Developers in Lexington, Ky., are scaling back their plans to build a hotel and mixed-use project downtown (rendering above) that has drawn criticism from historic preservationists, much the same as happened here in Nashville earlier this year. The proposed changes include “moving the tower away from the street so the façade along Main Street is similar in height to nearby buildings” and “attempting to preserve the façade of the Rosenberg jewelry store.”

Controversy has surrounded the proposed $250 million CentrePointe hotel, condominium and retail project from the day in March when it was unveiled by developer Dudley Webb and his partners. Citizens have expressed concerns about the size, scale and scope of the project. It also has met resistance from those who want to preserve the 14 historic buildings that would be razed to make way for CentrePointe.

The project, as it was initially proposed, called for a 40-story hotel with 243 rooms and 77 residential condominiums with 26,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor on the block bounded by West Main, West Vine, South Limestone and South Upper. Since then, Webb has agreed to scale back the hotel by five stories.

But it remains to be seen whether the changes will satisfy city leaders and gain the several levels of government approval for plans to proceed. Vice Mayor Jim Gray said he did not know that CentrePointe’s developers had submitted additional information this week, and that was part of the problem.

“Once again they’ve presented this and unwrapped it without any community input even after there’s been a clear demonstration in this community of how troublesome this proposal is in so many respects — in its scale, in its displacement of the historic fabric, in its displacement of the farmers market, in its displacement of the entertainment and dining establishments,” Gray said.

The Lexington project sounds more invasive and intrusive to me than Nashville’s proposed Westin, but it’s interesting to see such a similar plight taking place a few hours north.

Why does the “21st century library” look like it was designed in 1982? That’s a good question for library expert Stephen Abram (above), who will present remarks about the future of libraries next Thursday (June 5) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Main Library downtown.

Despite what looks like a photo from the Atari era, Abram is renowned for his knowledge of library technology and trend forecasting. He spoke at the 2008 O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing conference (presentation slides) and created a vivid Map of Online Communities (below) charting social networking and other Web 2.0 sites on the Internet. Like the rest of us, he’s also a blogger.

Abram’s YouTube confession about his passion for libraries growing up means he probably wasn’t the cool kid on his block, but that’s pretty irrelevant these days. If you’re curious about what is relevant when it comes to libraries in the information age, check out this free event next week.

Note: If you know what’s good for you — and you aren’t the parent of a teenage child — steer clear of the Main Library from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. tonight (May 29), when the library hosts an “extreme” summer reading kickoff party. Unlike any effort to encourage summer reading I can recall from my own childhood, this one will feature “a DJ, food, door prizes and of course, a dance contest.” Of course. You’ve been warned.

For anyone out there compiling a list of things that former Mayor Bill Purcell did not have to worry about (that Mayor Karl Dean now does), here’s one for the stack. A local twitterer says Dean broke out a dead fish of a handshake recently:

Just got back from PRSA meeting where the guest speaker was the mayor. Must say he did not have a very firm handshake. 

Thank goodness this news didn’t break on the campaign trail last year.

I love Southwest Airlines. Here’s another reason why:

“We want to assure you that Southwest Airlines still allows you to check up to two free bags when you travel with us, and has no plans to change that,” the company said in a statement.

That’s nice work taking advantage of erroneous (and subsequently corrected) reporting in the New York Times. Here’s more:

“We’re doing everything we can do to boost revenue, but it’s not our goal to nickel and dime our customers,” said a Southwest spokeswoman, Christi Day.

That isn’t a bad way to take a potshot at your competition.

I’d say that the majority of local residents only began realizing that a booming Kurdish community was emerging in their midst within the past decade. Would you believe that the first wave of Kurdish immigrants first arrived in Nashville in 1976 (when I was a mere three years old)? Would you also believe that Nashville is home to the largest Kurdish population in North America?

I’m looking forward to seeing the new Nashville Public Television documentary series set to debut tonight (8 p.m., Comcast channel 8), and I think program writer, director and producer Will Pedigo is on to something about Nashville in the years to come:

“As our new neighbors rebuild their lives in Nashville,” says Pedigo, “their experiences, contributions and conflicts impact the city. They are also challenged by isolation and barriers unknown to many Nashvillians. How Nashville addresses its changing demographic will be important for the future of similar communities across the country.”

I’m curious to see how our city continues to evolve in the wake of the arrival of significant populations of people who were not born in the U.S. I hope, in the end, that this influx will make Nashville a more cosmopolitan and more vibrant community.

The Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC) was set to benefit from proceeds from an advance screening of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull last Wednesday, until Paramount Pictures changed the schedule for early viewing at the last minute.

I hope the event, rescheduled for tonight (May 28) at 7 p.m., will still draw a full house at $10 per ticket. You can bet that it would have been a sell out this time last week, when rabid fans would have jumped at the chance to see the film early. If you’re up for heading to the cinema for a good cause, tickets for tonight’s show go on sale at 6 p.m. at Thoroughbred 20 in Cool Springs.

