SOUTHGATE, Ky. — More than 40 years after a fire tore through the Beverly Hills Supper Club, killing 165 people, the public will be able to discuss plans for a new development on the site of the fire Tuesday night.
In May, plans were announced to build a $65 million residential development on the site of the former restaurant. The 80-acre development, called Memorial Point, would include luxury apartments, single-family homes and an assisted-living center as well as a memorial to 165 people killed in the fire, officials said in a release.
The city of Southgate approved Ashley Builders and Vision Realty Group for the construction of the development.
"We're very excited about it," Southgate Mayor Jim Hamberg said. "I've been on this for 15 years, to get it this far, and it's very very satisfying, almost satisfying, to know we're almost there."
And while the development might look good to people from the outside, one survivor of the fire isn't convinced it's a good idea.
David Brock was there the night the Beverly Hills Supper Club caught fire and he said he will never forget that night.
"We couldn't get the door shut," Brock said. "By the time I was outside, the whole building was up in flames."
Brock said the developers of the site reached out to him in March for his opinion on the construction.
"I told them I didn't think they should build on top of where the people had perished," Brock said.
After speaking with Brock, the developers made some changes to their plan so they wouldn't be building on a particular portion of the site.
The Campbell County and Municipal Planning and Zoning Commission are holding a hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday night to listen to other concerns people might have about the construction. The public can watch the hearing live on Facebook here.
Today the Campbell County & Municipal Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing regarding development of land which includes the former Beverly Hills Supper Club site. You can watch live here: https://t.co/NwaAvtDmSr -- Picture credit: Southgate Mayor @WCPO pic.twitter.com/pRIJ08qepw
— Paola Suro WCPO (@PaolaSNews) July 14, 2020