Downtown hotel has new life with new developer in the mix

ALBANY – Albany’s planned downtown hotel project has recorded two strikes in recent years. So could the third time be the charm?

That’s the hope as the city seeks to find a development partner to transform the former Water Gas & Light and Rosenberg Brothers Department Store/Albany Herald buildings into a central hospitality destination near the riverfront.

On Tuesday, commissioners heard from representatives of a group that is in line to develop a plan for the two historic sites located at 205 and 207 Pine Ave., which was originally built as the Hotel Gordon, and 126 N. Washington St., that have stood vacant for years.

Following a selection process that sent proposals to 57 firms, four potential plans were selected. Two of those proposals were for one each of the buildings and two covered both of the properties.

Coming out ahead in the selection process was Woodmont Lodging.

“We’ve talked about an upscale hotel,” Mayor Bo Dorough said. “Obviously that’s what we want, preferably not like anything in the market.”

During a presentation to commissioners, company officials Elliott Estes and Anthony Phillips gave their assessment of their ideas and a timeline of the process going forward. The commission will vote on the recommendation to engage Woodmont Lodging at its meeting next week.

For the Gordon building on Pine Avenue, the vision is for 30 rooms as well as a restaurant, event space and conference/meeting space. At the North Washington Street location, the plans call for an additional 30 rooms as well as retail space on the first floor.

“We have started working on a timeline, contractors and vendors,” Estes said. “Over the next six months, we should provide you with an extensive plan.”

Part of the process will include financing, including tax credits.

Both Phillips and Estes have some links to Albany. Estes’ mother-in-law was honored by the Sherrod Institute in Albany as an unsung civil rights hero during an October 2024 ceremony. Celestine Hill Hunt was the first black graduate of Georgia College & State University and was among the 11 individuals who were part of New Communities and the Southwest Georgia Project.

“I’m an Albany State University graduate,” Phillips said. “My family is from Albany. My uncle and father actually worked at the Gordon Hotel while they were young men.

“Our goal is to do the feasibility study and do the best job for the city of Albany.”

The commission has had hopes for developing the two properties on two prior occasions. The initial effort failed due to the impact of COVID-19 and the illness of the principal for the project. The second time, with a different developer, the project stalled due to a dearth of financing for hotel projects coming out of the pandemic, according to city officials.

For the previous proposals, the city had offered to provide the buildings and loans as its contribution toward the development.

The city’s participation in a future development project will not be known until Woodmont Lodging completes its assessment and puts a financing plan together, Albany Downtown Manager Lequerica Gaskins said.

Plans are to bring a name brand hotel to operate the two sites, Phillips said.

The city also is looking to partner with Dougherty County and the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau to examine the feasibility of a downtown conference and convention center.