The bulk of demolition is now complete on the City of Macon’s old Central Services building downtown on Riverside Drive.

The demolition begun Thursday afternoon was the culmination of years of work involving multiple neighboring parcels, said Chris Sheridan, chairman of the Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority Board, which owns the site along the Ocmulgee River.

"We've had to go through a number of environmental clearances, we've had to go through a lot of different property owners, but now we have assembled a single large tract of land that is clear in every way for a developer to come in," Sheridan said.

Former Mercer University president Kirby Godsey leads a development group called Renaissance on the River LLC that has an option to buy the site. Plans call for a large mixed-use development, said Alex Morrison, executive director of the Urban Development Authority.

"It's going to speak to the landscape of Macon, have a good historic feel but definitely modern buildings, street-level retail and a tall tower that will have condominiums and a hotel that will be able to overlook the river," Morrison said.

Renaissance on the River has an 18-month option in which to buy the site — the clock started running in January. Morrison is expecting a formal update from the development group in September.

Contributors: Erica O'Neal

Tags: Adam Ragusea, redevelopment, Alex Morrison, riverfront development, Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority, Renaissance on the River