Governor Beshear and House Leaders Announce Agreement to Replace Eastern State Hospital

Plan Involves Partnership with Lexington Community and Technical College System and the University of Kentucky

FRANKFORT, KY – Gov. Steve Beshear and House leadership joined today to announce a plan to replace the 184-year-old Eastern State Hospital facility in Lexington.

The plan authorizes the construction of a $129 million facility to be financed by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for the state to construct a new facility on land owned by the University of Kentucky at its Coldstream Research Campus on Newtown Pike.

“The current Eastern State Hospital has far outlived its ability to serve as a mental health care facility,” said Gov. Beshear. “I commend House leadership, in particular Rep. Jimmie Lee and Rep. Harry Moberly, for their determination to make this project a reality. I am pleased that we were able to create an innovative partnership among the state, Lexington, UK and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to develop a plan that will benefit all involved, particularly Kentuckians with mental illness and their families.”

Under the proposal, the state will execute a long-term lease with UK for the Coldstream property. The Finance and Administration Cabinet is authorized to enter into an agreement with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to provide financing for construction of the facility. The Finance Cabinet will also procure the design and construction of the new facility on behalf of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which will lease the property from the city or its public properties corporation.

“It’s a win-win for Lexington, KCTCS, UK and for individuals in this region with mental illness,” said Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry.

According to the proposal, the Finance Cabinet is authorized to transfer the state property on which Eastern State Hospital is currently located, at West Fourth Street in Lexington, to KCTCS when construction of the new hospital is completed.

Bluegrass Community and Technical College could then construct on the former Eastern State location a classroom/lab building, for which the General Assembly appropriated funds in 2005, and vacate its current Cooper Drive location.

“It is critical to move ahead with this project to serve the population in need of mental health services,” said Rep. Moberly (D-Richmond). “I compliment the University of Kentucky, the City of Lexington, KCTCS and the administration for their cooperation.“

“As I visited Eastern State Hospital over the years I always left embarrassed and ashamed as a policymaker that we allowed these conditions to exist,” said Rep. Lee (D-Elizabethtown). “I have never been able to help, and we just kicked the can further down the road. Today we’re going to stop kicking the can.“

The General Assembly will receive updates on the status of the project through the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue every six months until the project is complete.