TRA Board Member Spotlight: Dylan Daniel

Kristina Pendergrass • June 12, 2026

By Kristina Pendergrass

Though he’s only lived in Tallassee for 10 years, Dylan Daniel has already accomplished a great deal to support this town and help foster its economic growth. Originally from Opelika, Dylan found himself seeking spiritual renewal and decided to attend some revival services held by Living Water Worship Center. He quickly fell in love with the congregation and decided to call Tallassee home.

He and his wife Haley--a Tallassee native--built upon that idea of revival and renewal, completely renovating a vacant building and turning it into a thriving coffee shop, Restoration 49. Their vision was to create an inviting place for people to hang out and connect, where community-building can take root and flourish. The business has proven so successful, the Daniels have since opened a second location in Wetumpka.

But their journey hasn’t been easy. What should have been the most joyful time in any expectant parents’ lives turned to heartache when their son, Samson David, was stillborn at 32 weeks. Through the love of community and the support and strength of their faith, the Daniels resolved to turn their tragedy into hope for others, establishing the Samson Strong Foundation. Along with outpourings of love and prayer, money raised through the Foundation and its annual Samson Strong 5K & Fun Run is used to financially support others in the community who have experienced the loss of a child.

Dylan’s business acumen, experience, and drive led to his being asked to serve on the Tallassee Redevelopment Authority’s Board as Vice-Chair. His passion, vision, and love of community led him to accept. He hopes his work with the TRA will see the mill properties and riverfront area developed into a place for Tallassee residents and visitors alike to enjoy.

In his spare time, Dylan enjoys restoring old cars behind Restoration 49, and Haley oversees both coffee shops while staying home with their adopted son. They both continue to be active members of Living Water Worship Center.

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Why Auburn University Is Studying Tallassee’s Historic Mill District — And Why Developers Are Taking Notice

By Easterling Carpenter • March 23, 2026

Tallassee’s 120,000+ SF Historic Mill Site Positioned for Redevelopment Tallassee, AL's Historic Mill complex has attracted institutional and academic interest among which, Dr. Tommy Brown at Auburn University archives seeks out mill records. This comes one year after feasibility studies confirm its viability as a large-scale mixed-use redevelopment opportunity. Tallassee Redevelopment Authority(TRA)-sponsored studies back up that potential, showing: Estimated Rental Rates of $12-$18/SF premiums as riverfront commercial real estate (as opposed $5-10/SF locally) Estimated $12 Million dollars in annual economic impact Approximately 45% in Historic Tax credits (20% Federal + 25% State) Strategic positioning between Auburn and Montgomery Existing structure in place with modern electrical, HVAC, and water , display utilities readily available Stabilized structures reduce early-stage capital risk And the TRA as its current owner, is actively seeking development partners to advance the site into its next phase. Strategic Transition This Tallassee Industrial Era property is closer than ever to its future. The site was continuously used up until 2005 as textile mill, making it one of the longest continuously operating mill sites in the nation. Due to changes in the market, the industry became underutilized and production ceased. Many Tallassee residents having worked there and through the effort of the Talisi Historical Preservation Society(THPS), have reduced investor risk. They raised over $30,000 dollars to put modern corrugated metal roofing on several of the buildings as well as restoring and currently performing upkeep. Stewardship by THPS enabled stabilization, having invested approximately $95,000 total in risk management and restoration efforts , after which ownership transitioned to the Tallassee Redevelopment Authority to facilitate professional redevelopment and investment partnerships. The TRA has sponsored professional studies as recently as 2025, which will be explored further in this article. The Tallassee, AL Location Advantage Regional positioning strengthens Tallassee’s redevelopment potential. Seated neatly between Auburn and Montgomery, it is only 10 minutes from I-85 . With Auburn, AL experiencing a 34.2% population growth between 2015 and 2023( according to GoBankingRates ), creates spillover housing and hospitality demand in nearby communities. Tallassee remains an ideal location for young families and commuting college students as well, seeing a cost of living 17% lower than the national average and 12.9% lower than the Opelika-Auburn area per PayScale . Strong school performance further supports long-term residential and workforce stability. Tallassee City Schools also stand out for young families as one of the highest rated schools by the Alabama State Report Card between Auburn and Montgomery, AL. Tallassee Elementary was scored in the 2024-2025 with a 90/A grade by the state. Tallassee's closeness to both of these cities, and access to 750,000 residents within 45 minutes act as a major opportunity for a commuting workforce. Many of which already commute to Tallassee's established industry such as GKN Aerospace, Neptune, and Hanil USA. Professional Planning Confirms the Opportunity In 2025, the Tallassee Redevelopment Authority commissioned a comprehensive redevelopment analysis conducted by Place Associates, LLC in collaboration with Leavell Design Consultants. The resulting Tallassee Mill Sites Redevelopment Report provides independent market validation, economic modeling, and phased development strategies for the site. With authorization from the Tallassee Redevelopment Authority, this article makes the study available to prospective developers and partners seeking deeper due diligence insight.