Montgomery development news

[thoraudio]

the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced the 80,000 is a typo.

the whole lot (500 x 150 + 150 x 150) is only 97,500 square feet edge to edge, not including setbacks or parking.

it is causing concern with my group... but we're still proceeding (at a snails pace it seems sometimes )

[thoraudio]

Money to be spent on Dexter.

City to use $5 million for Dexter Avenue

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


Montgomery is getting a roughly $5 million hand-me-down from Alabama to dress up historic Dexter Avenue, possibly with a brand-new park in front of state buildings.

The money, a federal grant awarded to the state in the early 2000s, had been earmarked for landscaping the Capitol but was never used because Confederate heritage groups wanted to keep the grounds as they are.

Former Gov. Don Siegelman halted the project after the objections. The Riley administration decided the city should use the money to improve Dexter from the Capitol to Court Square.

"I am thankful the state gave it to us," Mayor Bobby Bright said.

Much of the work -- landscaping, streetscaping and paving -- will be on the blocks closest to the Capitol, said city engineer Chris Conway.

"We are converting it in to more green space and making it more pedestrian friendly," Conway said. "All of that is in the planning stages and has not really begun."

The city will use up to $700,000 to hire a consultant to create a master plan for the project.

Bright said the plan will take several months to develop. Conway said construction won't get under way for at least a year.

The city is already working on Dexter improvements that are being paid for with municipal dollars. Crews have removed the concrete, planted trees and placed benches in a park across from Court Square, which will be returned to a roundabout in coming months.

Bright hopes the improvements will help lure developers to invest more private dollars on the street.

[bystander1]

Speaking of Dexter Ave, what did you find out about the Kress building last week, thoraudio?

[thoraudio]

Didn't get to go to the Kress, maybe soon.

New Kids Museum downtown.

Museum catering to kids in works

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


An $8 million children's museum focused on science and technology will be added to the roster of downtown attractions in coming years.

The city of Montgomery and the Junior League of Montgomery are the first major investors in a plan to build the Children's Museum of Alabama in a former warehouse on Commerce Street.

Martha Demere, president of the board of directors for the Children's Museum of Alabama, said the idea came to her after visiting museums with her children in other cities. She was chair of a committee at the Junior League while it was looking for a signature project.

Demere said she believes the children's museum will complement other attractions in the city, be intended for a different age of children and help be part of revitalizing downtown.

"It is important from our point of view to create synergy and collaboration and sort of round out the picture of all thing things offered here for children," she said.

The Junior League paid Lord Cultural Studies $50,000 to perform a feasibility study, which concluded the museum could be a successful piece of downtown revitalization.

"We think we'll create a lot of pedestrian traffic, which will be nice for the downtown area," Demere said.

She said the Junior League looked for downtown property for about a year and is happy with the Commerce Street property. The building is directly across the street from the construction of the convention center expansion and a four-star hotel.

Demere said the opening date depends on the fundraising campaign, which needs to raise about $6 million more dollars.

"As soon as we raise our money, that will just make it quicker to be able to open the doors," she said.

Demere hopes the museum will be able to open in two to three years -- not long after the convention center and hotel's projected opening in September 2007.

The museum will be hands-on and geared toward children ages 1 to 10. Demere said most of the attractions in the city are intended for children 8 and older. The proposed Children's Museum will allow for more than two hours of activity for children.

The top three floors will be finished and turned into office space that will be rented out. The bottom three floors will be dedicated to the museum.

Demere said children's museums are the fastest-growing cultural attractions and draw repeat visitors. She said the museum would include permanent exhibits and space for traveling exhibitions.

The museum project has received about $800,000 from the city and about $200,000 from the Junior League.

Mayor Bobby Bright said the city is working with the Junior League to bring the museum downtown on the project. He said the city purchased the building and will lease it to the Junior League to renovate and operate.

It will be in this building.



I'll get a better pic next week

[bystander1]

Just after we've done a thread on Cottage Hill, yesterday's Advertiser said there would be a story about the history of the Cottage Hill and Highland Gardens neighborhoods. But as usual, the paper lies again about articles it promises will be in the next days' paper. And the article on page 1C is nothing like they promised to talk about.
They do it so much that you can't take them too seriously though.

