For several years the beachfront location of Romar Baptist Church has been shuttered while waiting on its next life. Now a local hotel group has been approved to create a new lodging facility. The City of Orange Beach has approved the location for a 100 room hotel.

A&R Group from Gulf Shores already operates numerous locations along the local beach community and will be adding one more to their portfolio.

The Orange Beach City Council has given the green light to the new hotel project. This decision came after a detailed public hearing held at City Hall. The council voted unanimously to approve the plan for the new AR Hotel. The project will transform a vacant and decaying church into a modern lodging facility.

The approval took place this past Tuesday, at the weekly city council meeting. The site is located at the former Romar Beach Baptist Church property on Perdido Beach Blvd. It sits next door to the Phoenix West II towers, also known as The Oasis. This prime beachfront property is about 1.8 acres.

Developers plan to build a six-story hotel with 100 rooms. The building will reach a height of roughly 82 feet. This is slightly lower than the current structure once the steeple has been removed. The design includes a reconstructed parking deck with rooms built over part of it.

The new rooms will be under 600 square feet each. Because of their size, the city counts them as half units. This allows the total density to stay within city rules. The project totals 50 units per acre, which fits the zoning requirements for the area.

Parking was a major topic of discussion during the meeting. The hotel will offer 129 spaces for its 100 rooms. Most spots will be on-site, but 17 will be located about a mile away. Guests will get one pass per room for the main lot.

Any extra cars must go to the off-site lot. A shuttle will run between the hotel and the overflow parking. This plan required a special approval. Normal rules limit off-site parking to 200 feet away, but this lot is over a mile down the road.

During the public comment period, resident Angel Bennett asked a question on Facebook. She asked, “What if off-site parking is also full?” Officials answered that guests would need to find other legal parking. They warned that “towing is a very strong possibility” for illegal parking.

Officials stressed that the small rooms are meant for couples, not big groups. This should help limit the number of cars. Clear communication with guests about the one-car rule will be key. The council wants to avoid parking issues that often happen during peak season.

Noise control was another concern for the neighborhood. A rooftop bar is planned for the sixth floor. However, the council confirmed it is for guests only. One member stated, “No music venue will be allowed upstairs in that bar.” This rule protects nearby residents from loud noise.

Leaders expressed relief that the old property would be improved. One council member described the empty church as “a mini Bama Bayou” and “an eyesore.” They noted it had attracted problems like vagrancy and drug use. The new hotel is expected to remove these issues.

The mayor explained the city’s approach to the project. He said the council “tried to compromise to a slight degree” to make it work. The goal was to help developers create “a viable building” with strong curb appeal. The project should fit well with the community.

After the hearing, the council moved to a vote. They suspended the rules to approve the ordinance immediately. The measure passed with a "yes" from every member. This action officially amends Ordinance 172 and allows the project to move forward.