1 Clay County changing downtown Manchester

MANCHESTER — The transformation of downtown Manchester continues to take shape as 1 Clay County moves forward with several major redevelopment projects aimed at breathing new life into the heart of the city.

Work is progressing on the Jockey Street project, while the organization has most recently turned its attention to another familiar downtown landmark — the former Tepper’s Department Store building.

Renovation work has begun on the old Tepper’s property, continuing an effort that has already resulted in significant changes throughout downtown Manchester.

The work is part of a much larger vision spearheaded by Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, who helped launch 1 Clay County as a vehicle to bring community development, tourism, entrepreneurship and new investment to Manchester and Clay County.

“We are changing the narrative,” Stivers has said of the effort.

What began several years ago as conversations about how Manchester could capitalize on its history and location has grown into a broad redevelopment initiative involving millions of dollars in public and private investment.

Stivers has previously described Manchester's revitalization as one of the most exciting examples of an Eastern Kentucky community working together to change its future. He has repeatedly credited cooperation among local government, community organizations, businesses and residents for making the projects possible.

One of the most visible pieces of that transformation is Jockey Street, formerly known as Bridge Street. Plans for the corridor have included a downtown marketplace, local vendors, entertainment and other attractions designed to increase foot traffic and once again make the area a center of activity.

The Jockey Street name also reconnects the area with Manchester's history and its association with horse trading and racing.

1 Clay County Executive Director Mike White has said the goal is not simply to renovate buildings, but to change how residents and visitors view downtown Manchester.

“This project is about celebrating who we are and where we're headed,” White said previously.

White has also said the goal for Jockey Street is to make the area “the bustling, vibrant part of town that it used to be.”

That philosophy has extended beyond Jockey Street. 1 Clay County has acquired and worked to preserve downtown properties while finding new uses for buildings that had either become vacant or fallen into disrepair.

The renovation of the former Tepper’s Department Store building is the latest example.

Rather than allowing another piece of Manchester's commercial history to disappear, the organization is working to return the building to productive use as part of the continuing downtown revitalization.

Other 1 Clay County efforts have included the development of the Clay County Welcome Center, Goose Creek kayak launch and projects promoting outdoor recreation, tourism and economic development.

For Stivers, the individual projects are pieces of a much larger objective — changing the perception of Manchester and creating opportunities that did not previously exist.

White said preserving Manchester's past and developing its future do not have to be competing goals. Historic properties can become assets that attract visitors, encourage investment and create economic opportunities while retaining the character that makes Manchester unique.

With construction continuing on Jockey Street and work now underway at the former Tepper’s building, the physical appearance of downtown Manchester continues to change.

But the larger change may be the narrative Stivers envisioned from the beginning — one that sees Manchester not as a community defined by what it has lost, but by what it can become.