Tuscaloosa Development - Page 12

Dyingyak · #**221** Posted **Oct 19, 2009, 2:24 PM**

Hell of a view from the cranes if you could get up there during game time!

SpawnOfVulcan · #**222** Posted **Oct 21, 2009, 5:52 PM**

City of Tuscaloosa has authorized a lawsuit to block the sale of Bryce to UA. Does anyone even care that the patient might get better treatment at a different location? The state should decide to do what is in the best interest of the patients. If that mean staying at Bryce, building at Partlow, moving to Birmingham, whatever it is, they should do whatever is best for patients.

Dyingyak · #**223** Posted **Oct 22, 2009, 6:25 PM**

I think the lawsuit is a little short-sided. The expansion of UA onto the Bryce campus is to good an opportunity to pass up. In all likelihood - more revenue would probably be generated in transitioning the property to University usage than having it remain in it's current capacity - or updated capacity.

Electrical Porpoise · #**224** Posted **Oct 23, 2009, 4:09 AM**

Cool video of Dynasty Park. My apologies if it has been posted.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**225** Posted **Oct 23, 2009, 4:22 AM**

Thanx for the link!

On another topic (I promise I don't mean to steal your thunder, Porpoise), I've been wondering. What is going to happen when the roads on and around campus are finally no where near enough. There's next to no room to expand them, and there are very few outlets where you can tie into larger roads.

The best think that I could think of would be some sort of tunnel. Or maybe a small rail system around campus.

What do y'all think?

ttownfeen · #**226** Posted **Oct 23, 2009, 4:52 PM**

I'm so happy that Best Buy has finally opened in Tuscaloosa. They were supposed to be one of the original tenants in Midtown but the developers changed their mind and negotiated with Circuit City.

Hopefully this a sign that economy is on the upswing and that more retail options are heading this way.

Tuscaloosa Best Buy is ready for business

ttownfeen · #**227** Posted **Oct 23, 2009, 4:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alabadrock

Thanx for the link!

On another topic (I promise I don't mean to steal your thunder, Porpoise), I've been wondering. What is going to happen when the roads on and around campus are finally no where near enough. There's next to no room to expand them, and there are very few outlets where you can tie into larger roads.

The best think that I could think of would be some sort of tunnel. Or maybe a small rail system around campus.

What do y'all think?

I don't think I understand your question, Badrock. Are you proposing a monorail around campus? Marge Simpson isn't going to like that.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**228** Posted **Oct 23, 2009, 6:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttownfeen

I don't think I understand your question, Badrock. Are you proposing a monorail around campus? Marge Simpson isn't going to like that.

Haha, what I'm saying is that, eventually, the roads that currently serve the campus are going to be incredibly inadequate. Something drastic will have to be done because the campus is in a rather inaccessible location for new roads to be built into it, aside from McFarland that is.

ttownfeen · #**229** Posted **Oct 28, 2009, 6:34 PM**

That's just a microcosm of the city's greater road infrastructure woes. Tuscaloosa is one of the densest cities in the state (at just above 1,600 people per square mile). I can't see anything that can be done to fix that other than encouraging the natural driving force for the population to spread out more evenly.

ttownfeen · #**230** Posted **Oct 28, 2009, 6:36 PM**

Developer changes plans after lawsuit

More developments in the odd situation with Dynasty Park and the new condo development that's popped up next to it (to DP's detriment).

ttownfeen · #**231** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 5:41 PM**

City OKs multipurpose facility plans

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans for the new riverwalk multipurpose facility/office space for the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation.

* The farmers market/multipurpose room will be 12,000 sq. ft. It will include garage -ike doors on the sides facing the river and Jack Warner Parkway and can be opened for the farmers market. The doors can be closed to convert the room into a banquet hall that can seat 320. It will also include a catering area and a green room for performers.

* The visitors bureau/sports foundation space will be 6,200 sq. ft. in area and will have an entry hall, gift shop, marketing room, conference room and eight offices.

The Planning and Zoning Commission also approved to developments near campus

* A mixed-used development for the currently-vacant plot on the Strip next to the gas station. The project will include a building with 9 condos and street-level retail and a building with 12 apartments behind it with a courtyard in-between. It will also have off-street parking

* A 16-unit condo project for 830 Wallace Wade Avenue, across from Bryant-Denny Stadium. It will have two stories of parking space (one underground) and four stories for the condos.

ttownfeen · #**232** Posted **Dec 7, 2009, 5:18 PM**

Looks like groundbreaking for the new federal building will start soon. There's a big pile of dirt on the block in downtown where the building is going up.

