"Where I 'see blue.'" VIDEO: New K-Lair Honors UK Tradition In Midst of Transformation
Video Produced by UK Public Relations & Marketing. To view captions for this video, push play and click on the CC icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. If using a mobile device, click on the "thought bubble" in the same area.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 22, 2014) — K-Lair is back, and it's quickly becoming many people's favorite place on campus.
As part of the construction of the new Haggin Hall, K-Lair closed its doors in May 2013 after 52 years at its previous location. This fall the campus favorite returned at nearly three times the size, with 6,000 square feet of dining space and 230 total seats.
The new facility offers a new level of variety and style, with bar height, booth and traditional soft and hard seats, along with a nine-TV media wall that can display nine different channels. The facility will also open up to a courtyard with exterior seating, to be completed later this month.
The new design of K-Lair reflects its long legacy and tradition on campus. Ties to the past include rustic reclaimed wood from a tobacco barn located in Winchester, Kentucky, pieces of the floor from Memorial Coliseum and the original K-Lair sign, which has been restored. It incorporates modern aspects as well, with sustainable materials, 14-foot ceilings and a more robust kitchen.
K-Lair's menu also features Kentucky Proud products, part of UK Dining's commitment to support local producers.
The new and improved K-Lair is part of a 15-year, nearly $250 million partnership between UK and Aramark that will result in nearly $70 million in new and renovated facilities for dining services. The partnership is an opportunity to improve service, provide healthier food at lower cost to students, invest millions in facilities and enhance the university's commitment to locally sourced food.
Watch the “Where I see blue” video above to discover why K Lair is Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Monday’s favorite spot on campus.
This video feature is part of a special new series produced by UKNow focusing on locations across campus that are meaningful for UK students, administrators, faculty, staff and alumni. The idea is to show how the physical spaces on campus help foster discovery, community, research, knowledge and success for the UK family. As the university celebrates its 150th anniversary, we want to show readers what our campus is like today by showcasing locations that have stood for decades along with some of our newest spots.
Since the “Where I ‘see blue.’” video series is now a monthly feature on UKNow, we invite you to submit future ideas. If there’s an obscure spot on campus you don’t think many people know about or an area that’s on everyone’s radar but you have a special connection to it, email us. Who knows? We might just choose your suggestion for our next feature!
MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Geegan, (859) 257-5365; sarah.geegan@uky.edu
VIDEO CONTACTS: Amy Jones-Timoney, 859-257-2940, amy.jones2@uky.edu or Kody Kiser, 859-257-5282, kody.kiser@uky.edu