Search

A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID

Search
Home
Coronavirus
Community
Sports
Campus
Lifestyle
Opinion
Blogs
Video
Photo
Audio
About Us
Classifieds
Advertise

Auburn's News Source

The Auburn Plainsman

Sunday, June 26, 2022 Print Edition

Send a News Tip
Donate
  • Plainsman's Choice
  • Community
  • Campus
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion
  • Video
  • Photo
  • About Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Community
  • Campus
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion
  • Video
  • Photo
  • Audio
  • Blogs
  • About Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise

3/22/2018, 1:15pm

Massive proposed downtown development could bring Southern Living hotel to Auburn

The project and its Southern Living partnered hotel would house The Plains Bar and Grill, The Plains Bakery, a spa and wellness center and 120 rooms

By Kailey Beth Smith | Community Reporter

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Mail
  • Print

A proposed downtown development project could one day replace Quixotes and the Baptist Student Union, changing the face of North College Street and bringing a Southern Living boutique hotel to Auburn.

The project and its Southern Living partnered hotel would add The Plains Bar and Grill, The Plains Bakery, a spa and wellness center and 120 rooms within four stories to the downtown strip where Quixotes, University Inn and Regions Bank currently stand.

The bottom floor of portions of the development would be reserved for commercial retail space and an urban grocery store, and it would encircle a separate planned Wright Street parking deck being pushed by the city.

Several condos would also be included in the same development.

Architects from GMC Architects and representatives from Lifestyle + Hotel Group, a partner of Time Inc., presented the plan at the Auburn City Council's committee of the whole meeting Tuesday night.

Bill Shoaf, the CEO and president of Lifestyle + Hotel Group, led the discussion as he flipped through slides that displayed the renderings of a new 93,000 square-foot, four-story hotel.

Ward 2 Councilman Ron Anders asked the developers what led them to choose Auburn as their preferred location for the project.


Sign up for our newsletter

Get The Plainsman straight to your inbox.


“Southern Living has a pretty strong love affair with Auburn,” Shoaf told the councilman.


Continue reading below...



Southern Living recently named an Auburn restaurant, Acre, the best restaurant in Alabama, as well as one of the 10 best restaurants in the South in 2018. The nationwide Southern culture magazine has also named Auburn one of the best cities in the South in recent years.

Shoaf said that the location was compelling and that it was an easy decision to make. The group also has other Southern Living hotel proposals in Birmingham and Oxford, Mississippi.

“We realize the character and the history of the town,” Shoaf said. “And we will work hand in hand to deliver something that we can all be proud of.”

The project itself would remain in development stages throughout 2018, but the company said it would look to put shovels in the dirt as early as January 2019, with construction expected to be completed in July of 2020.

Some council members and residents in attendance were excited about the growth and attraction that the development could bring to Auburn, while others seemed more hesitant.

The overall height of the building would be 75 feet, which allows for rooftop features, including a pool and bar. Currently, the maximum height for a building in the College Edge Overlay District, which includes much of Auburn's traditional downtown, is 65 feet.

A proposal to change that height restriction was on the council's agenda Tuesday, but the body delayed consideration of that change until April after negative feedback from some city residents.

Share

Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.

Support The Plainsman

Kailey Beth Smith | Community Reporter



Related Stories

After the primary election in May, the Republican primary winner for the District 27 senate race could be decided by a coin toss. 

Republican primary winner for state Senate to be decided by lot

By Destini Ambus | Editor-in-Chief

PERIOD members run in the Period Proud 5k. 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Period poverty demographics and accessibility

By Maris Laney, Landry Tharp and Maddie Gutkowski | Auburn Students

While locations on-campus do sell menstrual hygiene products, those who started the petition said these products need to be offered for free to help alleviate period poverty on college campuses. 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Bring menstrual equity to Alabama

By Reagan Moss | Auburn Student and Landry Tharp


Share and discuss “Massive proposed downtown development could bring Southern Living hotel to Auburn” on social media.

 facebook  twitter

Editor's Picks


6/26/2022, 3:05pm

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Alabama student activists to hold rally against new prisons

By Taylor Gusler | Auburn student

6/23/2022, 9:45pm

More history made for Auburn hoops as Timberwolves snag Kessler in NBA Draft


6/23/2022, 7:42pm

Jabari Smith selected third overall by the Houston Rockets


6/20/2022, 6:53pm

Auburn stays alive in College World Series behind Foster's big swing


Virtual Print Edition


Plainsman Podcasts

The Auburn Plainsman To Homepage
  • About
  • Contact
  • Corrections
  • Archives
  • Advertise
  • Letters

All Rights Reserved

© Copyright 2022 The Auburn Plainsman

Powered by Solutions by The State News.