New Downtown Hotel/Restaurant Proposed

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Fairhope, Alabama 

 Update: The Board of Adjustments tabled this until its October meeting.

 

New Proposal.

 

301 Fairhope Avenue

OLD FAIRHOPE HARDWARE SITE

During its Monday meeting (5 PM city hall), the city's Board of Adjustments will consider a special use exception for property at 301 Fairhope Avenue-- to allow a three-story, mixed-use building to include a 27-room hotel with a rooftop terrace,  restaurant, and a medical spa on the ground floor.

Current owner of the .2 acre, B-2 zoned property is Sildi Llc. (Fairhope Single Tax land).

Applicant is proposing to use a lot at nearby 306 Magnolia Avenue for required hotel parking -- or to "rent/reserve" necessary  spaces in the city's adjacent parking garage, according to accompanying documents. 

Mack McKinney is the architect.

TOO INTENSE?

City planning staff are recommending the board deny the request because of the overall "intensity of the proposal considering its location and too much of a burden on existing infrastructure" especially downtown parking.

Another option would be to table the request to try to allow time to work out problematic issues.


Parking here?


Location: Fairhope, AL 36532, USA

Comments

Anonymous said…
Does not look so bad. Need more parking though.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
And now they are worried about " too much of a burden on existing infrastructure"? Shouldn't they have worried about that years ago before allowing all the building of subdivisions?
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
Beautiful rendering. This would be an asset to the downtown area that appears to be struggling to fill empty store fronts. It would give the appearance of a more robust shopping district. The existing building has been sitting unoccupied for years now and I can’t wait to see it transformed if there is some way to guarantee that it won’t eat up all of the Fairhope Avenue parking slots.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
Amazing!!! Let’s work on parking issues instead of punishing and denying this project. Fairhope needs this!!
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
It certainly would be a nice improvement to that area! Agree that parking is the biggest issue...but would not want them to "reserve" the parking garage spots...unless the city will put up a new garage on that Magnolia Ave lot.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
It is beautiful but loosing Fairhopes charm. History! Parking is already a major problem. Unless they build their own parking within the hotel, I don't think it will be good.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
Just make all the streets downtown one way and add 100 new angle parking spaces!
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
A least it is not the usual square box fairhope project.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
Fairhope Needs a downtown hotel, the one that’s there is horrible! I agree with all parking issues, do like Seaside did, have a parking lot on the outskirts of town, permit/handicap parking only in town. By in town, corner of Fairhope Ave and Section, 1-2 blocks in all directions.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
Beautiful! Now let’s bulldoze the K 1 school on Church and make more parking.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
That hotel was not at all horrible the one time I stayed there briefly, some years ago. It was sadly lacking in suitable food service, although yes, there were many nearby external food service places.

I do think downtown needs desperately to find some easily usable parking accommodations. If you’re fit, it’s fine; if you’re not, or buy a heavy purchase, it’s not.

And I have no suggestion for dealing with the obnoxious curse of those food and beverage delivery trucks that park mid-street and contribute to major traffic snarls on already congested major downtown streets. Neither, apparently, does anyone else.


Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
Agree the K1 restoration is now no longer feasible either. Been to long. Time to move on on that one too.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
I knew as soon as I saw the creative and innovative design that it would be too much for the fake stucco and prefab buildings that current occupy Fairhope Ave.
Have you ever really looked at them? Other than a few of the really old buildings, there’s really not much to look at architecturally speaking.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
This would be a great addition to our downtown but I agree with others that the parking issues should be resolved before moving forward.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
Simple math. Ignorance + Ignorance = stupidity
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
This would be great for Fairhope! There is a big gap in hotel accommodations between the Grand Hotel and the Hampton Inn. We need some mid-tier options.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
K1 parking lot for sure
Friday, August 16, 2024
Anonymous said…
I agree with my wife and the other post: make Fairhope Avenue one-way Eastbound between Summit and Bancroft, make Magnolia one-way Westbound between Summit and Bancroft. Add diagonal parking and wider sidewalks for outdoor coffee and dining.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
Fairhope is losing its charm. These large modern buildings being built
downtown are taking away from our small downtown charm that draws people here. And whoever said tear down K1 center obviously did not grow up here.
I love my town but please do not allow our growth to change our downtown area. Do we really need a hotel in the middle of downtown? The quaintness
Of our buildings standing now is who we are.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
I fail to see anything beautiful about that drawing, other than the trees out front. It looks like two squares connected by 3 stories of open circles/wasted space. Another cheap corporate abomination called “modern architecture” that is devoid of any soul.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
This proposal is way too much. The old hardware store can be easily repaired and refurbished. The existing brick facade could be kept and porches added on the front and sides would be a big hit for Mardi Gras season. Our town does not have to approve this proposal at this site. It does not fit. Save our downtown history. Take it out to Greeno!
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
I would prefer a plan that preserves the beautiful mural on the side of the building.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
I am so tired of hearing people complain about “parking issues.” This is a city issue, plain and simple. As long as you have FREE parking you will always have a parking issue. City leaders please listen. Convene a meeting of the Mayor and Council and figure out where you can add additional parking spaces to help new businesses who want to invest in downtown. Look at current city owned property like the K-1 Center; the lot next to the city playground, etc. Build another 2 story parking garage at the K-1 center and then start charging hourly fees from 7-5 daily to park downtown. This is a problem the Mayor and City Council need to address. Let's see if they can.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
What beautiful mural? That thing is ugly!
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
The Barbarians are at the gates & Fairhope keeps expanding the walls
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
Keep Fairhope, Fairhope! I have heard this since we moved here. It seems to be a way to stop innovation and growth. To me Fairhope is a mindset not a building or groups of buildings. The current downtown area is old store front masonry buildings. It seems any new ideas are met with resistance. Solve the parking issues, both downtown and other areas the public has access to, then see what ideas present themselves for consideration. The parking issue is up to the city leaders and until they act to solve the parking problems both downtown and the other areas in need of additional parking the controlled growth and innovation that is desired will not come about.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
Beautiful rendering. Fairhope needs this and would be great for downtown businesses and restaurants especially in this economy. Valet parking proposal at 306 Magnolia seems reasonable especially if developer could maybe give a few public spots to the city
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
Looks great. Needed and asset to Fairhope
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
It's my understanding the building is too far gone to be salvaged. I've been told you can push in on the outside wall and it literally gives. I do wished the front façade could be saved, but I think at this stage it would be a disaster.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
Parking fees are offensive and regressive taxes. Prices are high, sales tax is high, and shoppers should pay more for the privilege of supporting local businesses? I can think of few thing more ugly and blue city urban than parking fees.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
Bring it. It looks great!
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
Maybe not so modernistic. Look at Fairhope & Church where the old theater was. Made it fit in with the rest of Fairhope. I know that no one likes to see these old buildings go, but at least keep it more of a "Fairhope" look.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Anonymous said…
We all love Fairhope but our Utopia is not a static thing. It's a vibrant community founded by seekers of a better life. Do we want to see downtown die on the vine like countless other small Southern towns have? Or do we hope that local citizens and taxpayers (such as the owners of this LLC) will once again plan and invest in US?! Who would in their right minds turn a dilapidated civil war convalescent hospital into a resort hotel with a marina, spa, and golf courses in the nowhere swamps of Point Clear? Apparently visionaries who believe in their community do - and look how that turned out. This project should be given unanimous approval by any civic leader that honors Fairhope's past by giving it a future!
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Anonymous said…
Aesthetically hideous and out of scale with downtown. It looks like a cheap arcade front one might find in Gatlinburg. It would replace an iconic building with much more historical and architectural promise. The fact the building has sat vacant is on the group of owners who have produced only this lack of vision proposal that Fairhope should deny.
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Anonymous said…
The old hardware store is aesthetically hideous, and the whole corner has been blighted for years. This project does represent "vision," which is not so easily reconciled with the emotional tug of "historical promise." Build it.
Monday, August 19, 2024
Anonymous said…
Great suggestion!!
Monday, August 19, 2024
Anonymous said…
Don’t rest on your laurel’s City Council and Mayor. There’s a lot of newcomers moving into Fairhope who will eventually outnumber the “Old Fairhopians” who despise any change. These newcomers may just vote the Mayor and City Council out.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Uncle Rico said…
Kip, set the time machine to 1982. I'll get Coach to put me in, we'll win the state championship, and nothing will ever change in Fairhope. Ever.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
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