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  #321  
Old Posted Apr 27, 2011, 3:03 AM
ttownfeen ttownfeen is offline
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Wouldn't it be great if the old draw bridge across the Black Warrior between downtowns Northport and Tuscaloosa could be rebuilt as a pedestrian bridge to connect the street scenes in both sides of the river?
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  #322  
Old Posted Jun 5, 2011, 8:26 PM
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Federal Courthouse Pictures

Courthouse Expected to be Completed by October 26th

You should really look through the pictures of the new Federal Courthouse in Tuscaloosa as it is right now. It's absolutely gorgeous, looks like something you'd expect to see in Washington DC.
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  #323  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2011, 4:13 AM
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As I've opined before, it looks great, if we were in antebellum Richmond, but totally out place in a modern city, which is what Tuscaloosa ought to aspire to be. Oh well, it's not as though my tax dollars are being used to pay for this...

Anyway, the city has set up a virtual townhall where you can add your own ideas about how you think the city can improve the tornado damaged areas. You can also comment on ideas proposed by others. Lots of good ideas presented so far with ample discussion.

http://townhall.tuscaloosaforward.com/
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  #324  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2011, 4:18 AM
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Looks like construction is well underway for the river market by the library. The Corps of Engineers facilities were pretty-quickly demolished and the foundation of the for new building being constructed now.

Work on the Transportation Museum is also on-going.
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  #325  
Old Posted Jun 18, 2011, 7:17 AM
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Aside from the virtual downtown website and the public meeting mentioned in this Tuscaloosa News article are there any other ways for the community or students to get involved in the rebuilding process? Coming from a part of the country where businesses can only have small monument signs and must be completely shrouded in landscaping to hide the parking lot I feel like I have a lot of ideas to share.

I know a lot of the students share my views on the unsightly signs and lack of landscaping especially in the hard hit areas by the tornado. Hopefully the residents of Tuscaloosa that are there year round feel the same way and will be able to guide the city in the right direction. The disaster was terrible but long term I think it will serve as a great opportunity to improve the city.
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  #326  
Old Posted Jun 18, 2011, 7:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cityscapes View Post
Aside from the virtual downtown website and the public meeting mentioned in this Tuscaloosa News article are there any other ways for the community or students to get involved in the rebuilding process? Coming from a part of the country where businesses can only have small monument signs and must be completely shrouded in landscaping to hide the parking lot I feel like I have a lot of ideas to share.

I know a lot of the students share my views on the unsightly signs and lack of landscaping especially in the hard hit areas by the tornado. Hopefully the residents of Tuscaloosa that are there year round feel the same way and will be able to guide the city in the right direction. The disaster was terrible but long term I think it will serve as a great opportunity to improve the city.
Fortunately, Mayor Walt Maddox has been a big proponent of city planning. The previous mayor actually tried to do away with the planning department... at least that's what my planning professor told us. Downtown has changed completely in just the last 4 years that I've been at school. Businesses are returning and the work on improving the are hasn't ceased.

As far as helping with the rebuilding and presenting ideas for it, that townhall website that ttownfeen posted is actually starting to get a lot of traffic, and is being used by the city to gauge ideas and public opinion. You might want to present an idea there.

Unfortunately, my focus has shifted more towards GIS now that I've completed my planning coursework, so I'm really not to familiar with anyone that you could speak to in the actual planning department. I think that someone on this site, however, should have an idea of what to do.

BTW, thanks for your interest!
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  #327  
Old Posted Jun 26, 2011, 5:46 PM
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Pate will redevelop McFarland Mall into an open-air mall to be called "Encore Tuscaloosa".

Tuscaloosa's McFarland Mall could have new tenants, new look

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Within the next 18 months, McFarland Mall could have new look, new tenants and a new name.

That’s the time frame Stan Pate, the mall’s owner, said he is looking at to bring a new shopping experience to Tuscaloosa.

“We will be calling it Encore Tuscaloosa,” he said last week.

The name “Encore” evokes a comeback, Pate said.

In show business, performers return to the stage to give fans something extra special during an encore. Pate said that’s what he wants to do with the mall that he purchased two years ago.

Encore will have new buildings, new landscaping and new retailers for the Tuscaloosa market, he said.

The retailers will include some major national chains that are not in West Alabama now. Pate declined to name the retailers, but said he had commitments, was in various levels of discussions and working on letters of intent and leases.

“It will be a big project. It will be the biggest project for this area in the next 10 years,” he said. “My goal is to create the new first-class project for retailing and for retailers.”

Pate said the redevelopment will cost more than $50 million and will be an open shopping development rather than an enclosed mall.

“We have been negotiating with various retailers,” he said. “We hope to set the bar higher for retailing.”

Pate, who was involved in the initial development of Midtown Village before selling the unfinished project to Cypress Equities, said Encore will be bigger than Midtown and have some larger retailers, but gave no details.

The redevelopment likely will be built around current McFarland tenants like TJ Maxx and Dollar Tree, which are in the mall building, and Books-A-Million, which has a free-standing store on the property, Pate said.
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  #328  
Old Posted Jun 26, 2011, 7:57 PM
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Kinda worries me cause Stan Pate has always had a history of trying to skate around the rules and bent zoning and planning ordinances. BUT, this is still good news, and should be very successful.
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  #329  
Old Posted Jun 26, 2011, 10:42 PM
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Don't you just love how the developers can never disclose exactly who it is that they are negotiating with?

