Design-build partnership in Eastern Kentucky expands river access, reimagines historic site

In Eastern Kentucky, design is doing more than shaping spaces. It is strengthening connections, honoring history and helping communities chart a path forward.   

Over the past year, University of Kentucky College of Design students in Associate Professor Bill Massie’s architecture design-build studio have partnered with nonprofit citizen action group Pathfinders of Perry County and Perry County Department of Outdoor Recreation to bring a series of community-centered projects to life in Hazard, Kentucky and across Perry County.  

“This partnership grew out of conversations that we’d been having for a while about what our community actually needed,” said Desi Jarell, director of waterways and outdoor programs with the Perry County Department of Outdoor Recreation and chair of Pathfinders of Perry County. “River access was a priority, and working with design students gave us the opportunity to turn that need into something tangible.” 

This effort was made possible through the support of integrated design-build leader Gray, including Gray Construction and Gray AES.

The first project in the studio partnership was the creation of a new kayak launch shelter, known as the “Paddler’s Porch,” located at the Perry County Park boat launch. Designed and fabricated by students during a summer studio and installed in October 2025, the structure was designed to provide shade and seating while kayakers wait for the county’s kayak rental shuttle. 

In Spring 2026, the partnership turned toward memory, history and placemaking. Students worked with existing sandstone structures in downtown Hazard: remnants of a once-iconic Works Progress Administration suspension bridge that connected Main Street to the L&N rail yards. Built in 1936 and demolished in 1987, the bridge was a defining feature of the town for generations. 

Rather than reconstructing the past, the new installation “S Bridge Canopy” reinterprets it. The design introduces a series of suspended pipes connected by cables, echoing the original bridge’s form while creating something entirely new. A modest deck will allow visitors to pause, sit and take in the surroundings, while integrated lighting will activate the site after dark. 

With the adjacent walkway serving as a popular river access point, the historic bridge remnants have taken on new life, and the addition of a thoughtfully designed deck will further encourage use, inviting visitors to gather, linger and more fully engage with the riverfront.  

These efforts are part of a larger, ongoing engagement with communities across Eastern Kentucky through Studio Appalachia, a long-term outreach initiative through the UK College of Design aligning local expertise, community leadership and design capacity to address opportunities and challenges in the region. 

Co-led by Jeff Fugate, associate professor of Extension in the UK School of Architecture; Rebekah Radtke, associate professor in the UK School of Interiors; and Baylen Campbell, director of Strategic Partnerships for Invest Appalachia, Studio Appalachia’s work in Hazard extends beyond these individual projects into a sustained partnership with the community, contributing to downtown spaces like The Grand pocket park and facilitating public exhibitions that invite residents into conversations about the region’s future. 

“Through the relationships Rebekah and I have built over the last five years we are able to connect students with opportunities like this with confidence that the community trusts our work, that students will have a meaningful experience, and that the result will be mutually beneficial for all parties,” Fugate said. “Our partners in Hazard are really fantastic.” 

At a time when many Eastern Kentucky communities are navigating the long-term impacts of coal industry decline, projects like this are part of a larger shift toward new economic opportunities. Recreational tourism and outdoor programming are emerging as important revenue streams, helping to attract visitors while improving quality of life for residents, Jarrell said. 

Jarell said this design-build partnership supports both, inviting more people to experience the region’s natural assets while reinforcing ongoing efforts to position outdoor recreation as a sustainable driver of economic growth.  

“This partnership brings real value to our community,” Jarrell said. “These aren’t conceptual projects. Students are helping us build the kind of infrastructure we need to expand outdoor recreation and create new opportunities for Perry County.” 

By drawing more attention to the river as a recreational resource, Jarell also said these projects highlight the state of local waterways and the role the community can play in maintaining them.  

“This serves as a call to action for our community to help clean up the banks and riverbeds to enhance this already beautiful natural asset,” Jarrell said. 

This story originally ran in UKNow here.