[bystander1]

Perhaps thoraudio or someone else may know a little more info about this item. This sounds like another 'new urban type' development by the way it's being presented in this petition to the planning commission:

3. Z-13-2006 PRESENTED BY: Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood

REPRESENTING: Tri-W Development and Ratliff Properties

SUBJECT: Request to rezone two (2) parcels of land containing 1,444.226 acres. Parcel 1 is located on the northeast side of Ray Thorington Road, approximately 500 ft. west of Foxhall Road, from an AGR-1 (Residential Agriculture) Zoning District to an O-1 (Office) Zoning District; and Parcel 2 is located on the southwest side of Ray Thorington Road, approximately 3,500 ft. west of Foxhall Road from an AGR-1 (Residential Agriculture) Zoning District to PUD (Planned Unit Development) Zoning District.

REMARKS: This request pertains to two (2) parcels of land. Parcel 1 (14.226 acres) located on the northeast side of Ray Thorington Road is proposed to be rezoned to an O-1 (Office) Zoning District. Parcel 2 (1,430 acres) located on the southwest side of Ray Thorington Road is proposed to be rezoned to a PUD (Planned Unit Development) Zoning District. The adjacent property has R-85 (Single-Family Residential) and AGR-1 (Residential Agriculture) zoning to the north; AGR-1 (Residential Agriculture) and FH (Flood Hazard) zoning to the south; and AGR-1 (Residential Agriculture) zoning to the east and west. The intended use for this property if rezoned is as follows:

I. ACRES

Item: Single Family Residential Acres: 920.6

Multi-Family Residential
R-65-m
Acres: 48.8

Office
O-1
Acres: 11.8

Town Center
B-2
Acres: 15.2

Retail
B-2
Acres: 14.8

TND
Acres: 124.5

Institutional
Acres: 25.5

Ponds
Acres: 107.0

Wetlands, Misc.
Acres: 160.8

TOTAL ACRES
1,429.0

II. SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL

TOTAL LOTS
2,806

III. MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-65-m)

TOTAL UNITS
586

IV. ASSISTED & INDEPENDENT LIVING (INSTITUTIONAL)

TOTAL UNITS
105

The Land Use Plan recommends agricultural use.

COUNCIL DISTRICT: 8



DEPARTMENT COMMENTS

ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT: No comment received.
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING: No objections.
FIRE DEPARTMENT: No objections.
WATER AND SEWER: No objections.
COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT: No comment received.
COUNTY ENGINEERING: No comment received.
ALDOT: Please submit traffic study for future connection to Taylor Road.

***************
The fact that ALDOT wants a traffic study for future connection of this development to Taylor Road gives me the impression that this is a separate project.

Rezoning the land off of Talor Road for Hampstead has already been approved and is centered on connection to Taylor Road directly; it doesn't touch Ray Thorington Road. But this new development is centered on connection to Ray Thorington Road...both sides of it.

Hampstead is said to be built on just over 400 acres with about 1700 dwellings. This new project is said to be built on just over 1,444 acres with about 3500 dwellings.

Although Ray Thorington and Taylor Roads are in the same area of the city, is this a different development or simply an expanded Hampstead?

[thoraudio]

Article about the city possibly buying properties on Dexter Ave. The Farrior Company lists almost all the properties that are available down there, and apparantly they belong mostly to 1 guy. And he wants wayyyyyyy too much.


Asking price for the Kress building is $1.3 for 32,000 sq. ft... and little to no use as offices or residential...

City may take over property

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser

Mayor Bobby Bright wants to remove the blight from Dexter Avenue and said he is willing to use city money and even eminent domain to take control of several buildings if the owners continue to hold onto their property and allow it to deteriorate.

"If we do not strike a deal with landowners, our downtown heart could be in limbo for years to come," he said.

Bright said there must be a "happy medium" between the rights of property owners and growth of the community.

"Eminent domain has been used in the past to deal with unreasonable people," he said.

As downtown revitalization continues around Dexter Avenue, the street remains stagnant with little investment from private developers. Several current owners purchased the buildings as an investment and are holding onto them as downtown property values rise, Bright said.

