[thoraudio]

the pics from Brown's article.

http://cmsimg.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DS&Date=20060802&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=608020348&Ref=AR&Profile=1001&MaxW=600

http://cmsimg.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DS&Date=20060802&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=608020348&Ref=V2&Profile=1001&MaxW=600

http://cmsimg.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DS&Date=20060802&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=608020348&Ref=V3&Profile=1001&MaxW=600

[Randy Sandford]

I was browsing through the portfolio of Dungan Nequette Architects (http://www.dungan-nequette.com) and came across three proposals for Montgomery. Have you guys discussed any of these proposals before in this thread? I don't feel like going back through 32 pages of text to find out. ;)

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/64529320.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/64529322.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/64529323.jpg

[bystander1]

I've heard of the last two, but I'm not quite familiar with Chanticleer.

[Brown Duckz]

"Chanticleer" could possibly be the new development on Narrow Lane Rd. right before getting back to the Woodley/Narrow Lane/Allendale intersection heading towards Carter Hill Rd..... it's on the right.

Is the Preserve Live Work the Old Cloverdale development?

[Brown Duckz]

Division 6 ALDOT 5-year master plan of road additions, improvements, etc.:http://www.dot.state.al.us/TransPlanning/FYPlan/FYPlan.aspx?Division=6

A very large list of things for Montgomery.

[thoraudio]

The Waters (http://www.thewatersal.com/) is a new urbanist suburb patterned after Seaside. Really beautiful with a grand vision... it's kinda weird to drive all the way out there in the middle of the country and have all these houses arbitrarily close to each other :D

I think the Preserve Live Work may be proposed for the Beauvoir subdivision?

Don't know about the other.

[Brown Duckz]

Highway 110 [Vaughn Rd.] is BLOWING UP! Basically Pike Road once you move past Wynlakes heading towards the county line there is construction/development nearly every mile of road frontage! New subdivisions everywhere, shops, etc. Also a few miles past these new subdivions where 110 becomes 4-Lane for a short distance you can see the "outer loop" progress started with a overhead bridge already prepped that will take you over Highway 110 headed towards I-85. East Montgomery is a MONSTER!

[Brown Duckz]

Long article from last fall about the 06' budget, seems to be from Bright's point-of-view.



Montgomery Mayor Presents Budget Plan to City Council


Mayor Bobby Bright put his plan for 2006 on the table Tuesday night. It includes purchasing new fire and police vehicles and equipment. The City Council will take another look at the proposed budget at its next meeting, September 6.

The Following is a transcript of the Mayor's speech to the council. Mr. President and other members of the council.

The people of Montgomery entrust us with the responsibility of governing this great city. Each day it’s a privilege to serve them, and each year we're called upon to adopt a budget that will dictate the nature of our service for the next 12 months.

Before we look ahead, I'd like to briefly look at where we are as a city…and where we've come from.

In 1998, the total estimated value of real and personal property in Montgomery was $6.1 billion. Our downtown…the “nucleus” of our City…bore signs of investment neglect.

New businesses flocked to the bypass and the eastern sections of town.

The Alabama River, on the perimeter of downtown, laid dormant…a magnificent natural resource…whose potential was ignored and untapped.

In the years that followed, the United States and Alabama suffered an economic recession. Students in school systems across the state were hit with proration…as revenues failed to reach their projected levels. State and city budgets nationwide were subjected to deficits and economic hard times.

While other cities withered, Montgomery flourished! We re-directed attention to our downtown and we are changing the heart of our city. The private sector now realizes downtown Montgomery should be embraced…not avoided. In 2000 our downtown was being considered by EPA for a Super Fund Site Listing, but a remediation plan stopped this effort.

The Alabama River, which fueled the city’s economic prosperity in the 19th century, is once again a magnet for redevelopment. RiverWalk stadium is the crown jewel of minor league baseball…our amphitheater and riverfront projects will attract families and tourists from all walks of life.

Renovations are already underway at the Civic Center; soon construction will begin for a deluxe hotel and entertainment venue.

The newest indicator of the re-birth of our downtown is the development of high-value loft apartments.

Today the value of Montgomery property is estimated at $8.9 billion. While much of the rest of the nation was hurt by the recession, Montgomery prospered, growing more than 44 percent…with a $2.7 billion increase in estimated property value!

In many aspects, we are poised for continued prosperity. On May 20 th Hyundai held grand opening ceremonies for the world’s most advanced automobile plant.

The City’s new E-911 Center opened in June and was put to the test that same weekend by Hurricane Dennis. I'm proud to say our dedicated employees and the new facility rose to the challenge.

The creation of our new TIF district will ensure continued growth in downtown, with funds pledged to several key projects. Expansion at our airport is finally bringing that facility into the 21st century, and will aid our efforts to recruit industry. Many chains already doing business in other parts of the country are already committed to setting up shop here in the Capital City.

We have a new and improved Municipal Court. Some of these innovations are:

1) accepting personal checks

2) more windows available to serve residents

3) pay by credit card

4) pay via the Internet

5) have more space and clerks.

We are in the process of building Gateway Park on the west side of Montgomery. This will include the benefits to residents as follows:

1) Lower flood plain

2) Improve a main gateway into Montgomery

3) Improve drainage

4) Recreation in west Montgomery

The Zoo has expanded, and now includes the Mann Museum as well as adding a new elephant exhibit, which will be opened soon.

We have a new addition to the Museum of Fine Arts.

Several years ago, we instituted new job pay classifications for our employees. This year we will provide our employees a new and improved Retirement Plan.

However, at the same time…our great city is facing obstacles which threaten to short circuit our progress. Montgomery may lose more than 1,200 jobs if Congress approves a BRAC recommendation to relocate OSSG from Maxwell-Gunter.

Skyrocketing health care costs are a national epidemic. The drain on Montgomery resources is real and continues to grow.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to siphon personnel away from our public safety departments.

Another challenge to meeting our safety needs…is the expansion of our city limits…a process that’s necessary to ensure our future growth.

The proposed budget I'm presenting this evening, has components which capitalize our strengths… address potential pitfalls… and form a blueprint to guide the City through the upcoming year.

It’s a responsible spending plan that’s based on the actual revenues collected during 2005; thereby minimizing the risk of a budgetary shortfall.

Our department heads have devoted months to the formation of this budget. They were instructed to analyze their manpower and equipment needs, in order to provide our citizens with the services they deserve…while at the same time keeping an ever mindful eye on costs.

What followed were a series of budget hearings. The first was with the Finance Director, Lloyd Faulkner, after which adjusted budget requests were presented in hearings which were attended by members of the City Council, members of my staff, and me. Additional meetings and a subsequent set of adjustments brought us tonight’s final figures.

This budget represents fiscal discipline. We've had to say ‘no’ to many of the departmental requests…but no justifiable expense was rejected. This budget is lean, efficient and shows the public we're responsible custodians of the dollars they entrust to us.

BUDGET AMOUNT

Our overall growth rate from fiscal year 2004 to fiscal year 2005 is 5.75%. Sales tax, the biggest component of our revenues, grew 5.89%. The income from business licenses and fees climbed 4.38%. The lodging tax from tourism…an area the City has only recently come to cultivate…has grown an estimated 14%. Our economy is strong and sound.

Next year’s projected budget totals $195,469,560… or $12,943,665 more than this year. This increase is made up of growth in City revenues and an additional appropriation of fund balance.

CITY EMPLOYEES

Our City personnel are hardworking and conscientious. They give their all in making sure both public services and public safety are provided in the highest caliber. I realize City employees are the City’s most valuable resource. For this reason, I want to continue to ensure that we attract the best and brightest and retain those employees for a lengthy career. This has been my goal in the past and, I believe, in the long term this is the best move I, or any elected official, could leave as a legacy to good government. In line with this thought, I am proposing a 5% across the board cost of living raise for all City employees, and a 3% cost of living raise for retirees.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Public safety is among the most crucial services any government provides its citizens. I'm proposing the Montgomery Police Department receive 35 new police sedans; 20 new plain sedans; 10 new motorcycles; and the addition of 10 new officers.

For the Montgomery Fire Department…I'm proposing we provide a new ladder truck; two new rescue modular vehicles and other necessary apparatus.

The total cost of the recommended purchase for these two departments is more than two and one half million dollars…about 44% of the City’s overall spending on new equipment this year. I believe each dollar will be well spent and will offer the people of Montgomery valuable protection.

Another development that will benefit our citizens…and our employees is a much-needed change in our retirement plan for City workers. For years, we've sought the ability to adopt a 25-year retirement plan. Our efforts met with success in the recent special session.

Now when our employees attain 20 years of tenure, they'll have an incentive to remain with the City, allowing us to benefit from the knowledge they've gained on the job. In the past workers bolted (left as soon as they attained 20 years) and took with them the skills and know-how of public service.

HEALTH CARE BENEFITS/RETIREES

This year the taxpayers of Montgomery are again being burdened with climbing health care costs. From 2003 to 2004 total costs climbed nearly 13%. The City had to pay more than $566,000 above the revenues set aside to meet these costs.

The figures for the first nine months of fiscal year 2005 show our costs exceeding planned revenues by more than one million dollars!

I am asking City employees and retirees to help absorb these costs with an increase in dependent care premiums from $145 per month to $155 per month. Even with employees assuming a heavier load… the City’s share of monthly dependent coverage will come to $549.

The costs of in-hospital stays…which jumped 32% last year alone…and our prescription drug usage, which jumped nearly 26% during the same period…are the largest burdens on our health care finances.

For years retirees have left the employment of the City and their health benefits remained unchanged. Other governments demand their retirees help meet the cost of their health care by charging premiums that commence with their retirement.

This year we're asking retirees who leave their City job and find gainful employment someplace else…to utilize the health insurance at their new job if it’s adequate. This is a sound practice that’s already required of retirees from other agencies and should provide the City some financial relief.

I've instructed our Finance Department to find innovative ways to help control skyrocketing health costs. For three years we've utilized an International Drug program which is the…“envy of cities across the country”.

Beginning in fiscal year 2006 we'll go a step further with a multi-level co-pay system, which targets the four classes of drugs that impact our health care finances the most.

Employees who use these drugs will be motivated to use substitute (or generic) prescriptions that are the equivalent of expensive name brand medications. Of course, they will have the option to use the higher costs drugs, but will be required to bear the expense, unless their physician says the substitute (generic) drug is unacceptable.

I pledge that we will continue to analyze our costs and devise out-of-the-box solutions to get a grasp on these expenses. In addition, I have to warn those individuals who are covered under our health plan that the City of Montgomery cannot continue to absorb the increases in costs for health care. As the increases continue, additional cost sharing mechanisms will be reviewed and implemented in the coming years.

LONG TERM DEBT

The City of Montgomery is also using innovative methods to help manage our long term debt. Earlier this month we took advantage of favorable market conditions and re-financed General Fund Warrants from 1997. This step has saved taxpayers more than one million dollars.

