Historic Birmingham building to be transformed into an automated hotel

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — One historic Birmingham building is set to get a futuristic face lift. 

Across the street from The Battery center on the city’s South Side, plans are in place to develop the old Eyers-Raden Building into an automated 22-room hotel. The project will be known as The Battery II.

“Our plan is to have a dashboard where we, as the operator, can access each room individually,” Ward Neely, co-owner of The Battery properties said, explaining what the experience should look like. “We’ll be able to change the temperature, unlock doors. All the doors will have a manual lock too so in case of any technological issues, there’s an override.”

Since it’ll be automated, this hotel won’t be for those looking to be waited on. Neely said the hotel should have very few employees, if any.

“When I go to a hotel, I really don’t care about the conversation at the front desk,” Neely said I’m here to see the area and not the hotel.”

That area could be only steps away. A bite to eat, a pint to sip on and even a workout can be found right across the street at Neely’s other property, The Battery I. Options there include Birmingham District Brewing Company, Wasabi Juan’s, True40 and  Gus’s World Famous Hot Chicken,

“We have an award winning brewery across the street, some of the coolest restaurants in town,” Neely said.

Part of The Battery II development will include an oyster and cocktail bar and a coffee shop directly below the hotel.

Ward and Property Partners expect the city to approve their final plan within the next week. The $10-12 million project, Ward said, is expected to wrap up in late 2021.

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