Birmingham Discussion Thread

[TimCity2000]

lot of good events going on this weekend... magic city brewfest, slicefest, symphony in the park, art crawl (thurs night)...

[SpawnOfVulcan]

UGH, if only I could attend any of them.

[TimCity2000]

Birmingham dreaming big this week. Why not?

Birmingham one of six cities bidding to be host of 2016 Democratic National Convention

Birmingham making bid to host 2021 World Games with projected $256.5 million economic impact

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

Birmingham dreaming big this week. Why not?

Birmingham one of six cities bidding to be host of 2016 Democratic National Convention

Birmingham making bid to host 2021 World Games with projected $256.5 million economic impact

The Olympics were the biggest longshot of the century, but this actually seems attainable. Given the amount of time the city would have to plan this, if selected, it's reasonable to assume that this could give some more momentum to the dome/mixed-use-facility project. The infrastructure boost, though, would probably be the biggest shot in the arm. It would be difficult to find financing for the stuff the city needs without the insurance this kind of event would provide.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by tascalisa

The Olympics were the biggest longshot of the century, but this actually seems attainable. Given the amount of time the city would have to plan this, if selected, it's reasonable to assume that this could give some more momentum to the dome/mixed-use-facility project. The infrastructure boost, though, would probably be the biggest shot in the arm. It would be difficult to find financing for the stuff the city needs without the insurance this kind of event would provide.

The AL article mentioned we don't need any new venues, but I agree that this should be a no brainer as a reason to build the new mixed use facility. I would rather not have to ship people all across the city to Rickwood, Legion Field and Barber's (although the latter is very nice). The bulk of the events should take place downtown (uptown).

There's plenty of lead time to get the transit system shored up, the only problem I see is that is around the time 20/59 should be getting repaired. ALDOT will have to make sure it is finished by the time the games begin...if we win.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by tascalisa

I think the possibility exists for Anniston to be added a short time after the I-20 widening is finally complete. The increased capacity might make it more appealing for someone to commute.

I don't know if Tuscaloosa will ever be added as long as it's job growth rate outpaces Birmingham. It would probably take some pretty impressive job growth around Birmingham to make much of a difference.

From what I understand though, it doesn't matter which direction the travel is. As long as people from Tuscaloosa county, or the other two in its micropolitan area OR people from our core MSA counties go there and back, it could have a chance to get pulled in. Honda pretty much got us Talladega county on its own. I-22 will ensure Walker county never leaves us again. Gadsden is so weak I'm thinking they will soon fall (in to our CSA). But I do agree, Tuscaloosa has been a little motor on its own without much need for outside help, but I think M-B and McCalla will continue to prosper and bring the two regions together. May take a few more years, but I'm pretty confident it will be a done deal by the big 2020 census.

Just imagine a Birmingham with a ~1.6-1.7M CSA and two flagship Alabama universities in the same metro. Ok, one flagship - UA is the one. But UAB being so strong in the medical field and the anchor of southside and the fact that we have a medical/biotech research park slowly coming together too. There will be no denying that Birmingham is a major city at that point with a size equal to or better then many peer cities we have been made to feel lesser then for a long time. Nashville, Memphis, Louisville, New Orleans -I'm lookin' at you...

[mcalumni01]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbaLyY58T7g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FetVn8guq3I

[TimCity2000]

another nice article for birmingham:

Steel Magnolia - Out of the South’s civil rights struggle, resilient Birmingham blossoms anew.

[TimCity2000]

anyone else make it to cityfest last night? parkside was packed!

love seeing that energy in our city.

[mcalumni01]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

anyone else make it to cityfest last night? parkside was packed!

love seeing that energy in our city.

Yea, Parkside was off the chain Saturday. I got down there around 7 and couldn't find a parking spot within 4, 5 blocks of parkside. people was walking as far as from behind the bbva compass tower. I read on al.com that between the baron game (which was a sellout, the 8th of the year so far, 6 total all of last year) and cityfest a crowd close to 20,000 people in the parkside district. then lakeview had a block party concert so it was jammed packed. function at the junction was happening. crossplex has a swimming championship meet going on. so Birmingham was happening this weekend. we need more weekends like this often.

[TheCapstone]

Birmingham metro number 2 in the nation in millennial homebuyer growth.

[TimCity2000]

^ my own neighborhood of Crestwood seems to reflect this. houses around me aren't sitting for long, and most of the buyers seem to be in their 20s/30s.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

^ my own neighborhood of Crestwood seems to reflect this. houses around me aren't sitting for long, and most of the buyers seem to be in their 20s/30s.

I hope that means the bulk of the buyers end up in Woodlawn, Norwood, Avondale, etc. But I also recognize the fact that the east metro, particularly St. Clair co. are gearing up with large residential developments of their own.

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

another nice article for birmingham:

Steel Magnolia - Out of the South’s civil rights struggle, resilient Birmingham blossoms anew.

This is an excellent and accurate portrayal, imo TimCity2000. Thanks for sharing.

Would be interesting to know if the writer went down to the Southside, and what their impressions were.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

I was looking through the "My City Photos" section and I noticed that LSyD's Birmingham thread had been bumped by a young'n and it made me realize just how proud Randy Sandford would be of what is happening in Birmingham right now. It's such a shame that he's not here to see everything...

[TimCity2000]

Nice thought, tasc.

Randy was such a champion of this city.

[B'ham Bound]

Originally Posted by tascalisa

I was looking through the "My City Photos" section and I noticed that LSyD's Birmingham thread had been bumped by a young'n and it made me realize just how proud Randy Sandford would be of what is happening in Birmingham right now. It's such a shame that he's not here to see everything...

Just got a new Nikon to take shots of the city. Thought about Randy. I miss his presence on these forums. We all do.

[TimCity2000]

as ugly as the new VA parking garage is, I bet the top level will be an awesome place to get some panoramas of downtown

[B'ham Bound]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

as ugly as the new VA parking garage is, I bet the top level will be an awesome place to get some panoramas of downtown

The only saving grace of that otherwise unremarkable concrete heap.

[TimCity2000]

awesome new addition to Birmingham's festival scene!

Sloss Fest lineup: 25 acts confirmed for new event, including Modest Mouse, Band of Horses, Primus

•Modest Mouse
•Band of Horses
•Primus
•St. Paul & The Broken Bones
•Cage The Elephant
•Young The Giant
•Lord Huron
•Tyler, The Creator
•Purity Ring
•First Aid Kit
•Manchester Orchestra
•Big Gigantic
•Sturgill Simpson
•The New Pornographers
•Robert DeLong
•Noah Gundersen
•Cathedrals
•Milo Greene
•Paul Thorn
•Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas
•Gabriel Garzon-Montano
•Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires
•Grifters
•Kaleo
•Blank Range