We will continue to manage our debt with discipline and planning. Our approach is receiving high acclaim in the financial community. This year our bond rating went from double-A “stable” to double-A “positive”…a loud and clear message that Montgomery is following sound fiscal practices.

Net bonded debt per capita…the statistical measure that divides a community’s debt by the members of its population…makes city-to-city comparisons possible. Montgomery’s per capita debt stands at $659.

A look at Alabama’s other metro areas shows citizens in Mobile carrying a load of more than $927 apiece. In Huntsville, the per capita indebtedness is more than $1,850! In Birmingham the figure is $2,106.

SHORT TERM DEBT/ LEASE-PURCHASE

Montgomery is also using discipline for the short term debt used to acquire big-ticket equipment items for our City departments. Our Lease-Purchase program replaces aging equipment that has high maintenance costs…with newer, more efficient tools…and allows the costs of the equipment to be paid off in three years.

I've already mentioned some of the acquisitions I'm proposing for public safety.

I recommend we acquire two dozen items that will allow our departments to continue delivering top-of-the-line services that our citizens expect and deserve.

Among the equipment on this list are: two 32-cubic yard garbage packers and six garbage packers with a capacity of 25 cubic yards for our Sanitation Department. Those vehicles alone have a combined price tag in excess of $900,000…but their value to the City will be priceless.

For our Maintenance Department, I'm proposing a rubber tire excavator, two dump trucks and an 80-foot aerial bucket truck… with combined costs of more than one half million dollars.

It’s important to note the items I've just mentioned for these departments are necessary to replace older equipment whose usefulness has run its course.

During Hurricane Ivan and its aftermath the Sanitation and Maintenance Departments worked tirelessly to bring conditions in Montgomery back to normal. These expenses are well justified.

ECONOMIC ENHANCEMENT

Now that we've covered spending, I'd like to shift to elements of the budget which are aimed to enhance the City’s economy. There’s an adage that claims, “it takes money to make money.” I'm confident that a handful of judicious allocations in a few select areas will reap dividends for Montgomery.

Montgomery’s Chamber of Commerce is recognized within the economic development industry as one of the ten best in the nation! Based on its success I've got to believe the other nine are battling for second place.

Thanks to the Chamber’s diligence, Montgomery’s key economic indicators are the best of any metropolitan area in Alabama, and probably stack up competitively with most of the cities in the United States.

Montgomery’s median income growth from 2004 to 2005 dwarfs that of Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile. Our growth for new business licenses also leads all of Alabama’s metropolitan areas.

The Chamber’s Convention and Visitors Bureau is tasked with attracting tourists to Montgomery. Tourism-based revenues are a resource that can underwrite City services that benefit Montgomerians year-round.

We're undergoing phenomenal success in this area: from 2003 to 2004 Montgomery hotels and motels increased the rate they charge for a room. During that same period, the occupancy rate increased as well.

The City’s supply of hotel and motel rooms increased…which typically means a decrease in demand…instead, the demand for rooms also climbed.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau campaign to spread the word about Montgomery is reaching tourists. Attendance at our Visitor Center increases annually.

This is good news for the people who live here…because tourism is creating new jobs. The statewide average for tourism job growth, from 2000 to 2004, stands at just under 15%. Jefferson County’s job growth is less than 3 percent…the number of tourism jobs in Madison County grew by 15%...in Baldwin County the figure is 28%. Here in the capital city…the number of tourism jobs grew 36%!

I'm proposing we continue our partnership with the Chamber with an allocation of $1,799,654. Those dollars are a sound investment toward city-wide prosperity.

For fiscal year 2006 I'm suggesting we support the continued re-vitalization of downtown by directing $125,000 to the Downtown Riverfront Development Foundation. The Foundation is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring our downtown is a magnet for retail, residential growth, commerce and entertainment. We have a new Executive Director (Anita Archie) and I'm looking forward to seeing her work product.

Every sector of our City is witnessing signs of growth. The value of permits issued by the Department of Inspections is a key indicator of Montgomery’s progress. During the last five-year period, the annual value of construction projects in Montgomery has grown from $267 million in 1999 to $316 million in 2004. This represents accelerated growth in our City and is a very positive economic indicator.

POVERTY ERADICATION/ RELIEF

While it is evident that Montgomery has been blessed with prosperity…it is impossible to ignore the “pockets of poverty” still present in our community.

Major portions of this budget target ways to correct this imbalance.

Education is the best tool to uplift society’s victims of poverty. The City has given generously to the Montgomery County Schools in the past. I am proposing continued support in the budget for the upcoming year.

The City’s in-kind contributions to our school children include 19 officers who maintain safety in our schools. Dangerous intersections are monitored by more than 60 school crossing guards. Athletic programs at the junior high school level are underwritten by the City. The total value of our in-kind support exceeds $6 million.

This year I am proposing fiscal support from our general fund of $1.5 million, along with the $591,567 they have received in previous years.

We will also continue our debt service from prior bond issues that raised funds for the construction of new schools. This amount exceeds a million dollars.

The City should also continue its support of indigent care programs that address the health needs of people unable to pay for it themselves. I propose stable funding from last year. Last year our net contributions for such programs were approximately $2 million dollars. Those monies were used as matching funds to attract even more dollars. As a result, the City’s realized impact on indigent care is more than $5 million.

An effective system of public transportation is crucial for families that can't afford personal vehicles. In the late 1990’s Montgomery’s bus system was virtually non-existent. I'm proposing continued support for the Montgomery Area Transit System. Since fiscal year 2000, MATS has seen annual increases in ridership. This year’s budget will channel $2,116,628 to this valuable public service.

Government can't do it all alone. Neighborhoods must be active partners in the campaign to restore a sense of community. I'm proposing we aid neighborhoods in their efforts, with continued support of the BONDS program.

BONDS stands for Building Our Neighborhoods for Development and Success. This group coordinates activities with neighborhood associations and gives our citizens a sense of empowerment. I'm recommending we maintain our funding at $150,000.

QUALITY OF LIFE

This year’s budget also addresses needs and enhancements which extend beyond individual neighborhoods and benefit all Montgomerians. Cultural providers like the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Montgomery Ballet, the Alabama Dance Theater and the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra contribute to the overall quality of life in the capital city.

Programs at the Boys and Girls Club, the Tuckabatchee Council and the YMCA’s Cleveland Avenue and Kershaw branches make a meaningful difference in the lives of our City’s youngsters. I'm proposing continued support of these agencies.

Thousands of dollars are allocated each year to programs dedicated to helping citizens overcome substance abuse, domestic violence and other social ills. The City of Montgomery makes generous contributions to these agencies…and will continue to do so. However, these agencies should and do provide valuable help to citizens who aren't from Montgomery. In some instances Montgomery taxpayers are underwriting that care while other governments fail to contribute their fair share. I'm proposing that we compare the…“number of Montgomerians served to the financial support Montgomerians provide” and correct any imbalances which exist.

CONCLUSION

I believe this proposed budget strikes an ideal balance. It meets the needs of the citizens we serve while at the same time conservatively allocating the resources entrusted to us.

This is a plan devoid of frivolous expenditures…characterized by discipline and best fiscal practices. Those traits have served us well in recent years and shouldn't be abandoned now for ‘plans and projects’ of whim and fancy.

The people of this great City demand sound stewardship of their tax dollars. The financial community says we've provided it in the past…it is my plan to continue doing so into the future.

The challenges which lie before us are real…but so too is the prospect of moving our great City forward. We must continue to task ourselves to find innovative ways to meet our needs…and have the courage to make the right choices.

Working together we'll make Montgomery an even better place to work…to play…to call home.

[Brown Duckz]

Montgomery not a biotech kind of city

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


Last week's announcement that a new biotechnology institute will be built in Huntsville and bring 900 jobs to the area was the latest development in Alabama's expanding biotech industry.

Upon completion, the new Hudson-Alpha Institute for Biotechnology will be home to the institute and other biotech companies. Alabama has about 90 biotech companies currently, most of them centered around Birmingham and Huntsville, industry experts said. However, Montgomery has little presence in the industry.

"The universities are generally catalysts for this kind of development. New technologies flow out of the universities," said Michael Alder, executive director for the Biotechnology Association of Alabama.

Economic development officials said Montgomery hasn't pushed for the development of biotech here, partly because the city's strengths make it more attractive for other industries.

"We want to utilize our resources wisely," said Ellen McNair of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. "Obviously Birmingham and Huntsville have so much infrastructure already to spur that growth."

She said before Hyundai chose to come to the area, a consultant group was hired to look at the new industry potential of Montgomery and it did not recommend biotech for the area.

However, one successful biotech company does call Montgomery home. ProEthic Pharmaceuticals Inc. was founded in 2001 and had about $20 million in sales last year, industry experts said.

"I would say they are one of the more successful bio-related companies in the state as far as its rate of growth," said Alder, who rated it in the top five home-grown biotech companies in the state.

But one successful company won't be enough to get the wider industry established here.

"Biotech attracts biotech," said Jim Hayes, president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. "You've got to have a critical mass to be able to do it."

Gov. Bob Riley announced last week that $50 million in state funds will be used to leverage $80 million for private investment revolving around the Huntsville deal. This, he said, positions "Alabama to become a worldwide leader in biotech research."

Alder said this is the first time this kind of money has been used to increase the biotech presence in the state.

"There are many states ahead of us that have offered incentives that are much larger," Alder said. "The state's gesture and the governor, in helping with this project in Huntsville, shows there is awareness (of the economic potential in biotech)."

Officials in the governor's office said all projects vying for state money are scrutinized for their potential to succeed. "We want to make sure for every dollar invested there is a return," said Jeff Emerson of the governor's office.

[HSVTiger]

that article is a bit dated :previous:
construction is well under way

http://www.haib-webcam.org/

[thoraudio]

I was about to say, that articles about a year old...

[Brown Duckz]

Forbes praises Montgomery as high-tech hub

By Mike Linn
Montgomery Advertiser


Forbes Magazine has ranked Montgomery as one of the top cities in the country with the best-paying high-tech jobs.

The magazine reached its conclusion based on low-cost housing and a host of big-name companies with offices in the Capitol City, among them Oracle, BAE Systems and Dell.

In an article published Tuesday, Forbes also said Maxwell Air Force Base is home to one of four major computing hubs for the Department of Defense and the 754th Electronic Systems Group, which handles high-tech support for the Air Forces’ logistics, financial, medical and personnel operations.

“It’s a huge bonus for Montgomery to have this IT base, and to be recognized by Forbes Magazine is just the icing on the cake,” said Anna B. Buckalew, senior vice president for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. “This recognition is a huge feather in our cap in terms of making the rest of the world aware of what we already know.”

