City may come to Windor's aid

Michael J. Ross
The Americus Times-Recorder

AMERICUS August 18, 2006 03:48 am

— The Windsor Hotel may borrow money from the City of Americus’ revolving loan fund to renovate the hotel’s fourth and fifth floors.
Angela Davis, community and economic director, said at the Americus City Council meeting Thursday that the owner of the Windsor, Sharad Patel, had approached her about receiving assistance from the city.
According to Davis, Patel told her it would cost at least $500,000 to convert the fourth floor into office space and the fifth floor into condominiums. Davis said at the meeting Thursday that a loan from the city’s fund could be no more than $250,000, so Patel would probably have to seek the rest of the money from a bank.
Patel told her that the top floor of the Windsor is deteriorating rapidly, and that will eventually have a negative effect on the lower floors, Davis said.
In other business, an O’Reilly Auto Parts is being built near Burger King on East Lamar Street, Davis told the mayor and council.
The sign company that will make the Ruby Tuesday sign has been conferring with her office, Davis said. Over the last few months, city officials have said the Ruby Tuesday is supposed to be built at the old Dairy Queen site on Lonnie Lane.
Davis also said investors have been speaking with her about buying the Bel-Air Shopping Plaza. The investors would like to demolish most of the plaza, beginning with the north end, and then remodel, she said.
The council considered at the meeting Thursday to charge $3,000 to be buried in the mausoleum of Sunset Memorial Gardens. That price would go up to $6,000 for someone didn’t live in the city limits. Davis said only 17 spaces are left in the mausoleum.
Chief Allen Erkhart of Americus Fire and Emergency Services asked the council to consider purchasing weightlifting equipment at a cost of approximately $5,500 for two fire stations. Erkhart said firefighters are required to work out and the equipment would be available to all city employees.
James Green, Americus Police Chief, asked the Council to transfer a Chevrolet Suburban with over 200,000 miles on it to the local Red Cross. The Red Cross would give police officers free CPR and first aid classes in exchange for the SUV, said Green.