Founded in 1970, TEC’s mission is to educate and advocate for conservation and improvement of Tennessee’s environment, communities and public health. Here’s more information about the organization.

I found it interesting to learn that renowned author Stephen Covey included a quote from former Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Pedro Garcia in his most recent book, Speed of Trust:

Covey has written a superior book on the importance of trust. Our principals will greatly benefit from reading this book. It will help them as they create trust with the teachers and the teachers in turn with their students. This book is a must read.

I greatly admire Covey, and I imagine he included the quote from Garcia because they have developed a relationship over the years. I’m sure Garcia is right that principals or most anyone else would benefit from reading the book. I found it interesting, though, to read a high-profile quote about trust from Garcia, who appeared to engender very little trust from principals, teachers and school board members as his tenure here in Nashville neared its end.

I’m still excited to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull this weekend, but it won’t be quite the same for me without the Belle Meade Theatre (above).

As a teenager in the 80s in Nashville, Belle Meade was the theater of choice for summer blockbuster viewing. I have fond memories of standing in long lines outside the theater to see The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Top Gun, Ghostbusters and many more. (I also can see myself holding a ticket with a $2.50 admission price in my mind’s eye, but that’s a story for another post.) Another local blogger has similarly fond memories of Belle Meade moviegoing (and I’m sure even cheaper ticket prices) as a youngster in the 40s.

What made the Belle Meade special? In addition to its legacy as a celebrity destination, the theater was enormous. Its screen projected movies in 70mm, double the typical 35mm size. I don’t know the exact dimensions of the screen, but as an adolescent, it seemed like I was practically inside a movie when sitting in the theater. The Belle Meade had a large balcony section, and sitting in the front row there (as I proudly did for Temple of Doom in 1984) was a prime position.

Though I wish the theater had never stopped showcasing films, I’m pleased that its beautiful and unique sign and marquee have been preserved through two overhauls of the property (though the theater building itself has become a casualty of the forthcoming Belle Meade Town Center). If you are curious to learn more about the history of this esteemed Nashville landmark, the Town Center Web site has several scanned news clips from the early 90s, including this Nashville Banner item announcing the theater’s closing. (The Banner, of course, would cease operations itself only seven Januaries later.)

The last movie I recall seeing at the Belle Meade Theatre was The Hunt for Red October in March 1990. I saw it there more than once, and at least once made out with my girlfriend during the show (during a subsequent viewing, I’m sure…). Little did I know upon exiting the theater that that would be the last time I watched a film in that beloved theater. I still love summer blockbusters (well, most of them), but I’ll always miss the Belle Meade.

Note: I’m proud to confess that I still remember seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark, too, but at the Belcourt Cinema when that beloved venue still showed first-run movies.

It’s easy to overlook how fast news and information travel in the era of the Internet. Someone has already updated Steven Curtis Chapman’s Wikipedia page to reference the death of his daughter.

The Nashville International Airport ranked sixth in a recent customer satisfaction survey. I travel fairly frequently and am well acquainted with the airport. I’m generally pleased with my experiences there, especially now that the dining and shopping amenities have been considerably improved.

Blogger Andy Abramson, hanging out this morning while waiting for a flight back to San Diego, is digging the airport’s WiFi connection:

My logon using either my Asus eee PC 900 or the Mac Book Air was flawless and fast. I was able to use all my apps without any issues, including IMAP, something the hotel wireless at the Cool Springs Marriott seemed to not permit last night.

Oh, and my speeds? 3 Megs in each direction, and while not the blazing speeds I’m now seeing in San Diego, more than enough for fast file transfers, downloads and email.

I just wish WiFi at the airport were free, as it is in the Jacksonville airport.

A blog has been created this morning in memory of Maria Chapman, daughter of recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Maria died yesterday after being accidentally struck by a vehicle in the Chapmans’ driveway.

Your prayers are needed for all in the Chapman family. This is a family who has so generously loved and given to so many. Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman’s completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. These words are unthinkable to type. - Jim Houser (Manager)

What a heartbreaking story. Thanks to Eugene Cho for raising awareness of the tribute blog.

The accidental death of Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter yesterday is a terrible tragedy. I can only imagine how the family must feel today, and my heart goes out to all of them. I’m especially sad for the older sibling who was behind the wheel. We all make mistakes, and we are fortunate that so few of them have such enormous consequences. I hope this young man will have lots of support from family and friends and will be able to forgive himself for what has happened.

Many years ago, I worked for the record company that produces Chapman’s albums. I don’t consider myself an ardent fan of Christian music, though there are a few artists in the genre whose music I enjoy. Without exception, I have always heard that Chapman is a kind, sincere and dedicated person. I hate to see this kind of awful thing happen to anyone, and especially to someone who has done so much for so many.