[Brown Duckz]

From Forbes.

Where The Best-Paying High-Tech Jobs Are



If you want to find the top-paying jobs in the U.S. tech industry, you may want to look in the obvious places--Montgomery, Ala., Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Fort Smith, Ark., for instance.

Surprised? So were we. But for those looking to make top dollar as programmers, systems engineers and hardware technicians, these seemingly technologically out-of-the-way metros rival better-known high-tech hubs like San Francisco, Boston, New York and Washington D.C., for wages.

Such places often have niche local employers for IT professionals, not to mention much lower costs of living than the industry's traditional epicenters. A programmer earning $100,000 per year in San Jose, Calif., for example, would only need to earn $61,515 in Montgomery, according to data from ACCRA, a nonprofit that compiles cost-of-living data.

In Pictures: Places With The Highest-Paid Tech Jobs in the U.S.

In Pictures: Where Each Tech Job Pays Best

But what could you do there? Plenty. Montgomery is home to Maxwell Air Force base, one of four primary computing hubs for the U.S. Department of Defense, and the 754th Electronic Systems Group, which handles high-tech support for the Air Forces' logistics, financial, medical and personnel operations. This is the place that deploys the suite of Microsoft desktop applications that go on every PC in the Air Force, among other things, and is involved in one of the biggest Oracle rollouts in the DOD right now.

A host of big-name companies all have offices in Montgomery to support the group, among them Oracle, BAE Systems and Dell.

"For IT, this is the center of mass for change," says Greg Garcia, director of the 754th. He just moved there a year ago from Tucson, Ariz., and says he loves the schools for his two daughters, the southern hospitality and, of course, how much further his dollars go.

"It's great," he says. "For the price of a house in Boston, you'd get three in Montgomery."

Looking for such surprises, we've compiled two lists: one ranks the places with the overall highest-paid tech jobs in the U.S.; the other ranks the places where each type of tech job commands the best pay check.

To compile our lists, we mined the data in the U.S. government's Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. The most recent were published earlier this year, though the data are from 2005.

These are based on a national survey of full- and part-time workers who are paid a wage or salary. It takes into account basic pay, incentive bonuses and commissions, but not overtime pay or nonwage compensation, such as stock options.

The data cover firms of every size but do not include the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers.

We only looked at the 3 million computer-industry jobs that were surveyed, such as hardware and software engineer, systems analyst, programmer, and network and database administrator.

To find the best-paying jobs, we first screened out all but the positions that pay in the top 10% of tech-industry jobs in each location. We then ranked the top 25 places (see: "In Pictures: Places With The Highest Paying Tech Jobs in the U.S.").

We used the standard statistical classification for metropolitan areas in the U.S. But we then looked at districts within each metro area as well as the New England town equivalent, where available, to narrow the selection to as specific an area as possible.

And since many job seekers look for a specific type of work, we also looked at the jobs by type and ranked the five metros where the average annual salary was highest (see: "In Pictures: Where Each Tech Job Pays Best").

In this second perspective, information research scientists are at the top of the pay heap, earning an average of $94,030 per year across the country, and with those in the southern end of Silicon Valley earning an average of $131,000 per year.

Industry matters to pay prospects too. The sweet spot in the computer industry is to be a research scientist working in a wholesale trade. There are only 620 of them, but the top 10% earn $143,950 per year.

The next best-paid group within the computer industry is systems software engineers ($84,310 per year on average; with the best average pay to be found in Fort Smith on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border), followed by applications software engineers ($79,540, with York-Hanover, Pa., at the top at $114,110).

The mining industry pays top dollar for computer programmers, with the top 10% of jobs paying $115,060 per year. But there are only 860 jobs at any level, and the average annual wage is $72,150.

The cheapest employers of programmers are federal, state and local governments. They employ 16,450 of them at an annual average wage of $54,210, with the top 10% earning $74,870 per year.

The average for programmers in all industries is $67,400. Not bad, especially when you think about it this way: That's six times as much as a similarly qualified programmer earns in India.

[bystander1]

"Chanticleer" could possibly be the new development on Narrow Lane Rd. right before getting back to the Woodley/Narrow Lane/Allendale intersection heading towards Carter Hill Rd..... it's on the right.


Actually, that development is called Lockwood.



Plans give golf club a future

By William F. West
Montgomery Advertiser


Golfers won't be able to tee off at the Standard Club any more, but if they and others want a nice new residence instead, then they could have the chance to own one.

Plans call for transforming the old golf course, located at 3503 Narrow Lane Road, into the Lockwood neighborhood. It'll be modeled after nearby historic Cloverdale. "I think it will definitely have a positive effect on the neighborhood," said Lee Sims, 59, a Montgomery architect and one of the leaders of the project. Doug Gurney, who owns the 1048 Jazz & Blues nightclub in Cloverdale, said he's sorry to see the passing of the old Standard Club but that times change. Gurney said he's particularly glad to see development in the midtown area, instead of people continuing to build luxury homes to the east. "I wish they would do more of this kind of thing in Montgomery. This might be the first one that paves the way for other people to do more," he said.

Montgomery City Councilwoman Janet May said she hopes it will trigger investment toward the economically challenged west side, toward aging areas to the south and Montgomery Mall, which has lost major merchants during the past several months. "If you're going to put that kind of investment in midtown, anybody else would have to look at it and say, 'That's not a bad idea. Let's keep it going,'" she said.

Sims said he's one in a group of investors that includes some members of the old Standard Club, as well as Cloverdale residents. So there's a common interest in preserving the property, which covers 64 acres.

The property was a longtime Jewish country club. Although it was open to all denominations, it closed in early April. The club had been unable to turn a consistent profit for some time due to stagnant membership, investors have said.

Sims said although the club has ceased operations, it still legally exists and that he and his fellow investors would buy the land from the club by the end of the month. He declined to give the dollar amount. Currently, the club's front lawn is mowed and an English Tudor-like clubhouse remains in place, but the property isn't in the best possible condition.

There are broken windows at the clubhouse. A large empty bottle of peppermint schnapps also was readily visible near the men's and women's rest rooms on the outside of the building. And the tennis courts are in rundown condition. Sims said he and his fellow investors would keep the clubhouse building, which dates back to 1929.

Plans call for a gated area of private streets, with family homes and townhouses, tennis courts and a swimming pool -- all in a park-like and pedestrian-oriented setting.

The goal is to start the project before the end of the year and build the lots, with the buyers to construct the homes based on codes governed by a homeowners association, Sims said. He said he anticipates some houses would be under construction within about 18 months. "We've got a list of people who have expressed strong interest in it that exceeds the number of lots that we have available," he said. "We haven't really made any offering yet because we can't, but we've got probably over 100, well over 100 people that have expressed an interest in buying the lots," he said.

Sims said he believes people are looking for a place that's like Cloverdale. The project is just southeast of Cloverdale, which dates back to 1893, and is the oldest garden-landscaped residential suburb in Alabama. Cloverdale became a town in 1910, and was annexed by Montgomery in 1927.

Sims said the project is named for Frank Lockwood, an architect of the early part of the 20th century whose numerous designs in the city include the old Standard Club, the main building at Huntingdon College and the federal courthouse building named after the late Judge Frank M. Johnson. Sims, asked whether he'd be one of the residents in the new development, said, "That's what my wife tells me. We're buying a lot in there -- and we'll see."

[thoraudio]

umm.... the Standard Club area has been prepped for redevelopment for over a year now.... how old is that article?

[bystander1]

^ It's about a year old. Just showing proof of the development's name.

[bystander1]

Sprawl Update: Here's some more Eastchase development news:

This is the site plan for Eastchase Marketplace. It looks like it has a spot for a home improvement store. This may be the Lowes store that was supposed to anchor Chantilly Station with Walmart.

http://www.knology.net/~unlmtd/misc/ecmp.JPG


This will give Eastchase three major shopping centers so far.

[Brown Duckz]

Double Post.

[Brown Duckz]

Unbelievable. :D

[Brown Duckz]

Chilton County Child Actor To Be In Montgomery Friday For New Movie


A movie shot in Alabama makes it premiere in Alabama.

"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" opened in Talladega Thursday night. The movie stars Will Ferrell and Chilton County child actor, Grayson Russell. The movie is about a top Nascar driver and his friend who face a new competitor. Tickets in Talladega were hard to come by.

Clanton actor, Grayson Russell is locally famous for his role in car commercials. He will be signing autographs before the movie from 4:45 to 7:00 Friday night at Rave Motion Pictures in Montgomery. He will then watch the movie there.

[AUCPA]

It's my understanding that Wilson is trying hard to get Lowes off of Chantilly into Eastchase. I was also told that Costco has confirmed to be in the next phase of Eastchase.

[thoraudio]

where, exactly, is the city limit out there....

[kevinlpugh]

Why in the blue blazes is there no CompUSA in the works... If we are a so-called high paid high tech community (of which I must be the low end) why is there no real computer store?

[bystander1]

It's my understanding that Wilson is trying hard to get Lowes off of Chantilly into Eastchase. I was also told that Costco has confirmed to be in the next phase of Eastchase.

Hello, AUCPA. I've heard the rumors about Costco, for a while, but I haven't heard of a confirmation as of yet. I wouldn't be surprised.

[bystander1]

where, exactly, is the city limit out there....

No one really knows...even Pike Road doesn't know exactly what plots of land it annexed and which isn't. Chantilly Station is supposedly part of Montgomery. Home Depot across the street is in neither city.

[AUCPA]

The person that I know was talking to Will W. so I suppose it to be true.

[AUCPA]

The person I talked to was discussing it with Will W. so I suppose it to be true.

Dang Double Post!

[thoraudio]

Will Wheaton of TV's Star Trek?

http://www.grudge-match.com/Images/wesley.jpg


;)

[AUCPA]

A little more terrestrial than that!

[bystander1]

^ :P


The person I talked to was discussing it with Will W. so I suppose it to be true.


Good news, thanks AUCPA.


BTW, HH Greg is finally coming...to East Blvd.

[Brown Duckz]

No one really knows...even Pike Road doesn't know exactly what plots of land it annexed and which isn't. Chantilly Station is supposedly part of Montgomery. Home Depot across the street is in neither city.I've always thought that Chantilly Parkway should be inside the city limits and that if you leave its roadways heading east, you would be in Pike Road. Doesn't that make sense?

[Capital Heights]

Anybody heard of a charette for Dexter Avenue redevelopment?

[bystander1]

Yes. Dover Kohl is plannining a charette for Dexter Avenue and all of downtown in September.

They actually had a team here last Thursday (8/3/06) for a site visit, but since there is no local media outlet that wants to cover economic or development news, unless it's in Eclectic or Goshen somewhere, no one knew about it.

[Brown Duckz]

City's suburbs more diverse

By Kenneth A. Harris


Montgomery's suburbs are attracting more blacks and other minorities, reflecting a trend across the country where outlying neighborhoods are becoming more diverse.

