What are your thoughts on how to "revive" Birmingham and bring it back to life again?
Also, I don't know if any of you have a subscription to the Business Journal, but this article
here discusses the properties adjacent to the new hotel/entertainment district.
I think that what Bham really needs is just a single, dense, complete neighborhood. The development as of late is too fragmented. You'll see a new mixed-use project to boost an area, but across the street is a vacant store or parking lot. Then the next new development you hear about is a mile away. These are good projects, but in terms of urban planning you always need a solid urban core. Under the current pattern, it will take years to get a decent chunk of Birmingham thriving again, and by that time it will be too late.
In the article, the city talks about those vacant lots by the entertainment district and their ideas for the space. Their original intent was a domed stadium-no way. Now they're thinking about perhaps a future expansion of the entertainment district, "a small multipurpose facility, or an exhibition space." Please be vaguer.
All they need is just to get people living and working there. See about getting some offices and apartments/condos there.