Doctor renovates historic Montgomery home built by formerly enslaved designer Jim Hale

The gray house stands commandingly along Perry Street and the entrance to downtown, hiding its history in plain sight.

Nichole Thompson, a Montgomery doctor, converted the Gaitway House, built in 1874 by Jim Hale, into luxurious office spaces and has big plans for a speakeasy on the bottom floor. “It’s going to be a game changer, especially for downtown," Thompson said.

She hopes to open it in May.

“This takes a community," Thompson said at the grand opening of the building. "You don’t do this without people with you, people praying for you."

Ron Simmons looked on the building with great pride. “When I walked in the space, I was not surprised because I know Nicole," said Simmons, the chief officer for destination and community development at the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.

Hale was initially enslaved by William Baldwin. Baldwin eventually freed Hale and sent him to school to become a carpenter. Hale later built the Gaitway House along with three other houses for Baldwin's daughters. The two became business partners and great friends.

Hale went on to design Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and the first Black infirmary in Montgomery. Hale became a multi-millionaire and the wealthiest Black man in the city, Thompson said.

Hale also worked with Baldwin to bring Alabama State University to Montgomery.

Only one photo exists of Hale. Thompson commissioned Nathaniel Henderson, an art professor at Alabama State, to create a Hale portrait that hangs in the building's gallery based on that lone photo.

The gallery will rotate every three to six months, depending on how quickly the art sells, Thompson said.

In the spirt of Hale's legacy, the building is dedicated to artists and entrepreneurs, Thompson said. “Mr. Hale was an entrepreneur," Thompson said.

Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or on Twitter @gladlyalex.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Doctor opens newly renovated home built in 1874 by ex-slave Jim Hale