Population shifts, reflected in Census Bureau data released Aug. 4, are most dramatic in the South. About three-quarters of the growth in the U.S. black population happened there from 2000 to 2005. The region also generated about 71 percent of the national growth in whites, 42 percent of the Hispanic growth and 27 percent of the Asian growth.

The population shift in Montgomery County accelerated in the 1990s, according to Don Bogie of the Center for Demographic Research at Auburn University Montgomery. Bogie's own research shows blacks and Hispanics are moving to neighborhoods in east Montgomery as the groups become more affluent.

"It appears to be continuing pretty strong. So I expect it to continue through the remainder of the decade. How much beyond that is very difficult to say," said Bogie, who is the center's director.

The Rev. John Sawyer Jr., pastor of St. Paul United Methodist Church, moved his family into the Bellwood community in east Montgomery in November 1989. At the time, there was only one other black family in his neighborhood. Since then, he said, the area has become increasingly diverse.

Blacks and other minorities, Sawyer said, also are relocating to Prattville and Millbrook. He said they need to realize that racism is a very real possibility in the still largely white bedroom communities.

Sawyer advised minorities to learn from their experience regardless of what it may be.

"I had the opportunity to work with just about every nationality on the face of the Earth," Sawyer said of the decades he worked in New York. "It's like a table of food. Whatever a person brings to the table, you can partake of it or leave it. But, try to gain something."

County population estimates released July 1 show whites are returning to large cities. Whites, though, are not flocking to Montgomery's central neighborhoods because they perceive the outlying areas are safer, less crowded and have better schools, Bogie said. Census data released in 2000 showed 12,000 blacks moving into the county while 13,000 whites moved out.

"It's really kind of startling," he said. "I think we're seeing a continuing of whites moving out."

About 7,000 people left Montgomery County since 2000, according to census estimates.

Despite the numbers, HTC Harris of T Community Real Estate Co. is fielding more calls from white customers looking to purchase downtown property. The core is attractive to prospective buyers, he said, because of economic development plans already in place by the city and private businesses.

"There is a reverse in things," Harris said. "Whites are moving into the inner city. Blacks and Hispanics are moving far out into the suburbs. I'm not saying it's happening by the hundreds or the thousands, but the trend is there."

[Brown Duckz]

Smart code guides new projects

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


Architects and urban planners came together Monday in one Montgomery office -- some busy designing houses for an eastside community, others deciding how to revitalize downtown.

The result: what may be the first neighborhood in the nation planned after the introduction of smart code zoning guidelines by a city. Montgomery adopted a smart code in January.

The chance meeting happened last week at the North Court Street office of City Loft Corp., a developer of condominiums downtown and in Old Cloverdale.

On one side of the room were architects working with the Miami-based firm of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. sketching homes for Hampstead, a 400-acre community on Taylor Road. On the other side, Dover, Kohl & Partners worked with city officials on ways to breathe new life into the urban core.

"It was an honor to be around so many talented people," said Harvi Sahota, who together with his wife, Anna Lowder, owns City Loft, and is directing the development of Hampstead. "It's just a great honor for the two of us to be leading a project like this."

The design session with Duany Plater-Zyberk had been planned for months. The city and Dover, Kohl & Partners, based in Coral Gables, Fla., decided to meet at the last minute. When Sahota and Lowder learned about the meeting from city officials, they suggested architects from both firms come to their place.

For a week, 10 architects posted drawings on the studio walls of City Loft. The session yielded 40 home designs, surpassing the most optimistic expectations, Sahota said.

Andres Duany, a founding principal at Duany Plater-Zyberk, hailed Sahota and Lowder for allowing the architects to work on the Hampstead project. Doing so, Duany explained, allowed for true variation in the designs.

The homes range from 900-square-foot cottages to estate houses of 5,000 or 6,000 square feet. A project of The Colonial Co., Hampstead will be the first community developed under the city's smart code.

That smart code, which allows residential, commercial and retail development in the same area, will be applied by Dover, Kohl & Partners as it creates a development plan for downtown.

"This area is full of promise and full of prospects," said Victor Dover, one of the firm's principals.

One reason for optimism, Dover said, is that many of Montgomery's historic buildings were designed by preeminent architects, which gives his designers a good base to start from when using up to $310,000 of city money to develop the master plan.

"Smart code is a really diverse tool that can work in a green field out east or in downtown Montgomery," said Chad Emerson, a law professor at Faulkner University who helped get the code on the books.

[bystander1]

Yes. Dover Kohl is plannining a charette for Dexter Avenue and all of downtown in September.

They actually had a team here last Thursday (8/3/06) for a site visit, but since there is no local media outlet that wants to cover economic or development news, unless it's in Eclectic or Goshen somewhere, no one knew about it.

Smart code guides new projects
By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


Hey BrownDuckz...Ask and you shall receive, huh? ;)

[Capital Heights]

It might be time for the dude who posted the pics of the hotel and parking deck to post some new pics.

[Brown Duckz]

EXCLUSIVE: Maulers reborn as Bears
http://cmsimg.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=DS&Dato=20060809&Kategori=SPORTS&Lopenr=809003&Ref=PH&Item=1&MaxW=350&MaxH=350&border=0

By Tom Ensey
Montgomery Advertiser


http://cmsimg.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DS&Date=20060810&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=608100350&Ref=V1&Profile=1002&MaxW=300
John Morris (left) and Mike Mink, who took over as co-owners of the Montgomery Maulers' franchise following a tumultuous 1-5 start and guided the team to the National Indoor Football League playoffs, plan to move the team to American Indoor Football League next season and will rename the team the Montgomery Bears.
-- Advertiser



The Montgomery Maulers are dead.

But they'll be reincarnated today as a new team with a new name and a new league.

The owners will remain the same.

John Morris and Mike Mink, who took over the troubled franchise in the middle of last season, will announce the birth of the Montgomery Bears in a 4 p.m. news conference today at Buffalo Wild Wings.

The Bears will begin a 14-game season in February as members of the American Indoor Football League. The AIFL completed its second season this summer.

Morris and Mink will also be part owners of the league, which has 15 teams and plans to add at least three more in the near future.

"We wanted to keep indoor football in Montgomery, and we wanted more stability in the league," Morris said. "This is the ideal solution. The AIFL has had some challenges itself, but we're excited about it and we've seen good things that it's doing."

The league currently has franchises in Tupelo, Miss., Tallahassee, Fla., Florence, S.C., and Columbus, Ga.

Mink and Morris said teams in nearby cities can reduce travel costs and perhaps improve attendance and road presence.

"We hope that having teams close by will make it possible for our fans to travel to some of the away games," said Mink, who will continue to coach the team. "That's something that wasn't possible in the previous league."

The Maulers were members of the National Indoor Football League, which saw failed franchises and rampant financial woes last year.

Andrew Haines, the president of the AIFL, believes his league attracts a higher caliber of athletes as well.

"We had 20 guys who signed contracts with the Arena Football League or the Canadian Football League," Haines said. "That's what we want to see -- our players move up and play at a higher level."

The AIFL pays $50 more per game the NIFL.

The minimum salary in the new league is $250 per game -- and each member of the winning team gets a $50 bonus.

A single franchise player will be paid $500 per game.

Each team has an 18-man active roster, but expanding the roster will be one of several possible changes discussed in the owners' meetings later this month.

Morris said the team will continue to play at Garrett Coliseum. But they will have new turf, new uniforms and possibly air conditioning in the summer months.

"We'll do everything we can to make things as comfortable as possible for our fans," Morris said.

[Brown Duckz]

Lowndes proposal promises benefits

I am writing in support of the sand, gravel and building debris operation that has been proposed for Lowndes County. This is one of the poorest counties in Alabama. Anything that brings in jobs and tax revenue yet doesn't damage the environment is worth it.

An added plus is a river port in Burkville. This port will hopefully draw other industry to the area or encourage other industries to ship by barge from this port. The port would also bring in jobs to the area.

Without barge traffic on the Alabama River we run the risk of losing federal funding. These funds are used to operate the three locks and dams on our river. They also pay for the dredging and channel marking that keep our river navigable.

Somebody wrote in saying she didn't want barges on our river. She doesn't realize that it is commerce that keeps our river alive. We have been shipping on the Alabama River for hundreds of years. Fort Toulouse was once a trading post that got its trade goods from Mobile by water.

I have been running this river for nearly 40 years, making the cruise from Wetumpka to Mobile many times. I have raised five kids on it. The only reason I don't live on it currently is job requirements, but I keep my boat on it.

For the sake of the river I hope Lowndes County decides to allow the gravel pit and river port.

Glenn Dean
Tallassee

[thoraudio]

da bears

[Brown Duckz]

da bearsI think they might actually be semi-successful with these owners. They seem to have initiative with the team. The article states they are part owners of the league as well. There is also a possibility of getting the Coliseum air conditioned during the summer months. Do you think this team's possible success could add a need for that entertainment stadium?

[bystander1]

The league currently has franchises in Tupelo, Miss., Tallahassee, Fla., Florence, S.C., and Columbus, Ga.






Well, good-bye Cincinnati, Charleston, Greensboro, and Miami... :rolleyes:

[Brown Duckz]

New State House worth discussing

The Alabama Legislature can make a legitimate argument that it needs a new building in which to meet. But if lawmakers want a new State House, they need to be aboveboard with the people of Alabama and try to make their case in a candid manner.

Instead, it looks as if the legislative leadership is trying to set the stage for building a new facility while claiming that they don't really mean it.

The top hired hands of the House and Senate -- Senate Secretary McDowell Lee and House Clerk Greg Pappas -- have proposed spending $93,000 in public money to contract with an architect to provide a preliminary study of a new State House.

But the Legislature's Contract Review Committee balked at funding the study. And during an election year, few lawmakers are likely to openly admit that they support building a new State House.

Politically, they are right. It's not likely to be a popular project with the taxpaying public. But frankly, the current State House leaves a lot to be desired.

It was not designed for its current use, and it shows. During a legislative session, the narrow hallways are packed with lobbyists and legislators and even a sprinkling of everyday citizens who want to see the legislative process at work. (We warn them that the adage about not watching how sausages or laws are made is oh, so true.) Committee meeting rooms are often packed past the point of comfort or safety.

There are maintenance problems, of course, as there are in many old buildings. But those can be fixed. The real issue is crowding on the legislative meeting floors and the scarcity of seating for the public.

There also are safety issues. We shudder to think what might happen if a fire broke out when both the House and Senate were in session.

So, as we noted before, a case can be made that a new building is needed.

However, not a penny of taxpayer money should be spent on exploring the need for a new facility until the elected leadership of the House and Senate go on record as wanting it. If they aren't willing to take the heat, the idea should be abandoned.

And please note, while we support the idea of exploring the possibility of a new State House if elected legislative leaders will endorse it publicly, we are not supporting a new facility -- not by a longshot.

No one should even consider supporting a new facility until the final plans are set in stone and the price tag is nailed down. Lawmakers are perfectly capable of gold-plating everything in sight and turning the emphasis from public access to posh surroundings.

[thoraudio]

hmmm....

<-- fires up google earth and looks ot see where such a beast could go...

best bet would probably be the parking lot where the legislature parks behind the current building, next to the missing Persons building.

[Brown Duckz]

hmmm....

<-- fires up google earth and looks ot see where such a beast could go...

best bet would probably be the parking lot where the legislature parks behind the current building, next to the missing Persons building.That section of Downtown is getting some major infill. :tup:

[bystander1]

best bet would probably be the parking lot where the legislature parks behind the current building, next to the missing Persons building.

That is the same spot that was tagged for a new state house during the Siegelman admin.

[Brown Duckz]

How large will this building need to be? I'm sure a lot larger than the current.

[Capital Heights]

I would like to see a new State House. However, I would like to see it built east of the current building. I think that the parking lot East of the Capitol and North of the current State House should be converted into greenspace. Get rid of all that parking and plant it with an interesting water feature.

[bystander1]

How large will this building need to be? I'm sure a lot larger than the current.


At the time it was mentioned back in the 90's, it was said that it would be 9-10 floors--as long as it didn't conflict with the (unwritten) capitol complex rule: no building should overshadow (be taller than) the capitol dome.

10 stories would come pretty close. But it really shouldn't matter too much anymore. RSA took care of that rule...

[Sulley]

hmmm....

<-- fires up google earth and looks ot see where such a beast could go...




Why, in its planned location. We've been waiting since 1871.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=1970+8th+Avenue+North+Birmingham,+AL&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=33.52061,-86.809705&spn=0.004097,0.010729

[B'ham Bound]

Haha... really. I'm probably gonna get jumped by thoraudio and brown duckz when I say this, but what would need to be done to move the state capital to say... Birmingham? :D

[thoraudio]

Why, in its planned location. We've been waiting since 1871.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=1970+8th+Avenue+North+Birmingham,+AL&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=33.52061,-86.809705&spn=0.004097,0.010729

Haha... really. I'm probably gonna get jumped by thoraudio and brown duckz when I say this, but what would need to be done to move the state capital to say... Birmingham? :D

The Ham's just jealous of our two downtown Subways
































restaurants.

[Brown Duckz]

That must be it thoraudio, :haha:

By the way, we jumped over 20,000 views. That's an accomplishment for Montgomery. :haha:

[Brown Duckz]

GREAT article.

Business condos for sale at One Commerce Street

By David Zaslawsky
Central Alabama Business Journal

MONTGOMERY – It is not uncommon for companies to own their office in a single-story building.

But One Commerce Street, which was formerly called Colonial Financial Center and still houses the corporate headquarters for Colonial Bank, has Class A office space for sale in a multistory, downtown Montgomery location.

http://cmsimg.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DS&Date=20060815&Category=CABJ01&ArtNo=60815022&Ref=AR&MaxW=300

“The real advantage to purchasing is when you factor in equity appreciation or possibly deductions for taxes, interest expense and depreciation,” said Scott Harris, senior vice president for Aronov Management Inc., which is selling and leasing office condominium units at the eight-story, 120,000-square-foot One Commerce Street.

“We feel that Montgomery is an office condo market,” he said. “You see a lot of interest from investors and users who want to own their own building or own their own real estate. That’s what we are responding to with this building.”

Harris said it costs $135 per square foot to purchase an office condominium on floors two-seven at One Commerce Street. It would cost about $160,000 to purchase a 1,200-square-foot suite.

It is $200 per square foot to buy on the first floor and eighth floor, according to Harris. He said there are higher-end interior finishes on the eighth floor.

The first floor units cost more because of convenience and “it is laid out as a branch bank facility,” Harris said. “The teller windows are in place and the vault is in place. You could virtually walk in from day one and open up a branch office.”

Harris said 11 of the suites have been reserved and 13 are still available. To reserve a unit, a company signs a letter of intent and provides a deposit.

And what about the potential for the office condominiums at One Commerce Street to increase in value?

If the three key words in real estate are location, location, location then One Commerce Street has it all. The building is near the new Federal Courthouse, Capitol and government agencies.

If that isn’t enough, One Commerce Street will be across from the $150 million-plus Montgomery Convention Center Hotel & Spa, which will feature a 357-room upscale Marriott hotel and is scheduled to open in fall of 2007.

Downtown Montgomery already features Riverwalk Stadium, Riverwalk Amphitheatre and the riverwalk is under construction as well the Intermodal Bus Transfer Station. Parking decks, a New Orleans-style grocer’s alley and a children’s museum are also proposed for the downtown area. Loft apartments and new restaurants have opened. The downtown/riverfront projects make Harris’ job easier.

“We think there is a good opportunity for fractional ownership of office buildings in the market and the response has been incredibly good,” Harris said. “We’ve had a lot of interest from law firms, accounting firms and government entities that have a need to be close to the Federal Courthouse and state agencies that have a need to be close to the Capitol complex.”

And just as important as the location, is ample parking at One Commerce Street, which in downtown Montgomery is a rarity.

“There is a huge amount of value created from One Commerce Street vs. other (office) condominiums in the market,” Harris said.
Colonial Bank is building a new corporate headquarters in East Montgomery and will leave One Commerce Street by the end of February. Harris said he is taking reservations now for occupancy in March.

Colonial Bank occupies about 80,000 square feet currently at One Commerce Street, which is 100 percent occupied. The second-largest tenant with about 16,000 square feet is Sirote and Permutt, P.C. Cumulus Broadcasting is the third-largest tenant with about 8,500 square feet.

“We are marketing the building as a headquarters location to attract new industry and new businesses to the city,” Harris said. “It’s an ideal location for a corporate headquarters.”

Harris said the lease fee for One Commerce Street is a “competitive” $19.50 per square feet. He said the landlord will provide base-year operating costs such as utilities, janitorial service and building maintenance.

“The way these units are priced there is virtually no difference between the total occupancy costs before taxes to purchase or lease,” Harris said. “If businesses want to lease we can accommodate them,” Harris said. “If we have businesses who would like to purchase then we can sell the condominium units.”

He said a business could purchase additional space and lease it to another company to reduce occupancy costs. The company could also expand and occupy the additional space at a later date.

New York-based Sovereign Partners, LLC, is hoping that a majority of the tenants will be office condominium owners.

“We think it is one of the best buildings in downtown Montgomery as far as location, quality and amenities,” said Cyrus Sakhai, who along with Darius Sakhai are the company principals for Sovereign
Partners, which bought One Commerce Street. The company has interests in nearly 5 million square feet of property throughout the country.

Although Cyrus Sakhai declined to disclose the purchase price for One Commerce Street, he confirmed that his company has an $11 million mortgage balance.

“This is the first time in years that there will be available space and there are a lot of prospects,” he said. “Office condos is a relatively new concept and it allows users more flexibility. You can own your own space in a Class A building.”

So far, all the interest has been from Montgomery-based companies – some from downtown and others from Taylor Road and Carmichael Road areas, Harris said, but the office suites are being marketed outside the River Region.

Sovereign Partners, which bought One Commerce Street about four years ago, has already been upgrading and renovating the 20-year-old building.

Harris said the common areas on all eight floors have been renovated and there is a new interactive building directory on the ground floor.

Cyrus Sakhai said there have been upgrades with lighting, landscaping and the parking deck.

“Colonial Bank and the new ownership have done an excellent job of maintaining and refurbishing the building,” Harris said.

[bystander1]

Haha... really. I'm probably gonna get jumped by thoraudio and brown duckz when I say this, but what would need to be done to move the state capital to say... Birmingham? :D


mmm, nothing. 'cause it ain't happenin'...

[Sulley]

Oh, it's happening.

[bystander1]

Yeah, in yo hay-id...

;)

[pkp]

Quit dissin the Gump. Birmingham is 3 X as big. but certainlly not 3X better than MGM. I don't actually think that anybody that disses monkeytown has actually spent any time there. There dowtown is not bad at all. Plus, the freakin river runs right next to dowtown. What I wouldn't give to have people waterskiiing next to our downtown riverfront. I sincerly doubt the haters here have even spent ANY time in MGM.

[Sulley]

You're right; it's 4x better.

;)

[Brown Duckz]

You're right; it's 4x better.

;)Not quite. :cheers:

[Sulley]

Okay, not 3x, not quite 4x, so... 3.5x better.

:D

[thoraudio]

well, according to this computer model I've run, considering all variables from cultural amenities to affordibility to...

SHUT UP!

:P

[B'ham Bound]

well, according to this computer model I've run, considering all variables from cultural amenities to affordibility to...

SHUT UP!

:P

So...... basically you're saying it's 3.5x better? :D

[thoraudio]

Ignoring the Ham trolls ;) , drove downtown today to pay the power bill, and get a Chris' hot dog. Noticed that they are starting on the facade for the Intermodal facility. I was afraid it was going to be just the exposed pre-cast elements (which would've been really ugly and looked nothing like the render).

They should be starting the 8th floor of the hotel in the next couple of days, the parking deck is about halfway done. The RSA Headquarters is up to floor 3 (maybe two... I think the bottom one will be filled over for a basement), and somebody has purchased and is refurbing the office building next to it.

The lot for the County detention center has been cleared and foundation work should be started in the next couple of weeks.

The lot next to First Baptist has been cleared, still don't know what is going in there though...

US Attorney's is in a development hell, as the shell is complete, but the contractor is re-negotiating the contract right now.

The Dexter turning circle, plaza, wtfever is still dead with no movement... City's website hasn't been updated in 2 months now, so no way to look at planning minutes or commision etc...

[Brown Duckz]

I think the lot next to First Baptist will be a large parking deck. They should incorporate a boardwalk over to the church, that would be awesome.

My dad knows nothing more about the fountain loop... it must be that city of Montgomery delay that we are all so use to.

How soon after the Intermodal is complete will the "riverwalk" begin it's way over to the ampitheater?

That new DA office is sweet looking. They need to start on the street scape.

Any news on the "mixed use" development that was proposed for the parking deck down by the stadium?

Who else can't wait for some more news on the State House? I'm ready to see some more cranes...... :haha:

[bystander1]

I think the lot next to First Baptist will be a large parking deck. They should incorporate a boardwalk over to the church, that would be awesome.

I confirmed that with some demolition workers on site. They said it would be a parking lot for the church. Whether "lot" means a "deck" I don't know.


Who else can't wait for some more news on the State House? I'm ready to see some more cranes...... :haha:

MEEEE!! :hyper:
I say build it huge and build it now.

[thoraudio]

don't have pics, but on the southside of I-85, the new forensics building is coming along nicely (4 stories I think...), and another couple of blocks south on Cloverdale, the new residences where the A&P used to be are getting started... haven't seen a render yet, but they're supposed to be loft type, urban hipster dwellings.

[bystander1]

I took some pics the new forensics building 2 weeks ago but I accidentally deleted them... :hell:

I'll try to get some more.

[Brown Duckz]

Renovations in the Works for Alabama Capitol Complex to Create Space for Legislature, Attorney General


A state board voted Thursday to sell bonds to finance a $28 million project to renovate two buildings in the state Capitol complex. Those renovations would provide space for the Legislature and for the attorney general's office.

The Alabama Building Renovation Finance Authority voted to sell bonds for a project to renovate the old Alabama Department of Public Safety Building, located in front of the Capitol. The offices of the attorney general would also move into that building.

The attorney general's offices are currently located on the third and fourth floors of the Alabama Statehouse behind the Capitol.

Gov. Bob Riley says the bonds would also finance the renovation of the Statehouse so that the space-strapped Legislature could expand and build additional office space and meeting rooms.

[thoraudio]

booo.... we wanted a new building...

[Brown Duckz]

He's canvassing Dexter Avenue

By Karen S. Doerr
Montgomery Advertiser



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Artist Bob Adams paints a picture of Sue Tang Wood, owner of Tang's alterations and tailor Marc Agcaoili working in their shop. Adams has been working on painting the business owners on Dexter Avenue, many of whom are personal friends, for about the past month.
-- Karen S. Doerr / Advertiser



Montgomery artist Bob Adams' biblical-themed work can be seen all over the city, particularly on Dexter Avenue.

Adams, who has been painting on Dexter for 15 years, started a new project about a month ago, painting portraits of the people who work in the businesses along the avenue.

"They're just the kind of people that you love because you see them all the time," Adams said.

Adams has completed three of the portraits, which are on display in or near the businesses. Theo C. Katechis, owner of Chris' Hot Dogs, is portrayed at the grill cooking hot dogs with members of his family behind him in photos on the wall. Suna Beauty Supply manager Beatrice Rogers is shown in the shop holding a bottle of beauty product.

Adams also has done a portrait of City Pawn Shop owner Barry Ehrlich and his son, David, now 13, at a much younger age.

"That's probably how Bob remembers him," said Ehrlich of the depiction of his son. "I've known Bob for a long time."

Adams currently is working on a portrait of Tang's Alterations owner Sue Tang Wood working on a wedding dress while tailor Marc Agcaoili sews in front of her. He said he likes to imagine that the bride in the portrait is the bride of Christ.

"It's kind of fun to come down and paint Bible stories and remind people that Jesus loves us," Adams said.

[bystander1]

booo.... we wanted a new building...


waannn! Me too... :tantrum:

[Brown Duckz]

Q&A: Prattville Mayor Jim Byard
Massive retail projects keep Prattville mayor smiling


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Prattville Mayor Jim Byard said city officials expect annual retail sales to increase at least $300 million a year when all the new retail developments have opened.
-- Photo by Jamie Martin


Jim Byard is the mayor of Prattville. He was recently interviewed by Central Alabama Business Journal Editor David Zaslawsky

Central Alabama Business Journal: There have been a flurry of recent retail announcements involving the High Point Town Center and Prattville Town Center – both of which are located off Cobbs Road. Are other areas of the city experiencing retail expansion?

Byard: We are experiencing growth all over the city. We certainly are experiencing a lot of growth and there has been a lot of publicity about what we call the eastern retail corridor, which is High Point Town Center, Prattville Town Center and Bass Pro Shops. Prattville Square, which is one of the Prattville’s oldest shopping centers at the intersection Highway 31 and Alabama Highway 14. It is owned by Innes McIntyre out of Montgomery and they are doing a remodeling. There is a site there for a grocery store. I know there is a grocery store company that is not from Prattville and not in Prattville. They are from Lakeland, Fla., where their home office is.

CABJ: Of course, we’re talking about Publix. Is Publix interested in other Prattville sites?

Byard: They are looking at different places.

CABJ: What are some other areas of the city that will see retail development?

Byard: We have some retail space on Highway 14 by McQueen Smith Road and the interstate – a site a large grocer may want to look at or a big-box. On the western part of Prattville on Highway 14 and the U.S. Highway 82 area, you have the country club and International Paper and there are some retail spaces available. A grocery chain has looked out there. We have a lot of rooftops being built to the west. The average citizen thinks all retail is going east and that’s not true – there are companies looking at the central part of Prattville and to the north and to the west.

CABJ: How soon are you expecting an announcement from Publix?

Byard: I don’t know what the time frame is. I know that Connie (Bainbridge, Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce president and director of economic development ) and some of the developers have been working on attracting some grocery retail in the western part of Prattville.

CABJ: Bass Pro Shops, Target and Parisian have announced new stores in Prattville. Will we be hearing from some other big-box retailers soon?

Byard: I would anticipate an announcement for a home improvement store at Prattville Town Center. I’m bound by confidentiality; I can’t tell you the name of the store.

CABJ: Prattville already has a Lowe’s.

Byard: We already have a Lowe’s and you can guess what the other one will be – a large, nationwide home improvement store. I think you will see announcements on the High Point Center side of two more anchor stores.

CABJ: The developers – McClinton & Co. have said there will be three department store anchors.

Byard: I’m just giving you some names. I’m not telling you these are coming, but I think you’ll see a Dillard’s type-store, a Penney’s type-store. I think you can look around Montgomery – look at EastChase and the shopping center where Best Buy is – I think we are ripe for a Best Buy or Circuit City or both. I think we would be ripe for a larger type bookstore; I think we are ripe for a Kohl’s. What you are going to see is that Montgomery is the economic engine of the River Region. The Montgomery metro area is a two-store market area. There are going to be two Parisians, two this and two that and we have defined ourselves as the shopping hub north of the river. I think you are going to see a lot of those second stores in the Montgomery metro area opening their doors here in Prattville. I think it makes sense as Montgomery moves east – we’re north – those people in the center part of Montgomery proper can choose to come to Prattville. The people who live north of the river will naturally migrate to our shopping areas. Then you throw in the tourist aspect with Bass Pro and that’s a tremendous regional draw. With that synergy of Bass Pro and those type of retailers, I think we are laying the ground work to become that hub north of the river.

CABJ: Are there any major retailers in Montgomery that we won’t see in Prattville?

Byard: I don’t know. I think they will follow some of these larger stores. Because of Bass Pro you may see some names not in Montgomery.

CABJ: Will Prattville also gain more national chain restaurants?

Byard: Yes, they are coming.

CABJ: When will the new retailers open?

Byard: Prattville Town Center will open July ’07. Bass Pro is shooting for an April ’07 opening, but I think it will be a summer opening. Parisians announced it will open in spring of ’08. In the next 12 months you will see some stores open and from 12-24 months we will have a lot of good ribbon cuttings.

CABJ: I’ve counted six big-box retailers coming to Prattville: Bass Pro, Target, Parisian, two other department stores and a home improvement store. Those six will likely hire a combined 600-plus employees. Then you add all the specialty stores and restaurants. What is your ballpark estimate on how many employees will be hired over the next 24 months?

Byard: I think you could conservatively say in the neighborhood of 1,500 jobs – full and part time. And that’s conservative. It’s probably going to be higher than that. There are some good opportunities for folks not to mention the hotels that are opening. There are several hotels planned and an expansion at The Legends.

CABJ: Are rooms being added to The Legends?

Byard: No, they are not adding rooms. They are adding a ballroom.

CABJ: Where will all the new workers be living? How many homes have been proposed, approved or are under construction?

Byard: HomePlace will have 700-800 homes – that’s on the drawing board. Plus, we have a lot of homes going out west.

CABJ: Prattville’s retail sales topped $500 million in 2005.What are city officials projecting for 2007-2010 as the new retail outlets come on line?

Byard: We have projected an additional $300 million-plus in annual retail sales.

CABJ: In an earlier handout, you stated that private investment will grow by $150 million by 2007. Do you have a breakdown for the $150 million?

Byard: The breakdown of the additional $150 million private investment for 2007 includes only Prattville Town Center, Bass Pro and the additional (meeting) space at The Legends Conference Center.

CABJ: The city has borrowed $47 million to help finance the retail development, including incentives. You are projecting an annual return of $9.4 million or 20 percent. Is that a conservative projection?

Byard: The city has borrowed only $19 million so far, however, when all is said and done, we will borrow $47 million. The 20 percent is conservative. In fact, all of our projections regarding these retail projects have been conservative.

CABJ: Is this the last major retail revolution for Prattville?

Byard: As a hometown mayor, I don’t want to see us change too much. We are progressing – we have progressed tremendously with the golf course, Bass Pro and Parisian. I think we – with we being the city government, City Council and city leadership – need to go out there and get these retailers while there is a window and that window is here. I think that we did a fantastic job of going out there and saying this is what our constituents want. They said they wanted Target, they wanted Parisian, they want some shopping amenities and we went out there and it worked. I think we have reached a plateau for a while. You are going to see some fill in. I think you will see more corporate job creation.

CABJ: Could you elaborate on that? Could Prattville gain some regional corporate headquarters?

Byard: We had the exciting announcement of the AIDT (Alabama Industrial Development Training) and the Alabama Technology Network headquarters coming to The Legends office park. There’s only so much retail. Ten years ago we opened Super Wal-Mart and everybody was excited. We had a Belk and that was our first major department store and that was wonderful. Now you see us step into that next level. It takes 10-15 years to move from one level to the next, but I think you are going to see us move to that. With those exciting retail announcements we have the LPGA Navistar Classic for three years. That is a tremendous opportunity to not only showcase Prattville, but the entire River Region and that’s a step up from the Nationwide Championship, which was a good boost to our economy for five years in a row.

CABJ: What it is the city’s future?

Byard: I think you see us stepping up and who knows what the future will hold. I think our future is only bright. We have the challenge to manage the growth, to continue to promote and have that hometown spirit and have that pride in community. The vision of City Hall is for you to get off the interstate and realize you’re somewhere different. You’re not in a cookie-cutter town. It’s clean, it’s vibrant, it’s secure and it’s safe and it’s different. Our stores look a little different and have a hometown feel. I think we have done a good job at creating that. With intersection improvements and roadway improvements in the retail trade corridor on Cobbs Ford Road you will continue to see that.

CABJ: Getting back to the office park. Will we see Montgomery companies moving to Prattville?

Byard: You will. AIDT and ATN are combining and coming to Prattville. ATN’s headquarters is in Birmingham and AIDT’s is in Montgomery. They have 45-50 jobs in Montgomery and 10-15 jobs in Birmingham. I think we have something out there (The Legends office park) that other communities don’t have.

CABJ: What is it?

Byard: We have Legends conference center that is a great asset for training and they have the amenity of the golf course, which is a great place for recreation.

CABJ: What’s the latest with Legends Park, the office complex at HomePlace?

Byard: The corporate headquarters for River Bank and Trust will be built out there. Courtyard by Marriott is under construction there. The AIDT/ATN center is expected to open in spring ’08. The attractiveness of being close to the interstate, close to the state capital, The Legends is known throughout the state, the golf course is known throughout the state and when you combine that with the location, the office park will be a natural success. The Legends also offers a heliport. You laugh at that, but there are clients who view our area. We have taken a lot of the retail prospects in the helicopter and showed them the sights and the proximity we are to Montgomery and EastChase. That heliport is just a part of the economic development toolkit that Connie can pull out. If somebody needs that we have one and that’s a big deal.

CABJ: Let’s talk about industry. At one point, Prattville landed Venture Industries, a tier one supplier for the Hyundai manufacturing plant in Montgomery, which would have brought 600 jobs to the city. But the company went bankrupt and Prattville did not attract a Hyundai supplier. Now Kia is planning to build a manufacturing plant near the border with Georgia. Could Prattville still land a supplier?

Byard: We are out there every day vying for industrial job creation. We are a little different than other communities. We invite companies into our community; we are not going to take just anybody that comes along. Sometimes we are a victim of our success. Our average manufacturing wage is higher than some counties around us.

CABJ: How much is it?

Byard: The average is $10.48 an hour. If a company comes in and says our average is $9.50 an hour, we say that’s good but you need to look elsewhere. We are not going to (give incentives) to anybody lower than that $10.48. I heard some criticism that we lost the Hyundai supplier, but I’m one that always is going to think that the glass is half full. I’m always going to be an optimist. As the No. 1 cheerleader for Prattville – in retrospect with Venture going away, it worked in Prattville’s favor. I don’t know if we could have afforded to pay the incentives that we were paying Venture and to have money to lure the retailers. There are people who are going to say you need to have industrial jobs and we do. I think our focus has moved toward tourism and retail development. We are a service economy. Those incentives that you pay retail pay back quicker than a pure industrial incentive.

CABJ: Your saying retail development gives you more bang for the buck.

Byard: I have a lot of friends all over this state that are mayors and there are a lot of them who would love to trade some of their heavy industrials for the retail we’re getting because it does pay the bills. We are a tax-based economy. We have a great number of management and front-line workers at Hyundai and the tier one and tier two suppliers who live in our community, recreate in our community, educate their children in our community. We want to give them opportunities to spend more money in their hometown.

CABJ: At one time, a majority of people in Prattville left town to go to work. With all the jobs being created, there will be fewer commuters and perhaps more Montgomery residents coming to work in Prattville.

Byard: About 45 percent (of the workers in Prattville) commute every day out of this county to work. My mom has driven our whole life to a job every day in Montgomery. If she wants to shop at Parisian right now she will shop after work. If there is a Parisian close to her home, she’s going to come home. We are also going to have the folks who work in the office park hopefully shop on their way home. We compete every day for jobs, for retail, for rooftops. We are never going to be as big as Montgomery. We don’t want to be as big as Montgomery. Our goal is not to be bigger than anybody. Our goal is to offer quality, premiere city services to our residents. We do that by bringing in sales taxes so that they can pay for the (city) employees and pay our employees a good, decent living wage and offer amenities to our citizens. That’s what we’re about: quality of life. Every penny that the city spends is quality of life whether it’s straightening street signs, picking up litter, resurfacing the streets, good fire department, good police department, good wastewater department. I actually had one supplier tell me he is not interested in quality of life. If somebody tells me that then I’m not interested in them coming to our community because quality of life is important to our citizens.

CABJ: Business executives will say success breeds success. Is that what is happening to Prattville right now? Are there businesses now looking at Prattville that before the recent wave of retail development didn’t know the city existed?

Byard: We are known around the state as a progressive city, we are known as a can-do community. If you have an issue, we are going to work with you.

CABJ: What was the city’s image?

Byard: I grew up here when some of our neighbors to the south thought Prattville was a little country community and we probably were. Some of those same neighbors who said that probably wished they had bought land (here) when they could have afforded it. We are right now a hot area. That’s a fact. Auburn-Opelika that’s a hot area. Madison and Pelham are hot areas across our state. The city of Prattville was quoted on the front page of the International Council Shopping Center’s magazine – Shopping Center Today. People that normally did not look (at Prattville) are looking at us. Economic development, whether it’s retail or pure industry is all about relationships. You don’t just call Red Lobster or Carrabba’s or Target and say I’m the mayor of Prattville or wherever and say you need to be in our city. You have to have some relationship and our civic leadership has worked real hard and tried to make those relationships and foster those relationships.

[DruidCity]

The key line :
Bass Pro is shooting for an April ’07 opening, but I think it will be a summer opening.

[neilson]

I'm kinda suprised that they didn't address the fact that Parisian has been bought by Belk and within 2 Years Prattville could potentially have 2 Belk Locations in the City.

[bystander1]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I heard that the mayor has purchased property on Dexter Ave. for the new parking deck. :)

[thoraudio]

I'm kinda suprised that they didn't address the fact that Parisian has been bought by Belk and within 2 Years Prattville could potentially have 2 Belk Locations in the City.

it said 'recently'... the interview may have been done prior to the purchase.

[thoraudio]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I heard that the mayor has purchased property on Dexter Ave. for the new parking deck. :)


the mayor, or the city?

[Brown Duckz]

I'm sure the city.... :haha:

[bystander1]

Hmm, surely it must have been the mayor, on behalf of the city... ;)

[bystander1]

City beats home sale downslide

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser

http://www.knology.net/~unlmtd/misc/bild.jpg
Construction continues at Wyndridge in Montgomery, where the housing market remains strong.
-- Zach Long

Sue Prestwood was ready for a long wait after she put her Cloverdale home on the market at the beginning of May.

A day after she listed it for more than $240,000, her home of 31 years was sold. And the best thing was she got her asking price.

"I lost my husband last year in August, and it was just more house than I needed," Prestwood said. "I thought it was going to take a couple of months at least."

In a time of softening home sales, stories like Prestwood's are getting harder to find. Across the nation this week, some of the hottest home markets began showing severe signs of distress. In states such as California and Florida, ultra-high prices started to fall and buyers began to disappear.

While Montgomery is showing some signs of slowing, by and large the market here remains strong and homes continue to sell. The reason: Montgomery wasn't on the bubble. According to some estimates, home prices here were as much as 10 percent undervalued at the start of the year.

"We didn't get to participate in the run-up, and we are definitely not going to have to participate in the fall-off," said Sandra Nickel, a local real estate agent who focuses on midtown neighborhoods like Cloverdale and Capitol Heights.

Bill Gulas works with Birmingham-based The Entrust Group, a company that administers the purchase of real estate for retirement plans and watches the market closely.

He said he believes the market will see "pockets of reduction" and a general flattening of home prices in the coming months, but not "a major eroding of value."

In addition to market analysts like Gulas, home builders, real estate agents and wholesale housing suppliers all say the tri-county market is running strong.

Home sales in 28 states softened in the second quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors.

This includes Alabama, which lost a half of one percent -- 600 home sales -- over the previous year, according to numbers provided by the Alabama Real Estate Research and Education Center.

In Montgomery, things actually picked up this summer. In the past year, the average sale price of a home in Montgomery increased from $154,669 to $170,550, the center stated. In June, the market had its best month for the year with 602 home sales.

Added together, May and June sales exceeded the previous year.

There are signs, however, the area market could slow going into late summer.

The center hasn't released July numbers just yet, but Nickel said the market began to slow last month.

"I have noticed that many of the home builders have inventory standing longer than in previous years," Nickel said.

Pete Farrior, president of Lowder New Homes, said there has been some slowing in the high-priced home market, but sales of more affordable homes continue to be strong.

For Lowder, "inventory has not started to build up" and "we have very few homes that are finished homes (and) ready for someone to occupy."

Part of the reason, Farrior said, is that mortgage rates are still well below historical highs. Strong stock market performance this week caused mortgage rates here to drop to their lowest point in months.

After months of hovering in the 6.5 percent range, Montgomery-based Residential Mortgage advertised a 5.99 percent fixed-rate 30-year mortgage Wednesday. Those low rates have real estate agents enthusiastic home sales won't drop off too severely as autumn arrives.

[...] (http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060820/NEWS/608200323/1001)

[Brown Duckz]

Montgomery real estate will continue to be on fire for the time being.... :hell:

[Brown Duckz]

Councilman still set on water park

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


Support for City Councilman C.C. Calhoun's drive to bring a water park to west Montgomery washed away months ago, but he's continuing his push and hopes for a new attraction by next summer.

Calhoun said he is not trying to alter the master plan for the $13.5 million Gateway Park, but wants to purchase land adjacent to the golf course and add the water park as an additional attraction.

"It would be a great economic benefit for Interstate 65 and west Montgomery," he said. "I don't see why anybody would be opposed to it."

Other council members and Mayor Bobby Bright have said they were concerned whether the location was feasible and about diverting funds from other features at the park.

The city-owned and operated park has a nine-hole golf course and clubhouse that opened this spring. Future plans include a lodge, ball fields and walking trails.

Calhoun cited a recent Montgomery Advertiser article about the under-utilization of the golf course as proof of the need for the water park.

Bright has said none of the city parks, including Gateway Park and Lagoon Park, generate money for the city. He said the purpose of the parks is to provide recreation for the community.

Calhoun believes the water park would pay for itself and generate economic activity surrounding the location. He said Auburn and Dothan have smaller populations than Montgomery and have had water parks for years.

"I don't see why I can't get the support from a council that says they're in favor of economic development in west Montgomery," Calhoun said.

Several council members, including James Nuckles and Willie Cook, said they would not support any measure that would detract from completing Gateway Park. They said the community was involved in the planning for Gateway Park and helped determine the attractions. Those did not include a water park.

Nuckles does not want to replace free recreational activities with a water park that would require a fee for residents to use.

Bright said he is willing to provide land for a water park in Montgomery, but the plan needs to be rational and reasonable.

"I am not against a water park, but I've got to make sure it is right for the quality of life and financially for the city," he said.

Bright said developers wanted the city to provide the land along with several million dollars and then would manage the property and take the profit.

"I would love to have awater park in Montgomery, but we need a viable partner," he said.

Councilman Glen Pruitt also supports a water park. He said the city has earmarked $6 million to complete Gateway Park with fields, a walking trail and a lodge, but the money could be used for economic development in west Montgomery.

"The best use of that money is trying to bring economic development to that side of town and that is a water park in my opinion," Pruitt said. "I think that it would work if people gave it a chance. People didn't think Biscuits stadium would work, but it has and has exceeded our expectations."

