Things going Demopolis’ way leading into 2026

It seems that things are going to go Demopolis’ way in 2026.

First, there’s the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences, a 10-acre complex with construction underway on Cedar Avenue. ASHS will be a residential campus, drawing students from across Alabama. It will also become the fourth free, state-supported residential specialty school under the Alabama Department of Education, joining high-performing programs in fine arts, math/science, and cyber technology/engineering. 

Next, Brasfield & Gorrie, the construction firm building ASHS, picked Demopolis as the field office for the West Alabama Corridor. That will bring about 130 workers to the area, and two buildings are being renovated on Highway 80 to serve as the office for the $1 billion project. 

The growth has already sparked at least one downtown development. The Demopolis City Council voted to work with local investors to convert the Rosenbush Building on North Walnut Avenue into an upscale hotel, and the Historical Commission cleared the project. 

The hotel will include about 22 rooms. The renovation will cost between $4 million and $6 million. The project is scheduled to be completed no later than the end of 2027. 

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The downside of all this good news is that all these folks will need housing, and homes are in short supply in Demopolis. There hasn’t been a new subdivision in decades. A development of small homes on Maria Avenue was denied by the Planning Commission because it wasn’t moving fast enough and because the commission didn’t believe the 800-square-foot houses would meet the city’s need for housing. 

The Demopolis City Council voted not to sell the Old School on Main Street for development into apartments. Early in 2025, Friends of the Old School nonprofit was formed and began taking donations to go toward the renovation of the historic building into a cultural arts center. 

The city agreed to keep ownership of the building, and Friends of the Old School has formed committees to plan the renovations and apply for grants to fund the work. Two grants have already been received to renovate four classrooms in the building to serve as the Marengo County History and Archives Museum. The museum is currently located in the Rosenbush Building.  

Meanwhile, everyone is focused on when Demopolis City Schools will announce its new football coach. Interim Head Football Coach Ricky Woods stepped down after filling in for a year after former coach Lance Tucker resigned in June 2025.