Photo credit: Bob Farley/f8photo

You may have missed it last week, but there’s a good chance that the A.G. Gaston Hotel will be getting a new owner in the coming months, bringing along with him a new life for the local historic landmark property.

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Michael Roberts, Jr., vice president of The Roberts Companies, met with Mayor Bernard Kincaid last week Friday to finalize a memorandum of understanding that may eventually allow him to renovate the hotel built by African-American businessman and pioneer A.G. Gaston.

Reports state that the proposed $40 million project will include an upscale hotel, retail and loft space. The renovated property would be seen by many as an essential component needed to take full advantage of the national landmark district status recently granted the Civil Rights district. The development would be in walking distance of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church and the Carver Theater/Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.