance directing visitors to our entrance, as well as a sign on the back door confirming the entrance," said Administrative Service Assistant Nancy Culp.

The Stuckert Career Center's main entrance is also closed due to the construction. But the back door to the building is open and visitors are asked to use that entrance.

"The most important thing that we want to communicate to the campus community is that we are still open, and that we apologize for any inconvenience resulting from the construction. We don’t want any students, faculty, staff, alumni or employers to be deterred from visiting us by the construction," said Assistant Dean for Career and Academic Exploration Ray Clere.

Guests visiting UK Opera Theatre's Schmidt Vocal Arts Center are also asked to enter through the back door, which is accessible via Rose Lane.

Finally, patrons attending any shows at the Singletary Center should allow themselves extra time because of the construction.

"While most all of the streets and sidewalks leading to the Singletary Center will be open, we would advise patrons to allow extra time for parking and entry to the building," said Singletary Center Marketing and Ticketing Director Matthew Gibson. "The current performances of UK Opera Theatre’s 'It’s a Grand Night for Singing!' are on track to draw record-setting crowds this year, so please allow extra time to navigate the construction areas. We don’t want anyone to miss a moment of this fantastic show."

To help individuals planning on attending "Grand Night," the UK Bicycle Advisory Committee is paying an officer from UK Police Department to assist patrons crossing from Rose Lane to the Singletary Center for the show.

A bit further up Rose Street it is business as usual for UK College of Fine Arts and the UK Office of Philanthropy. The construction has not affected the Fine Arts Building or the Sturgill Philanthropy Building, where patrons have not experienced any inconveniences due to the construction.

"Guests and staff of the Sturgill Philanthropy Building have not experienced any delays due to the construction now occurring on Rose Street. In fact, we have found the process to be operating quite smoothly," said Director of Philanthropy Communications Marc Whitt.

Rose Street is currently under construction to expand the street, which will accommodate new bicycle lanes. The work on Rose Street is also near the construction that is being done on Avenue of Champions for the new UK Student Center.

Construction on Rose Street, between Euclid Avenue and Rose Lane, is due to current conditions that create safety hazards for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Bicycle lanes on Rose Street abruptly end, forcing cyclists to merge left into vehicular traffic or right onto the existing sidewalk.

"Completing this section will significantly enhance the connectivity and safety of this section of our bicycle facilities network, and we are excited that we were able to partner with LFUCG to start it this summer," said Shane Tedder, UK Sustainability Coordinator and chair of the facilities working group for UK’s Bicycle Advisory Committee. 

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu