HELEN, Ga.- The Helen Commissioners heard and took action, for a hotel that JT Gangwall is proposing for 8770 North Main Street.

The commissioners also voted to award a contract for the Lift Station project during the meeting. Mayor Fred Garmon presented Finance Officer Mona Wood with an award.

Gangwall has already been approved to have a hotel on the location by the PBR board, he has spent the last year designing the hotel. He took his plans for the hotel to the PBR board which was short three members and got the initial plans approved with a 4-0 vote and it got sent to the commission for their approval.

TJ Gangwell and Caroll Powell while presenting to the commission.

Gangwall and Carol Powell General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express made the same presentation to the commissioners that the PBR board members that were present saw. The hotel will be five stories going with the flow of the hill and have 90 rooms all of which will be suits.

The hotel will have one way in and one way out so the DOT has not made a requirement for there to be a turning lane off of Main street. On the first floor, there will be a tavern that is open to the public. The first floor will also have the lobby and an indoor pool and only guests of the hotel will have access to these.

The floor height for the hotel.

They are also planning a 3,000 sqft conference room. They have a pull-off lane for the deliveries right off the laundry room and another by the conference room. There is enough room for an 18-wheeler or bus to pull in without blocking traffic in the opposite lane.

Gangwall and Powell answered both commissioner questions and public questions at the meeting. The number of jobs that could be introduced with the hotel is anywhere from 40 to 70 including a food and beverage director for the tavern.

Heard in the clip above is Powell inviting anyone with questions or concerns to come to talk to her at her office. The hotel will also have 106 parking spots and not put any extra stress on the water and wastewater systems. 

For more information on the PBR meeting on this subject visit https://cityofhelen.org/index.php/government/city-departments/building-permits/pdrb-meeting-agendas-minutes/2022. The commissioners voted to approve the current plan, now the next step is for Gangwall to finish the architectural rendering before going back to the PBR board for reviewal.

The next item the commissioners took action on was to award the contract for the lift station project. They originally budgeted $1,450,000 for the project and when the bids went out in Aug. they received two bids.

The lower one was with Square Deal for $1,141,053. The company is out of Sautee and has done work with the city in the past. The other bid was for $1,987,000.

The company that was awarded the contract was Square Deal. This project will not interfere with the cleaning of the wastewater ponds as they will be working on them at different times.

Fred Garmon and Mona Wood while he was presenting her with the award.

Garmon presented Wood with an award for completing all the necessary requirements for a financial officer. He also thanked her for all her hard work during the software changeover.