It was a standing room only crowd two weeks ago as the Thomasville Payroll Development Authority met to hear the plans from Southern Lodging for the former Roses property.

To say the process has met with great discernment from a significant segment is an understatement. But after last week’s meeting, the nearly 60 people in attendance to take a look at the draft design appeared to leave satisfied with what they heard and saw.

The Southern Lodging group brought in a wide array of people, including tapping into the city’s planning department’s expertise, along with that of representatives of Thomasville Landmarks and other entities.

The Courtyard by Marriott will go on a piece of land that is adjacent to two historic districts and is within walking distance of many of Broad Street’s businesses.

The firm awarded the right to build on the Roses property promised to bring in outside experts to help come up with the design. They did just that and the ad hoc committee met three times and helped shape the design that met with approval, if at the least tacit, from the public.

“It’s really been a back and forth process,” Thomasville city planner Kenny Thompson said at the Feb.15 meeting

Thompson said he sat down with architect Clarence Vinson, of PFVS Architects in Atlanta, and the comments were incorporated into the design.

The PDA has approved the design plans and will hire an architect to oversee the project, which will include an outparcel for development and greenspace. 

“They addressed every single thing, and fast. I feel very comfortable this is going to be the asset we hoped it would be,” Bonnie Hayes, Thomasville tourism director, said at the PDA design draft unveiling.

“It’s a radical departure from where we started,” added Michelle Arwood, who was also on the design committee. “I think we’re pretty pleased. We have full consensus on it. I don’t think there was any piece we really didn’t cover.”

Jeremy Emmett of Southern Lodging said they let the plans evolve naturally. “I feel like it wouldn’t have happened this way if it wasn’t for the committee and the group and the planning department and Clarence being able to hear that. I was glad to see it go this way. I think it needed to.”

PDA Chairman Stephen Cheney pointed out that they wanted to do it the right way “from day one” and get input from interested parties. 

Southern Lodging was asked to listen and the firm apparently has done just that. There is still a lot of work to be done. But the project has gotten out of the starting blocks in a spirit of collaboration. We hope that effort of teamwork continues throughout the process and that the end result is something the community — and our visitors — will enjoy and be worthy of civic pride.