Dougherty County commissioners consider use of 18 acres at former National Guard facility

ALBANY — A possible plan for property near Tift Park deeded to the county by the state became clearer on Monday with a report to the Dougherty County Commission on a private-public partnership to create apartments and recreational facilities.

Central to the concept is the involvement of the Albany-Dougherty Payroll Development Authority, which would be responsible for requesting a development plan for the former Georgia National Guard Armory property.

The site includes 18 acres at the former military building located at 1500 N. Monroe St. and 409 Eighth Ave.

The city of Albany previously expressed interest in placing a new fire station on part of the property, but negotiations have not proved fruitful to this point.

Another possible element in the plan could be using the former armory, which has a gym, as a recreational facility and office space for the Recreation and Parks Department.

But the main use envisioned by the county is for living space and a tennis and pickleball court and clubhouse for that initiative.

“(Our) primary focus was housing, targeting the Phoebe (Putney Memorial Hospital) work force,” Kirby Glaze of Community Development Partners told commissioners during the Monday meeting. “That seems to be the primary use for that housing at this time.

“The process is designed to give the private sector the opportunity to give this expertise to come up with a plan that is desirable for the community.”

Once the PDA accepts a plan, it will present it to the commission. Through that entity, the county can dispose of the property for the joint private-public development, Glaze told commissioners.

“The county can enter into agreements with its authorities in order to dispose of property,” he said. “It comes back to this body. If this body approves that (PDA’s) plan, that goes back to the authority for the execution.”

The area is one that could use a boost, Commissioner Clinton Johnson said.

“We are kind of reimagining that area and hoping for a jolt,” he said.

The county has been searching for a location for the tennis and pickleball courts for several years, with two earlier choices falling through.

The commission’s Recreation Committee envisions 12 tennis and an equal number of pickleball courts, some of which could be housed indoors.

The county has $1.7 million in proceeds from a previous special-purpose local-option sales tax that are earmarked for the tennis facility. The tennis courts would take up about 3.5 acres.

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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