Jackson Free Press

Jackson attorney and developer David Watkins touted progress on the renovation of the dilapidated King Edward Hotel June 19, predicting the project will be finished by spring 2009.

"I'm thinking sometime in April," Watkins told a small crowd of reporters at Union Station, which is across the street from the hotel. "Between now and November, we've got teams working on design plans, architecture plans, specific engineering plans—everything needed to convert a building of this magnitude. We're talking to the National Park Service, the Department of Archives and History. … We plan to have the project completed as much as possible by December 2008 in order to benefit from the (federal) GoZone (tax breaks)."

Reporters toured the 12 floors of the freshly cleared, asbestos-purged building. Watkins said work crews carted out 70 30-yard dumpsters of debris that have accumulated in the hotel since it closed in 1969.

"I'm told we filled up a whole landfill," Watkins said, adding that the renovated building will feature a 186-room hotel, along with 64 apartments and a restored parking garage. The final shape and size of the hotel is dependent upon whether or not King Edward investors acquire the neighboring Standard Life Building, which three groups of investors are pursuing.

The entire project will cost between $70 million and $75 million. Watkins said the building's structure was "better than we'd expected."

Mayor Frank Melton was at the announcement, embracing the development after two years of demanding the city subvert Watkins' development plan and "implode" the historic building.

The mayor's determination to destroy the building ran up against stiff opposition on City Council last year. When asked what had prompted his about-face on the development, Melton said: "I think it's called indictments."

"The city has to do everything it can to protect its investments," Melton said. "I have full faith in (Watkins), and I'm very comfortable with him."

Previous Comments

ID

67786

Comment

Mayor Frank Melton was at the announcement, embracing the development after two years of demanding the city subvert Watkins’ development plan and “implode” the historic building. I was tickled by how the mayor tried to take credit for the KEH project's progress. He basically said that all the noise he made sped up the process (think it was on WAPT), but a grant goofup under his administration actually slowed things down.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-21T21:25:00-06:00

ID

67787

Comment

So what's up with Mr. Melton's latest rant? I supose that he just can't stand the idea of his friends in Dallas being left ouut of the project. For someone who publicly announced that he was pleased with the progress of the King Edward as recently as last month, this seems way out of line. WLBT

Author

tombarnes

Date

2007-08-04T18:55:25-06:00

ID

67788

Comment

Oh, for crying out loud.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-08-04T22:11:43-06:00

ID

67789

Comment

Northside Sun has an article about the King Ed this week. He's already delayed Farish Street with his own incompetence... imagine if he got his hands on the King Ed. Thankfully, he can't.

Author

millhouse

Date

2007-08-05T11:13:32-06:00

ID

67790

Comment

millhouse, Melton is THE reason the KEH is over a year behind now! He had his people not send in the needed paperwork to begin the clean-up that was granted under the Johnson administration. Then he began his media stunts intended to stall the project. Heck, he was against it during the election! Yet, all during that time Parkway Properties, connected to Leland Speed - a Melton supporter/adviser/City Consultant, got it's project up and going without any delays or issues with the City. Now why is that? Was the KEH mess Melton started intended to slow the KEH so that Pinnacle Place would be finished first? How about the recent wavier of fees that were granted to Parkway? Has the owners of the KEH already paid their fees? How come they were not listed as one of the properties that would have fees waived in the paper the other day? That Livingston Place project was on there, and it's not even near downtown!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-05T11:35:08-06:00

ID

67791

Comment

I wouldn't be stunned if he was playing footsies with his Dallas Developer buddies.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-08-05T11:45:27-06:00

ID

67792

Comment

For a million, I'd play footsies with him! But, nothing more! I have morals! ;-)

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-05T12:11:41-06:00