Local & State Headlines

Bridge House ready to open

• A historic Albany structure becomes a part of the new face of the city’s downtown district.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — While local dignitaries lauded him and his family for their contributions to Albany and Dougherty County, Paul Keenan was reminiscing about the early days of the structure known today as The Bridge House.

“I remember working here as a boy, delivering auto parts on my bicycle,” Keenan said Monday after a ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially made The Bridge House, donated to the county by Keenan in 2001, the new Albany Welcome Center and home to the Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This place has a lot of meaning to me; it was a part of my life from the earliest I can remember.”

The Bridge House, renovated utilizing Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax V funds, was returned to its early splendor by Maschke and Associates Architects and Artesian Contracting Co., both of Albany. But the man of the hour during Monday’s ceremony was Keenan.

“None of this could have happened without a very great man and a very great family,” Dougherty County Commission Chair Jeff Sinyard said. “Paul Keenan gave this site to the county because he loves Albany and he loves Dougherty County.

“We have to first thank the folks in the county who voted for the 1 percent sales tax that made this day possible. Our citizens paid for this building, and this (program) today is a special tribute to them. It’s an incredible site looking out over our great (Flint) river ... You can’t get any better than that.”

Albany Mayor Willie Adams and Albany Tomorrow Inc. Chair C.W. Grant also praised Keenan.

“When we start recognizing people on this day, first and foremost we must pay tribute to Mr. Paul Keenan and his family,” Adams said. “They have given us a gateway into our city. As I look around this room at all the people who made this come to fruition, on behalf of the city of Albany I say thank you.”

Added Grant: “There aren’t many men who would give away something like this, it’s simply too valuable. But Mr. Keenan loves Albany, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”

Built in 1857 as a toll house for people crossing the Flint, the building, located at 112 N. Front St., was utilized as Empire Smithing Co. starting in 1915, according to documents on display at the new welcome center. Keenan said his father worked there as a blacksmith until his mother purchased the site with money she had been paid for teaching school.

The Keenans opened Keenan Auto Parts in 1925, and it was there Paul Keenan spent much of his youth.

“I delivered parts on a bicycle as a young boy, and I later delivered parts in a pickup truck,” he said. “Those days make today a meaningful day for me and my family. It’s good to know the family’s story has been worthwhile to the community, and it’s good to know that this successful restoration will preserve this old building for generations yet to come.

“And they did such a beautiful job with it.”

During program comments, Artesian Contracting principal Glenn Singfield noted that the pine floors had been made from beams that were in the old Flint River Textile Mill that was slated to be demolished.

“In that way, the history of Albany continues,” Singfield said. “This is proof that Albany has a lot of treasures that could shine once again with a little polish.”

Albany Area Chamber of Commerce interim President Wendy Martin said the opening of The Bridge House offered visitors a new front door to the community.

“This is an emotional and exciting day for those of us who are passionate about this community,” she said. “Our story just grows and grows.”

Martin said The Bridge House will host the Chamber’s Business After Hours program from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today and then open to the public Wednesday morning.