Residents of Mentelle, a neighborhood on the east side of Lexington, Ky., once drove right past National Avenue, a half-mile street hemmed in by railroad tracks and the hum of traffic on U.S. 60.

Now they can leave their cars at home.

In recent years, this city of 309,000 has seen the area surrounding National Avenue undergo a revitalization that has transformed it into the kind of walkable, shoppable district that is not common in a Southern city of this size. Adjacent to downtown, the once rundown area now is a vibrant corridor that is home to a 16,000-square-foot food emporium with a boulangerie, beer hall and brasserie. The area also has a gluten-free juice bar, a yoga studio and barbecue spot.