City's First Hospital/Barbershop Coming Down

Fairhope, Alabama 

 

412 Fairhope Avenue


Rear view.


Proposed new building.


DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT SITE #70

The planning commission approved the site plan for a three story, multi-use building at 412 Fairhope Avenue between Bancroft and Section Street where the city's first hospital was once located on the upper floor and Reese Wainwright operated the first "African American" barbershop below, according to local historians.

Constructed in 1903 by Wainwright, the Clay City tile building has too many problems to save, according to commissioner Rebecca Bryant whose architecture firm was consulted about it by the former owner. 

Current owner is 412 Fairhope Llc. (Brian P. Britt and Gardner Malouf) according to online records.

Commercial space will occupy the new first floor (B-2) and residential units on the second and third; parking for two cars in the rear. A condition of approval was that the proposed balcony out front would not interfere with the existing street tree. 

WAV is this project's architect.

The city council will have to approve this site plan too, at a future meeting.



Historic certification.

New design.


Comments

Anonymous said…
Can't wait to hear all the comments on how it should be saved. Yes, I'm all for preserving history, but sometimes time and age are not always on our side. I do like the new rendition, but thinking three stories might be a little bit of a stretch.