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A.G. Gaston Motel to Close for Renovations at Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
The project will recreate the War Room and 1960s-era guest rooms as the historic site is turned into a visitor destination.
The Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument will temporarily close the historic A.G. Gaston Motel on May 9 for an 18-month, $4 million renovation transforming the long-vacant structure into a world-class visitor destination.
Known as the headquarters for "Project C," the Gaston Motel provided a safe haven for civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph D. Abernathy, and Fred L. Shuttlesworth during the segregated South's pivotal struggle for justice.
The National Park Service plans to meticulously recreate the famous "War Room," allowing visitors to stand in the exact space where the movement's most daring strategies were born, while new exhibit spaces detail the site's role for Black travelers.
Co-Owned by the city of Birmingham and federal partners, the project includes installing a new elevator to improve accessibility to second-floor suites, with a temporary visitor center operating during construction.
Vacant since 1996, the site will regain its status as an educational landmark upon project completion, restoring a tangible connection to Birmingham's pivotal role in the civil rights movement for future generations.