Judge’s bench to serve as check-in counter

Tom Markovich promised a Walhalla audience last night he and his partner will try to salvage what they can from the furnishings in the old Oconee Courthouse and incorporate them for use in their planned 19-room hotel which, as yet, has no name nor has renovation work begun.  But the message last night to the Partners for Progress was stay tuned.  An example of one reclamation project is that the bench from which circuit judges sat perched from the 1950s into the early part of the 21st century will be relocated to serve as the counter on which guests will check-in.  Of the hotel, Markovich says, “It is going to be a small, full-service, independently operated, stylish, inviting, comfortable, service oriented and locally flavored.  We have not determined the name as yet.  We are going to have a hotel management company operate the property and will determine after some discussion with them.”  Parking was an issue that arose during last night’s meeting.  This morning Markovich said, “I did discus parking.  There is sufficient on-street and adjacent parking lots for the hotel and most other daily operations.  We have also had conversations with the Mayor about converting the parallel parking on Main Street (on the hotel side of the block between S. Church and Tugaloo streets) to diagonal to add some additional spaces.  During special events we plan on utilizing valet parking off site.”