Hilltop Apartment Building Still Stands Vacant
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The Hilltop Arms Apartment building near Five Points in downtown Montgomery was supposed to get a multi-million dollar facelift years ago but that never happened. The building has become an eyesore, so what are the plans for it?
In 2006, it was announced that the Hilltop Arms Apartment building on Montgomery Street would be turned into hundred thousand dollar condos. The high-rise was supposed to receive a two million dollar facelift but when the recession hit, the plans fell through. Residents who live in the Cottage Hill neighborhood, right behind the vacant building, say they’re sick of looking at it.
“I guess they’re trying to move everything this way as far as beautifying the area,” says resident Darryl Smith. “But with such an eyesore right at such a main point, as far as intersections and traffic and people off the interstate, to see this abandoned building, it’s just out of place.”
Thousands of tourists will see the vacant building next year during the Selma to Montgomery March, because it sits on the march route. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange says the city offered to buy the building from its owner for 25 thousand dollars, which is the value of the property, but the offer was refused.
“My understanding is he’s asking something above a million.”
Strange says the city can’t tear it down because it has a private owner and is structurally sound.
“What we’ve encouraged him to do is put is for sale, find partners, but at least clean it up.”
But for many residents in the Cottage Hill neighborhood, cleaning it up isn’t good enough.
“It is an eyesore and I think something needs to be done with it,” says Josephy Trimble. “But it is a commercial piece of property so I think I’m surprised it hasn’t been sold yet to a developer.”
There have been talks to hang banners on the building before the Selma to Montgomery march next year.
