A BoutiquE Hotel on Oretha Castle Haley BoulevarD

1. What is AfroLuxe? AfroLuxe is a proposed 40-room boutique hotel planned for Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. It would be built using several connected properties, including buildings that are part of the Ashé Cultural Arts Center campus.

2. Why is Ashé doing this? Ashé has been a cultural anchor on the Boulevard for over 20 years. This project is a chance to bring new investment and visitors to the corridor while staying true to the culture and history that make it special.

3. Where exactly will the hotel be located? The hotel would use four connected properties: the Ashé building, the Powerhouse Theater and Gallery, the AfroLuxe building (currently a short-term rental and office), and the Adinkra Lounge (currently a bar and event space), plus two vacant lots in between.

4. Will the Adinkra Lounge and the AfroLuxe building be torn down? That decision hasn’t been made yet. Community input, including what people say at our engagement events, will help guide whether these buildings are kept, renovated, or replaced. Nothing has been decided.

5. Is this hotel definitely happening? Not yet. The project is still in an early planning stage. Feasibility studies, financing, and community input are all still underway before any final decisions are made.

6. How is this hotel being paid for? Like many community development projects, AfroLuxe would likely need a mix of financing sources, including grants and tax credit programs. That financing picture is still being worked out.

You can support the development of this hotel by contributing to the capital campaign. <<<Learn More>>>

7. Will Ashé Cultural Arts Center still exist? Yes. Ashé’s main building and programming are not going anywhere — they’re the anchor of this project, not something being replaced.

8. Will local businesses and residents be pushed out? That is exactly the kind of concern this engagement process is designed to surface and address directly. Community input on this topic will directly shape how the project moves forward.

9. Who is The Dottin-Haley Group, and why are they involved? The Dottin-Haley Group is a local boutique consulting firm, co-founded by Blair Dottin-Haley, grandson of Oretha Castle Haley, who has extensive experience in community engagement and educational programs. The team has been hired by Ashé to lead the community engagement process — collecting input, running events, and making sure community voices are heard before design decisions are made.

10. How can I share my opinion about this project? You can fill out our online survey, visit us at community engagement events, or fill out a comment card at Ashé or the Powerhouse Theater.

11. Will there be jobs for local residents? Local hiring and community benefit are among the priorities being explored as part of this project. No specific job commitments have been finalized yet.

Working at AfroLuxe means being part of something bigger than a job — it's a chance to help build a project rooted in this community's history and future. As part of Ashé's larger Community Power Building Fund, we're exploring ways for team members to have a real stake in the hotel's success, potentially including an employee ownership or investment program. That work is still in its early stages — we're carefully evaluating what's financially and legally possible so that whatever we offer is meaningful and sustainable, not just a promise. Nothing is confirmed yet, but our intention is for the people who help build and run this hotel to also share in what it becomes.

12. What will happen to Open Mic Nights and events at Adinkrah? Community members have told us these events matter, and that input is part of what’s shaping decisions about the space. Whatever happens with the building, preserving community gathering and performance space is part of the conversation.

13. When will the hotel be built? There is no confirmed construction timeline yet. This is a multi-year process, and community engagement is one of the first steps.

14. Who is making the final decisions? Ashé’s leadership and board will make final decisions, guided by feasibility findings, financial requirements, and community input gathered through this process.

15. What happens with the information I share? Your input is reviewed and used to help shape planning decisions. Personal information like your name is kept separate from your answers to protect your privacy.

16.There will be community power building components and employee equity components.

AfroLuxe is one part of a larger vision Ashé is building toward — the Community Power Building Fund, a broader effort to create real pathways for community members to have a stake in what gets built on this corridor. As part of that vision, Ashé is exploring the idea of a community investment opportunity that could let neighbors, supporters, and longtime residents actually invest in this project. That work is still early — we're carefully assessing the financial and legal implications to make sure any program we offer is done right, responsibly, and built to last. Nothing is confirmed yet, but our intention is clear: this hotel, and everything connected to it, should create real ownership and opportunity for the community that built this corridor in the first place.