What was the Southern Inn office will soon be a 6,000 square foot retail space according to a site plan presented during the April 20 Manchester Planning Commission meeting.

The hotel, owned by Ambe Partners 2 Inc., had its office burn in July of 2025 and was recently razed after sitting vacant for the intervening months.

According to Engineer Kenny Sadler who presented the site plan, the space will be a retail development and should block much of the visibility of the motel from the road.

“It’ll be a really nice looking building,” he said. “It’ll cover the front of the property for a really good look.”

The site plan was approved with all members voting yes with Members Mitch Umbarger and Paul Thornton absent.

Hills Chapel multifamily dwelling postponed

The Manchester Board of Zoning Appeals, which shares membership with the Planning Commission and meets immediately following that meeting, differed a special exception request for a multifamily residence on Hills Chapel Road.

The request for 1309 Hills Chapel Road, owned by Noah D Melton, Jane Melton and Jeanne Ball will be heard during the May meeting.

Multifamily dwelling is an allowable use in an R-3 residential zone with a section exception.