Calhoun said several acres of land are available adjacent to the park. He said the land currently has closed, abandoned or struggling businesses.

"We can incorporate and add to and enhance those businesses instead of letting it sit and die on the vine," he said.

Some people argued the water park would be seasonal, but Calhoun said most parks are seasonal.

Contractors sent in bids to the city earlier this year and they said the city would need to contribute funds and the land to build the water park. A feasibility study questioned whether Montgomery and the surrounding area has the population to support a water park.

The feasibility study also questioned whether the income could support the debt service on the investment and whether the proposed location in southwest Montgomery was a good site.

The study said at least 11 acres would be needed.

Council members agreed in March to set the water park proposals aside.

[Capital Heights]

Did y'all make like W and go on a 6 week vacation?

[thoraudio]

nope.... just nothing worth reporting right now... everything is being built...

[bystander1]

Speaking of everything being built, the last two weekends downtown showed that those parking decks are needed badly...especially considering the fact that they were supposed to have been built before 2006.

[Brown Duckz]

Anticipation builds for Bass Pro Shops
By Marty Roney
Montgomery Advertiser



PRATTVILLE -- The excitement over landing a giant outdoors retailer is starting to wane, leaving residents and city officials wondering when they'll finally get to show off their new Bass Pro Shops store.

"If they want to hit that target date, they had better get to work," said Hal Williams of Prattville.

An avid outdoorsman, Williams said he's eager to see some work being done on the Bass Pro Shops site.

"You look across the road at the Target shopping center and they are running wide open," he said. "The Bass Pro folks had better get started before the wet winter weather sets in."

Bass Pro, scheduled to open in spring 2007, will be an anchor in the 900,000-square-foot High Point Town Center on Cobbs Ford Road. Just across the road, Target and Home Depot will anchor the 400,000-square-foot Prattville Towne Center.

Road work to improve access to the two large shopping centers is scheduled to begin within the next two to three weeks. The work will include widening Cobbs Ford Road from Alabama 6 to Interstate 65 and building a median. Traffic lights and turn lanes will be installed at the intersection of Rocky Mount and Cobbs Ford roads.

"I'm not looking forward to the road construction because traffic is bad enough as it is," said Melody Davis, who works in Montgomery. "But I am glad they are doing the work before the stores open. There is going to be an unbelievable amount of traffic once everything opens."

Bass Pro officials could not be reached for comment, but plans on file with the Prattville Planing Department show the company expects to have the 130,000-square-foot store open by late April or early May 2007.

Mayor Jim Byard said Prattville officials are working with developers, state elected officials and Bass Pro representatives to set a groundbreaking date.

"I have talked with Bass Pro representatives, and they have awarded a construction contract and say they are getting ready to go to work," Byard said.

"They want to be open by the target date. Personally, I think that's a little optimistic, but Bass Pro thinks it can be accomplished."

[bystander1]

I've got a question. How many times and ways can Marty Rooney re-hash this very old news story? At least 12 to 15 times a month he has this story printed with a slight variation of the same quotes every time it's printed. Hopefully, he'll wait until some new info is given before it takes up more space next time.

[Brown Duckz]

Interstate Construction In Montgomery Ahead Of Schedule

Construction work on the Interstate 65 river bridge in Montgomery is weeks ahead of schedule, according to state highway officials.

The state is currently widening the interstate there. Construction crews are half-way through putting up the huge beams that'll become part of the new 6-lane bridge.

The entire job should be finished by December of next year.

And what's going on at Edgemont Avenue and 65? Large sheets of steel are being driven into the ground. It's the advance work of the interstate widening project. Construction crews are driving a steel encasement that'll protect area utilities such as power lines, cable and gas.

Eventually Interstate 65 will be six lanes stretching from U.S. 80 to the Northern Boulevard.

[thoraudio]

I'd just like to point out that as of last nights game, the Biscuits attendance for 06 was 308,000. Exceeding last years 303,000. And we're in the playoffs too :) .

Rankings as of 8/28

Jacksonville -- 401,301
Montgomery -- 308,202
Birmingham -- 265,186
Tennessee -- 243,802
Mississippi -- 232,309
Carolina -- 230,619
Chattanooga -- 227,410
Mobile -- 204,506
Huntsville -- 158,775
West Tenn -- 90,453

go Biscuits! ;)

(still the dumberest name ever.... but I like em)

[Brown Duckz]

The Biscuits are HOTT!

[Brown Duckz]

What kind of capacity does Jacksonville's stadium have?

[Scoots71]

Jax's stadium is I believe near 11000. Not too mention the city is 4x larger than the Gump.

[Brown Duckz]

While were on the Biscuits!

Martinez's HR hits train, costs mayor more money

By A. Stacy Long
Montgomery Advertiser


Montgomery manager Charlie Montoyo searched for exclamations to describe the Biscuits' 2-0 win Tuesday over the Birmingham Barons.

"Jiminy Christmas. That was the biggest game of the year," he said. "Holy cow. What a game."

Gabriel Martinez cashed in with a seventh-inning home run, Evan Longoria added an eighth-inning shot and Montgomery registered its league-high 19th shutout.

The Biscuits, who have won nine of 10, lowered their magic number to clinch a South Division title to three. Their magic number is two for a playoff berth.

Pennant fever, and the pressure it entails, goes with the Biscuits to Mississippi for a season-ending series that starts Thursday.

"I don't think there's any pressure on us right now," said starting pitcher Jason Cromer, who threw
five shutout innings because of an hour-long rain delay.

"We're playing well and the pressure is on the other teams trying to catch us. We have the upper hand."

With five games to play, Montgomery leads Jacksonville by three games and Mobile by four. The Biscuits will make the playoffs unless Mobile rallies to win the division.

"I don't think there will be any extra pressure," Longoria said. "We're playing good baseball right now, and we'll try to take that same attitude and motivation to Mississippi.

"We feel pretty content with the way we've been playing. If we just keep doing what we're doing, we should be fine."

Martinez added a $1,000 bonus for his seventh-inning homer that broke a scoreless tie.

His 10th home run of the season squarely hit a passing train -- one traveling from Mobile to Atlanta, according to the local CSX trainmaster.

Mayor Bobby Bright pledged $1,000 before the season to any Biscuit who bounced one off a passing train.

Bright was at Tuesday's game but left because of the rain delay. He also coughed up a grand for the same feat in 2004.

It's uncertain when Bright will pay up because Tuesday was Montgomery's last regular-season game. The Biscuits have ideas of what Martinez can purchase with his largesse.

"He'll have to buy beverages," Cromer said.

Relievers Brian Henderson (2-2) and Jean Machi (15th save) finished Montgomery's shutout.

Henderson gave up two hits over 21/3 innings, while Machi survived a scary ninth. Birmingham's first two hitters reached base, but a popout and a double play sealed the Biscuits' win.

"I don't know what will happen these next five games, but give this team credit," Montoyo said. "These kids have done a great job to be in this position."

[Brown Duckz]

Checkup.

I witnessed the remodeling of 100 Commerce yesterday. Every floor has renovations going on right now. There is only one tenant left in the building, Action Legal. I was in there picking up a copy job for the firm yesterday.

There are also cranes on the riverfront - anybody know what's going on?

[thoraudio]

Checkup.

I witnessed the remodeling of 100 Commerce yesterday. Every floor has renovations going on right now. There is only one tenant left in the building, Action Legal. I was in there picking up a copy job for the firm yesterday.

There are also cranes on the riverfront - anybody know what's going on?

I think they are putting in the final large sections of the riverwalk.

[Capital Heights]

I believe that construction on the portion of the Riverwalk behind the train shed is now underway.

[bystander1]

They are also getting ready to begin construction of the observation tower near the Intermodal deck.

[Brown Duckz]

Faulkner plans $5 million dorm

By Bob Lowry
Montgomery Advertiser


This artist's rendering shows Faulkner University's planned women's residence hall on Atlanta Highway, at the site of the old Skatehaven skating rink.
http://cmsimg.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DS&Date=20060831&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=608310341&Ref=AR&Profile=1001&MaxW=300


Faulkner University is planning to build a $5 million women's residence hall along Atlanta Highway on land that was once a skating rink, the school announced.

The old Skatehaven, a popular hangout for teens in the 1970s and '80s, also was where three youngsters were murdered before it closed in 1996.

The property then was purchased by Faulkner trustee Lamar Harrison of Mobile and donated to the private Christian university. The building later was razed.

Now, the school has hired Infinity Architecture and M.T.S. Construction, both Montgomery firms, to design and build a 46,000-square-foot dormitory with 79 rooms and 149 beds, said university spokeswoman Leigh Brannan.

Other rooms will include a kitchen, a computer laboratory, a lobby-den area with overstuffed chairs, two fireplaces, televisions and an exercise room. Each dorm room will have space for two students, but there will be a wall dividing most of the room to provide privacy.

The new dorm is scheduled to open in time for the 2007-08 academic year, said Brannan. After the women's facility is completed, a similar but smaller dorm for male students will be built adjacent to it.

Faulkner followed the lead of Huntingdon College this summer by announcing it will introduce football next fall. Brannan said that's part of the reason for building new dorms -- the anticipation that football will attract more students.

Project architect Rick Wendling said the new women's dorm will have a traditional college look with a red brick exterior, but "we'll be putting some touches on it to dress it up."

The three-level L-shape building will have a lobby where the "L" intersects with exposed beams and a wooden deck, said Wendling, whose firm has done 11 major projects for Auburn University.

Amber Wiginton, 18, a freshman from Tallassee who lives on campus, said she plans to move into the new dorm next fall.

"It looks really nice," she said. "The dorms we have right now are OK, but they are older. It (new one) reminds me of a lodge with the fireplaces."

Skatehaven's image was damaged badly began in the early morning hours of April 15, 1978. That's when a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were shot five times each outside the skating rink. Jerome Vincent Berard, who was a former employee of the rink and a friend of one of the victims, is serving a life without parole sentence for their murders.

A third youngster, 12-year-old Tabitha Ross, was fatally shot March 24, 1991 -- an innocent victim of a midnight gang-related shooting in the Skatehaven parking lot. Aaron Rudolph, who was 17 at the time, was convicted in Tabitha's death and sentenced to 99 years in prison.

"It was a building that caused a lot of heartache," Harrison told the Montgomery Advertiser in an earlier interview.

But Brannan said Faulkner is taking a positive view of the construction of the dorm over the site with a troubled history, adding, "That's pretty much been a nonissue for us."

"It (new dorm) enhances the property and facilities around it," she said in a statement. "Thanks to Faulkner University's dedicated efforts to care for their students, the area that was once Skatehaven is now a safe haven for our students."

[thoraudio]

Ahh.... Skatehaven... skating, disco lights, shag carpet on the walls... astroids and that weird football game with the ball you'd roll...