"It hurts the overall growth of downtown," the mayor added.

Bright said property owners are trying to sell the buildings for several times the market rate.

"It is a burden on our growth," he said. "It deters developers from coming into our downtown areas."

Last year, the Legislature created a law that prevents local governments from seizing property for retail, economic or housing purposes. It does not address neglected property.

Bright said some of the buildings are not up to city standards and likely could be declared blighted and subsequently condemned.

The mayor said he would never take property someone lived in, but is willing to use eminent domain on deteriorating business property in vital locations.

"No one lives there. They are boarded up," he said.

The real estate agents listed for those properties could not be reached late last week.

Councilman Willie Cook, who sponsored a resolution last year against seizing private property for private enterprise and development, said he hopes the mayor has no intention of doing that. He said council members have voiced their opposition to it.

Cook said the city has shown no interest in using any statutory authority to renovate and invigorate vacant and decaying structures in the western and southern portions of the city.

"The city of Montgomery is doing so much already to revitalize the downtown area," he said. "I think some attention must be paid to other areas of the city that need to be revitalized also."

Bright would prefer to purchase buildings along Dexter Avenue and lease them at a reduced amount. He said the city would maintain control of those buildings so city leaders would have control over their future.

"Then we can monitor how they are maintained in the future," he said.

Bright said the city is exploring the purchase of buildings along Dexter Avenue, but noted the property owners are asking high prices and then expect the purchaser to spend even more to repair the dilapidated buildings.

"Improving an old building is expensive," he said.

For the price of the renovation, Bright said businesses could construct a new building elsewhere.

[bystander1]

I say take the buildings and take names!

[thoraudio]

supposed to go see the Kress building and maybe a couple more tomorrow afternoon.... Taking the camera of course

[thoraudio]

Riverfront

City to unveil riverfront

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser

The heart of Montgomery's riverfront transformation will be ready for visitors early this summer.

After years of planning and construction, Mayor Bobby Bright and other officials are delighted to know people soon will be able to see the progress.

The phase that will open first will include the amphitheater, a pavilion and 540 feet of riverfront access, including a portion that extends several feet over the Alabama River. People can fish from the riverfront, picnic on the grass or just enjoy a view of the river.

"It's going to be one of the nicer riverwalks around," said Terry Jordan, the city's project coordinator for the riverwalk construction.

The amphitheater will be ready for an April 22 country music concert, the Riverwalk Jazz and Blues Fest on April 28 and 29 and for Jubilee CityFest in late May.

Jordan said the riverfront will "be dressed up and looking nice" for the events.

[DruidCity]

Montgomerians, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the amphitheater ?

We're considering one up here, but there's some doubt in the community whether it would draw well enough to justify using such a prime piece of riverfront property for it ?

How many concerts/events does Montgomery's amphitheater expect to attract per year ? How much did it cost to build ? Thanks !

[bystander1]

This will really be the first year that the amphitheater has had true event coordination for its usage. It has been there for a couple of years now but the events put on there have been few and far between.

It has had a few "Battle of the Bands" shows where local artists compete for spots in the Jubilee Cityfest music festival. It was a great venue for Cityfest one year. It has also been used for ballets, orchestras, and a play. During the summer months the city sponsored "family movie night" on Fridays where they showed OLD movies on the big screen for free while families could have pinics on the lawn.

So far this year, there are about three concerts scheduled this spring when it reopens after some major construction. The new marketing efforts seem to be going pretty good from what I've heard, but I don't know much more about that.

I don't know exactly how much it cost because it was included with the total cost of the riverfront project ($M's).

[thoraudio]

Yadayadayada... I know, Wal-Mart = Satan (or the preferred anti-deity of your choice).

Some local communities have given tons of incentives for a Wal-mart to open, but Montgomery hasn't... yet. And you know what? I have 0 problem with them doing it for west Montgomery.

West side may get Wal-Mart

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


Mayor Bobby Bright said he expects west Montgomery to land one of the new stores that Wal-Mart will open in neighborhoods with high crime and low employment.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced Tuesday a new initiative to build 50 more stores in the next two years in struggling neighborhoods, on sites that are environmentally contaminated or in vacant malls or buildings.

