New Plan For Downtown Demolition Site

Fairhope, Alabama thefairhopetimes.blogspot.com

Update: The planning commission decided to table this item until its January meeting to allow time to work out various concerns with the applicant.

New boarding house plan.

301 Fairhope Avenue site.

'FAIRHOPE BOARDING HOUSE'

The city's Planning Commission will consider a new site plan and MOP application for .2 acres in the downtown central business district where the Fairhope Hardware/Peoples Cooperative building was just demolished.

The proposal by owner Sildi, Llc. is for a 26 room boarding house, med spa, and restaurant with a roof top terrace. (There would be one permanent resident manager.)

Walcot Adams and Verneuille is the architect and S. E. Civil the engineer.

An earlier plan last year with a 27 room hotel (below) never gained the city's approval for technical reasons, including lack of required parking.

City planning staff is still recommending denial for this one as well, on similar technical grounds; the planning commission is the final authority in such matters.

Staff recommends denial due to conflict with the required loading zone and gas meter, impact of the scale of the project on the surrounding neighborhood, and concerns with the increase in traffic caused by the intensity of the use.

BOARDING HOUSE VS. HOTEL?

The main difference between a boarding house and hotel is that they are usually for more long-term stays (vs. hotels) and include in-room amenities like cooking, according to various legal references.

Previous hotel plan not approved.

Comments

Anonymous said…

Plain looking building isnt it?

Thursday, November 27, 2025

Looks like another concrete monolith. Architects need to do better.

uninspired

Hampton Inn clone.

Same number of rooms as original (more attractive) design.
City Council loved it. Come on, Sherry, let’m have the dang “hotel.” And their new parking lot on Magnolia.

Looks nice to me. Kind of has a New Orleans look. If the city keeps messing with them I would just put a nice hot dog stand on the property with plenty of parking and then watch the city balk! If it meets the guidelines approve it and move on. This property will be a benefit to the city as long as the hand picked, crunchy Birkenstock planning commission folks stay out of it.

Why don't the city just buy it, make em' an offer they can't refuse then put in another courtyard and name it for sullivan or burrell!

Should have hired Scott Merrill out of Vero Beach as architect.

Looks ok to me.

City should purchase it like the k1 ---- but not just turn around and give it away like they did there!

Friday, November 28, 2025

A hot dog stand would be fantastic. Vienna all beef, of course. Mary Ann poppy seed bun. Mustard, onions, relish, tomato, pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt. Ketchup use should incur $100 fine for anyone over five years old.

I don't think that the property there is for sale. I wish the PC had allowed the much needed boutique hotel.

A flea market would be nice there. Old tools, second hand clothes, and other junk.

Saturday, November 29, 2025

Why don't they just move the hermit hut there. kill 2 bird s with one stone

Sherry Sullivan needs to wake up. She thinks her way to reelection every 4 years is by is by denying downtown building projects that a minority of vocal citizens don’t want because they hate change. Fairhope has doubled its population in 10 years and houses in the downtown area cost $1.5 to $2 million. Things are changing and the city needs to adapt to keep revenue rolling in. Only 25 percent of Fairhope’s population voted last election. Probably the vocal minority. Once the other 75 percent start voting, and they will, Sherry will be replaced unless she adapts. People come to downtown Fairhope to shop and eat at nice restaurants so they don’t have to drive to Mobile. When there’s not enough amenities downtown then people will leave and/or vote Sherry out. Nothing wrong with a mixture of older buildings and new ones, like the one proposed. Approve this and let them have the roof top bar. Everyone I’ve spoken with (the other 75 percent) thinks that would be a great addition to downtown.

Publisher said…

Mayor Sullivan has said repeatedly this will be her last term. She has no vote on the current planning commission.

Pretty sure the planning commission is appointed by Sherry. Not sure how the planning commission can speak for all 22k Fairhopians. Sad that only 6 planning commission people can speak for 22k Fairhooe residents. They should be voted in, not appointed!!!

Nope wrong again. Appointed by city council! Should be, would be ... glad we have state laws to go by. Not just follow the mob on social media.

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New Plan For Downtown Demolition Site

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