Gayfer's building mixed-use renovation

[The Dude]

Mobile school system finally sells the old Gayfers building.

Mobile school system finally sells old Gayfers building

The four-story building that fronts Dauphin Street at Bienville Square was purchased by Island Investments LLC of Orange Beach. Officials have said developers plan to put in offices, condominiums and a ground-level parking garage.

[Southron]

Mobile school system finally sells the old Gayfers building.

[The Dude]

Great to see that the Gayfers building will be renovated, but I'd rather see ground floor retail rather than parking. Maybe the school board will use the money from this sale to begin the renovation of Barton Academy.

[Southron]

Mobile school system finally sells the old Gayfers building.

[Southron]

From Kathy Jumper's column: Interior demolition and asbestos removal is finished at the old Gayfers building. Architects are now working on floor plans, and engineers are being interviewed for the project.

Mobile Press-Register: Kathy Jumper 12/23

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Rendering of the Bienville Square facade:

[Southron]

^ Dauphin St/Bienville Square facade as it stands now:

St. Emanuel St. facade:

Historic photo of St. Emanuel St. facade:

USA archive photo

[nimsjus]

^ Dauphin St/Bienville Square facade as it stands now:

St. Emanuel St. facade:

Historic photo of St. Emanuel St. facade:

USA archive photo

[mobileal1]

I would love it if they would fully restore the St Emanuel entrance exactly to the archived photo. There is so much detailing with those windows and moldings. I can't believe they put concrete/plaster over such beautiful detailing. What good did it do to cover all of that up? It also made the building very dark on the inside afterwards. Does anyone have a shot of what the Bienville Sq entrance looked like? Was it always a big windowless concrete blob, or was it's original facade destroyed later also?

[Southron]

The Feb.-March Downtown Mobile Alliance newsletter included this rendering of the St. Emanuel Street facade. According to the developers, the project will include a rooftop pool and will use green building principles wherever possible.

[Southron]

According to the Press-Register, developers named the renovation project Gayfer Place and plan to build 36 condominium units, along with 15,000 sq ft of commercial space fronting Dauphin Street. Units will range from 600 sq ft studios to 2,100 sq ft penthouses. The three-bedroom, three-bath penthouse units feature floor-to-ceiling windows and two-story high ceilings. Pre-sales should begin in May and prices will start at less than $200,000 and go up to $800,000.

There will be covered parking on the first floor, with at least 50 spaces for residents and commercial tenants and a 24-hour valet service. Residents can drive up to the St. Emanuel St. entrance and a valet will park their car while they walk into the marbled lobby and take an elevator to their unit.

Renovations include adding units on the fourth floor, a lap pool, fitness center and library on a fifth floor. The developers' plans have been approved by the Architectural Review Board.

Gayfers makeover to mix urbanism, historic feel

Better rendering of the St. Emanuel St. facade