Agora Partners, a national real estate consulting, investment, and development firm specializing in placemaking to create value in urban environments, is proud to announce the opening of Gatton Park on the Town Branch, a transformative 12-acre green space in downtown Lexington that has converted the asphalt parking lot behind Rupp Arena into a vibrant public park. Primarily funded through private donations, Gatton Park represents nearly a decade of community visioning, design, and philanthropy brought to life. Agora Partners worked with Town Branch Park, Inc. since 2019, advising on programming, design, and development while shaping the park’s long-term operational strategy. Agora developed programming and activation plans for the park before working with the Foundation to select a design team. The firm also developed detailed business, staffing, and revenue plans to ensure the park’s sustainability, and continues to advise on programming and management. “Gatton Park is a model of how civic leadership, philanthropy, and community engagement can come together to create a transformative public space,” said Ben Donsky, Principal of Agora Partners. “This project will reshape the economic development possibilities in downtown Lexington, create stronger emotional bonds between downtown and Lexingtonians, and provide generations of residents and visitors with a beautiful and vibrant place to gather, play, and connect.” Gatton Park features a custom-designed ADA-accessible playground and water play area inspired by local history and ecology. The park features natural materials, public art, a destination dog park with separate areas for small and large breeds, a world-class performance stage, and an expansive great lawn that can accommodate up to 5,000 guests for concerts. The project also restored the Town Branch stream–the waterway where the city was founded–that runs through the park, surrounded by native plantings and trees that provide natural refuge in the heart of downtown. Envisioned as Lexington’s new town square, Gatton Park is designed to serve as a cultural and recreational hub, offering residents and visitors a place to gather, celebrate, and connect with nature and each other. With its operations fully supported by private philanthropy, the park is positioned to thrive as a community asset for generations to come. For more information, visit www.gattonpark.org