"This further verifies the fact they intend to back up what they were telling me, that they intend to hunt a place in west Montgomery to locate a new store," Bright said.

He said Montgomery is not confirmed as one of the 50 sites, but he would be disappointed if the city was not included.

Wal-Mart Chief Executive Lee Scott said the stores will generate 15,000 to 25,000 new jobs and could generate more than $100 million in state and local tax revenue.

Bright talked with Wal-Mart officials nearly a month ago about his concerns with a new store planned along Chantilly Parkway and asked them to build a store in west Montgomery, where retail is scarce.

Bright said he has several locations in mind and is willing to discuss them with Wal-Mart officials.

"They committed to be much better corporate residents than they had been in the past," Bright said. "We will see in next couple of months if they intend to follow up here in Montgomery and I certainly hope they do. This is a positive indicator they plan to do what they said they would do."

The city did not offer incentives to the other Wal-Marts, but Bright said he is willing to offer incentives to Wal-Mart or any other business willing to locate in older, established neighborhoods in need of retail.

"We have some good people in some older neighborhoods that really need access to retail," the mayor said.

Scott said the initiative is expected to create jobs and help smaller business establishments in the struggling communities.

Ten of the new stores will include "Wal-Mart Jobs and Opportunity Zones" intended to help local businesses including those operated by women and minorities. They will offer grants though local chambers of commerce, free advertising and seminars on how to conduct business near Wal-Mart.

The first of the 10 sites opened in Chicago on Tuesday. The other locations have not been announced.

Wal-Mart has plans to open between 335 and 370 new U.S. stores this year and opened 341 last year. Corporate officials have said they believe there is room for more than 1,500 additional stores throughout the nation in coming years to add to the 3,200 currently in operation.

The initiative is one of several by the corporation to combat opposition and attacks from unions and organized critics.

"If they don't want to continue to be accused of a lot of things, this is a prime opportunity to prove a lot of us skeptics wrong," Bright said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[thoraudio]

City not going to subsidize a water park at this time. I agree as I think other things deserve the $$

Water park plan withdrawn for now

Montgomery Advertiser


City Councilman C.C. Calhoun reluctantly withdrew his motion Tuesday for the city of Montgomery to buy more land and expand the size of Gateway Park to include a water park.

The motion did not have adequate support from other council members.

City officials have discussed the possibility of subsidizing the construction of a water park in southwest Montgomery to help lure a private operator.

Calhoun wanted the water park for entertainment, economic development and jobs in west Montgomery.

Other council members have said they are not opposed to a water park, but want the master plan completed for Gateway Park, which will include a nine-hole golf course, a lodge, clubhouse, fishing lake, ball fields and walking trails.

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by thoraudio

Yadayadayada... I know, Wal-Mart = Satan (or the preferred anti-deity of your choice).

Some local communities have given tons of incentives for a Wal-mart to open, but Montgomery hasn't... yet. And you know what? I have 0 problem with them doing it for west Montgomery.

I agree. I don't see a problem with any incentives. I believe it would be great for redevelopment.

[bystander1]

Lets see if we can get some more info on this project...
bidclerk.com

Site work, renovation of and new construction for a brewery in Montgomery. Design plans call for the renovation of an existing building to house a microbrewery. Plans include the addition of a 20,000-square-foot building to house an upscale restaurant to include a beer garden, 300-seat banquet facility, pub and meeting area.

Obviously it's not the upscale restaurant that will be part of the convention hotel. Surely it must be downtown, but where?

[Capital Heights]

Unfortunately, the map indicates the project is in Huntsville.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by Capital Heights

Unfortunately, the map indicates the project is in Huntsville.

Think the map thing is a disguise especially since the location shown on the map is a church.
There are plans of a similar type deal in HSV/downtown but this probably isn't it.

[Capital Heights]

I do hope it is a development downtown...........Montgomery.

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Think the map thing is a disguise especially since the location shown on the map is a church.
There are plans of a similar type deal in HSV/downtown but this probably isn't it.

Yes, those maps are rarely accurate. That's by design--unless of course, you buy a subscription, which is what they really want you to do in order to get the real stuff.