Revised Hotel Plans for Historic University of Georgia President’s House Stir Controversy
In a move to address community concerns, Capstone Property Group of Gainesville has presented a revised proposal for developing the historic University of Georgia President’s House. The initial plans for a sprawling 88,000-square-foot hotel in the manor’s backyard faced significant backlash, prompting the developer to reconsider their approach.
Under the new proposal, the hotel’s size has been reduced by around 50%, in addition to incorporating onsite surface parking and detailed preservation plans for the historic mansion and its surrounding structures. Despite these changes, opposition remains strong among local residents.
Bertis Downs, who is part of the community group Keep Athens Local, continues to voice concerns about the project’s scale and its potential impact on the area. Downs, a Cobbham District resident, highlighted traffic concerns, saying, “There’s only one access point on and out, one driveway onto a major thoroughfare like Prince Avenue…you’ve immediately got some congestion issues, some traffic issues, there’s not adequate parking onsite.”
Keep Athens Local advocates for a development that aligns more closely with the neighborhood’s character. Downs expressed that while development seems inevitable, the community would prefer a smaller-scale project that integrates better with the existing environment.
Capstone Property Group emphasizes that the revised hotel plans are a balanced solution, aiming to fund the mansion’s restoration and preservation while accommodating the community’s preferences for a smaller development. They also cite a traffic study concluding that the hotel would not significantly impact congestion on Prince Avenue.
The Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission is set to review the rezoning request for the property on January 8th, a decision eagerly awaited by both the developers and the community.
