Loxley Hotel to undergo renovations

LOXLEY, Ala. (WALA) - A Loxley family is taking on a huge project in hopes of bringing a piece of history back to life.  At over 100 years old, the Loxley Hotel has stood dormant for more than three decades. 

Just two blocks off Highway 59, the old Loxley Hotel bears many scars handed out by Father Time.  Built around 1900, the hotel was a big part of town life for decades, hosting luncheons and dances.  It also served as a gathering point for locals who would hang out on its spacious wrap-around porch.  

Gayle LeCoste,88, remembers those days.

“’31, ’32 (1931, 1932) used to sit on the porch while my dad had potatoes and cucumbers for the Cornish She which is now at the fire station position,” LeCoste recalled.

Jim and Valerie Foy of Loxley have a dream of renovating the building to its original condition and the work started Wednesday.  The day started appropriately with a flag raising ceremony and a quick tour of the building followed.

The Alabama Historical Commission recognized the hotel in 2011 as a Historical Landmark.  Thoughts of renovation are exciting to many around town like LeCoste, whose Grandfather stayed there in its heyday. 

“They came south in 1913. Stayed in the hotel here until they could go out and find a land dealer to buy property,” LeCoste said.

The Foys are relying on sponsors and donations along with a lot of hard work to turn what has become an eyesore into something grand again.  It was built across from the train depot and was a stopping-off point for travelers.

“People would come and stop here on their way to Foley and get off and rest or stay,” said Valerie Foy.  “There were a lot of people who came down here like that other gentleman, who stayed here and bought property and then built their houses here.”

The project’s going to take a lot of hard work, but a year from now, the Foys hope it’s all worth it.

“We want to be able to remodel for it to be a museum so others can step back in time to see what history was, to see what it was like to live in that time,” Foy said.

There is already some support from folks like LeCoste.  He donated a picture of his grandfather which will hang in the same hallway he walked ninety nine years ago.

Aside from the museum, plans for the hotel include a bed and breakfast with four of the seven rooms and a gift shop.

The building functioned as a hotel on and off through the late 1950s.