Construction begins on new federal courthouse

Quote:

According to information released by the General Services Administration, the building will be 129,000 square feet with parking. It will house the U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Social Security Administration office.

The current federal building is on Greensboro Avenue. It needs a new roof and leaked so badly earlier this year that Coogler said he had to put a bucket in his office to catch the rain.

Tuscaloosa’s federal building has only one elevator, its office space is inadequate and its computer infrastructure is substandard, Coogler said.

“Right now, we don’t have the facilities here just to operate a standard courthouse in Tuscaloosa,” Coogler said. “This will give us a courthouse that is modern and gives us the computer infrastructure we need.

ttownfeen · #**233** Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 10:02 PM**

Good news regarding one of the oldest buildings in downtown Tuscaloosa - the Allen & Jemison Building.

City's cultural arts center closer to reality

Electrical Porpoise · #**234** Posted **Dec 22, 2009, 8:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttownfeen

There's a big pile of dirt on the block in downtown where the building is going up.

Like...two of the larger piles of dirt I have ever seen in my life. Wow.

Hell of a process to finish that pile...

SpawnOfVulcan · #**235** Posted **Jan 15, 2010, 7:55 PM**

Anyone know what's going on with all the vegetation/forest clearing at Bryce? I was driving down Campus Dr the other day and noticed that on the Bryce side of Campus Dr, they were doing some MAJOR tree clearing.

So, anyone know what's up?

Jeff82 · #**236** Posted **Jan 16, 2010, 3:29 AM**

I noticed the same thing and haven't been able to find out exactly what is going on. I was told that the University wanted to get started right away with the Bryce property. That doesn't mean that this is the University starting to take over though. I have heard from a few people that the school does plan to build a new track stadium, indoor pool for swimming team, and baseball stadium with a river view.

I don't think that anybody knows what the true plans are, but that is just a little bit of what I have heard. I have also heard a rumor that the school wants really build up a medical school in Tuscaloosa. I have full faith in President Whitt and believe that he is going to make UA even better than it already is.

ttownfeen · #**237** Posted **Jan 16, 2010, 4:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alabadrock

Anyone know what's going on with all the vegetation/forest clearing at Bryce? I was driving down Campus Dr the other day and noticed that on the Bryce side of Campus Dr, they were doing some MAJOR tree clearing.

So, anyone know what's up?

New parking lot.

EDIT: http://www.cw.ua.edu/2.4648/gorgas-p...green-1.453575

Quote:

The trustees also approved a resolution allowing the University to proceed with design plans for a northeast campus parking lot. The parking lot will be built across from the Student Recreation Center on land purchased from Bryce Hospital.

Lanier said the land has not been developed and is used mostly for storm water runoff. Proceeding with the design will make the parking lot construction easier so they can know if the design will work with the runoff in the area.

"We believe that it can still be used as a valuable parking lot in the future and still manage the storm water runoff," Lanier said. "There's no field [engineering] survey of the parking lot, and that's what we need to get to."

Once constructed, the parking lot will hold 1,000 cars and about 250 recreational vehicles during football season, according to board documents.

I wish the university planning committee could add the word "parking deck" to their vocabulary...

Jeff82 · #**238** Posted **Jan 16, 2010, 4:38 AM**

That article says that it is from early 2008. The school obviously hadn't bought the Bryce land at that time.

Also, I love the idea of a green space behind Gorgas and a fountain in front of Clark. Does anyone know if that is still on for this summer? If so, next fall the campus will look great.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**239** Posted **Jan 16, 2010, 7:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff82

That article says that it is from early 2008. The school obviously hadn't bought the Bryce land at that time.

Also, I love the idea of a green space behind Gorgas and a fountain in front of Clark. Does anyone know if that is still on for this summer? If so, next fall the campus will look great.

The land that it is referring to is land that the University had purchased not too long ago. Now that ttownfeen has reminded us of this article, I now remember an article from I believe my Freshman year talking about the university buying a parcel of land. I hope my mind isn't fabricating that memory...

I remember being ecstatic about the Gorgas greenway thing. I'm wondering if it's ever still going to happen. I haven't heard anything about it since I read that article, so long ago.

I'm thinking that this new parking lot is being built to take pressure off that Gorgas lot, so that it can take over the duties after the Gorgas lot is torn up.

I wish they would go ahead and do it. I was walking to the Ferg today after history from ten Hoor and I was thinking about how ugly it was. The stark contrast between the beautiful facade of Manly Hall and the asphalt paradise of Capstone Drive. *shiver* it all looks ridiculously terrible at the moment.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**240** Posted **Feb 3, 2010, 10:09 PM**

Cranes have been erected at the site of the future federal courthouse.