Some of the best views of downtown Macon will soon be for sale. 

The Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority voted Thursday to sell the 11-story high-rise parking deck connected to the Dempsey Apartments at the corner of Cherry and Third streets.

The price was initially expected to be about $480,000, but a comparison of comparable values in the district later set the listing price at $656,000 with restrictive covenants to protect the authority’s vision for residential or office lofts or condominiums.

Built in 1950 to transport automobiles by elevator to the nine floors above, the structure is now obsolete with its 9-foot ceilings. 

The authority plans to draft the covenants and have the proposal ready for a vote at their next meeting in October. 

“It will be a great day when we can take $480,000 and inject it into improvements,” authority chairman Chris Sheridan said. 

The authority purchased the Dempsey Apartments in October of 2018 to bring the property back under local control.

At street level of the Dempsey building, El Sombrero plans to open in the old Acapulco restaurant space on the corner and the authority is hoping to find a retail tenant like a pharmacy to occupy the old Adriana’s restaurant location near the alley.

Grab an ax, a cold brew and a bowl of noodles

Axes will be flying on the upper floor of one of Macon’s newest restaurants.

The Urban Development Authority has a pending loan agreement for a new Ramen Cocktail bar at the corner of Poplar and Second streets. 

“It’s haute cuisine,” authority executive director Alex Morrison explained of the rising popularity of the noodles in urban centers across the country.

On the second floor of that old Willow Tree building, the club will feature another nightlife trend by offering ax throwing. Think of it as dart boards on steroids and you’ll get the concept.

“Get ready for Ramen cocktails and ax throwing,” Sheridan told the authority members. 

The new business, which is still awaiting final review for the loan, will be across from the $90 million planned Central City Commons Project. Bids are currently being discussed for the commons parking decks to support two proposed hotels on the block bordered by Poplar, Second, Plum and First streets and D.T. Walton Way. Construction is expected to begin by early next year, Morrison said.

The Urban Development Authority also is supporting the new brewery and courtyard under construction at 567 Plum St. near the Emerson Ballroom. The brewery project received approval from the Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday.

“We’re very excited about that,” Morrison said. “That’s pushing the development in another direction.”

Information from The Telegraph archives was used in this report. Check back with macon-newsroom.com for updates on these pending projects. To contact Liz Fabian, email [email protected] or phone 478-301-2976.

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