By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Visitors of Montevallo will now have a new place for lodging in the heart of the city.

A Cobblestone Inn and Suites location will be added to the Montevallo Main Street development in the coming months.

The hotel will be located at 555 Main Street, across from City Hall at the corner of Main Street and Shelby Street.

Steve Gilbert, Montevallo’s city clerk and treasurer, gave more details on when the project is set to get underway.

“We hope to begin construction this spring,” Gilbert said. “They (Cobblestone) are currently finishing up another project in Alabama. We’re next in line, so we hope to break ground in the spring.”

Cobblestone Inn and Suites is a part of the Cobblestone Hotels chain. Cobblestone typically features upper-midscale hotels suited for smaller communities that may not be served by larger hotel chains.

Gilbert believes that the announcement of the new hotel fills a need for Montevallo.

“The city has needed a place for overnight guests for some time,” Gilbert said. “Of course, (the hotel) will affect the city with lodging and sales tax revenue. When folks come to visit the community, (Montevallo) university, the American Village and the national cemetery they will generally shop while they’re here. It definitely will be an economic boost to the community.”

Shelby County Manager of Tourism and Events Kendall Williams echoed that sentiment, saying it would be a big deal with all that is happening in Montevallo.

“Having a new hotel is super exciting for all of the events we host in Montevallo,” she said. “With the university center for the arts, the new mountain bike course and American Village, having a hotel right there in Montevallo will make the visitor experience even better.”

She also added that it would have an impact on the city for the additional revenue it may bring.

“Naturally, when people come and stay at a place, they tend to eat in the restaurants there, buy gas there and shop in the shops that are close by,” she said. “It’s great for Montevallo overall.”

The hotel’s amenities will include hot breakfast, high-speed internet, a swimming pool, a meeting area, a business center and a conference room.

The hotel will be located at the old Victory Autos & Collision Center in Montevallo, which has seen many plans over the years, including a brewery and new city hall at one point.

A hotel, however, will now fill the corner of Main Street and Shelby Street that will be designed to fit the flow of Montevallo’s Main Street area.

For more information on the Cobblestone Inn and Suites development, visit Cobblestonefranchising.com.