ATHENS — The developer proposing a hotel on the site of the University of Georgia’s historic President’s House has returned with a scaled-back plan aimed at easing neighborhood concerns over size, noise and traffic.
Gainesville-based Capstone Property Group submitted a revised proposal to the Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission last week. The hotel’s footprint has been cut from more than 76,000 square feet of new construction to about 38,500 square feet above grade, and the planned room count has been reduced from 116 to 72.
The redesign also would push the new structure deeper into the five-acre site, which the University System of Georgia put up for sale in July 2024 for $5.1 million. The off-campus property’s 169-year-old mansion, considered one of the state’s finest Greek Revival houses, was home to several UGA presidents.
Under the new plan, the hotel would sit more than 90 feet behind the President’s House, lowering its street presence and keeping the iconic residence as the defining visual landmark along Prince Avenue.
“These plans are responsive to reasonable requests from neighbors and community leaders and still allow us to preserve and maintain the historic president’s house and create an exciting new lodging opportunity in Athens,” Jeff Payne, president of Capstone Property Group, said in a statement. “We have reduced the size of the new structure by half and will not be doing underground parking, which will eliminate the need for any extensive excavation.”
More than 100 Athens residents in September attended a planning commission meeting where many — including R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe — opposed the original design.
The planning commission did not vote on the earlier proposal.
“I feel the general sentiment around the question of whether the hotel is an appropriate use for this location seemed to be positively received” by the commission, Kristen Morales, the planning commission’s vice chairperson, said Tuesday. “But there was still some discussion needed.”
The planning commission is expected to review the revised plan in January, though the official agenda has not yet been released.
If approved, the project would move to the Athens-Clarke County Commission for a final vote.
Capstone said construction would begin roughly six months after zoning approval, with an anticipated 18-month buildout.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