Also, if this is to be a high-caliber development, TJMaxx and the Dollar Tree (no offense to them) will have to go. Michael's got the hint and left for McFarland Plaza, a criminally underused location.
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  #330  
Old Posted Jun 30, 2011, 3:43 AM
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Does anyone know what they are building at the old Fiesta Grande location next to Arby's? It looks like they've got it all framed up but I can't quite tell what it is.
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  #331  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2011, 11:35 PM
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Originally Posted by bamastu13 View Post
Does anyone know what they are building at the old Fiesta Grande location next to Arby's? It looks like they've got it all framed up but I can't quite tell what it is.
I know what you're talking about, but I don't know what it is either.
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  #332  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2011, 12:02 AM
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Seems the T-News is feeling esp. patriotic this Fourth so they have written a boat-load of article detailing many of the civic projects that have been recently been completely or on-track to be completed soon (Amp, Courthouse, Riverwalk, Transportation Museum, etc.)

Amphitheater:

The Amp sits on land that was once home to a local swimming hole

Quote:
It's common knowledge the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater was built atop a landfill, but fewer people remember the landfill itself capped another entertainment venue: Stallworth Lake.

Built in 1918 by damming 4 acres of marshy land, Stallworth Lake was a waterfront hot spot for early- to mid-20th century Tuscaloosa families, with boardwalks around the perimeter, a slide on the north end and a tiny island in the middle. There was a pier on the western side that extended to a tiny boathouse. In 1930, admission to the lake cost 15 cents for adults and 10 cents for children.
Tuscaloosa Amphitheater plans go back at least eight years

Quote:
The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, which opened April 1, has roots going back at least eight years, to a proposal drawn up in summer 2003 as part of the city’s riverfront master plan.
Tuscaloosa native Wendy Riggs brings experience to the Amp

Quote:
Wendy Standeffer Riggs won the job as Tuscaloosa's first director of amphitheater operations over 89 applicants from around the country, including 11 whom Mayor Maddox interviewed in person.

“To me, it was the best of both worlds,” Maddox said in Sept. 2010. “She won the job based on her experience and the job that she did in the interview. It was just a little gravy that she was from Tuscaloosa, and had hometown roots.”

Riggs worked for 28 years in arts and venue management, marketing, consulting and teaching, from Las Vegas to Orlando to Atlanta, where she was mostly recently director of Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company. She'd also been commuting to Mobile last summer to work as interim executive director for the port city's Centre for the Living Arts.
RME says the key to success doesn't lie in big shows

Quote:
When Gary Weinberger first heard of Mayor Walt Maddox's plan for an amphitheater in his former hometown, he thought, “It's crazy.”

A native Tuscaloosan and graduate of the University of Alabama with family still in the area, Weinberger knows mayors tend to enjoy long careers in the Druid City.

“But when I heard about this, I thought, ‘[Walt Maddox is] going to be a one-term mayor,' ” he said.

Weinberger, with partner John Ruffino at Red Mountain Entertainment, knows something about concert venues and operation. At their former company, New Era, they built Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, now Verizon Wireless Music Center, in Pelham.

As RME, they consult with and help promote others, such as Orange Beach's Wharf Resort. RME promotes concerts from big acts to more intimate settings like the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater and the Wharf. According to Pollstar, it was No. 17 of the top 50 North American concert promoters in 2007.
Upcoming acts include Clarence Carter, My Morning Jacket and Steely Dan
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  #333  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2011, 12:06 AM
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Riverwalk:

Riverwalk will stretch from Capitol Park to Manderson Landing

Quote:
Leading to and from the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater is the city's Riverwalk, an ambitious — and expensive — beautification and walking trail project that, ultimately, will require decades and millions of dollars to complete.

The latest phase will connect the Bank of Tuscaloosa Plaza and the gazebo at River Road Park West.

When complete later this month, it will cross the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facility, where the city is constructing the new River Market, and will complete an uninterrupted path along the Black Warrior River from Capitol Park to the Park at Manderson Landing, a distance of just less than two miles.
Farmer's Market:

New facility slated to open in January to house Tuscaloosa Farmers Market

Quote:
With the Riverwalk snaking by, construction on the city's River Market is officially under way.

City officials said contractors have begun laying the block foundation around the perimeter of the building as the underground plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems are being installed.

When finished, the $3 million, 18,000-square-foot facility will house the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market and the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission.

It also will serve as a community center that users can rent out when the Farmer's Market isn't operating.
Transportation Museum:

Transportation Museum set to open in August

New Transportation Museum will showcase Tuscaloosa's history

Quote:
One of the city's historic buildings is almost ready to reopen, this time as a shrine to the history of Tuscaloosa and West Alabama.

The finishing touches are being put on the Mildred Warner Westervelt Transportation Museum, located in the former Queen City Bath House off Jack Warner Parkway.

In order to display the history of the area through its ties to various modes and methods of movement, the city undertook a 15-month, $1.53 million renovation of the bathhouse that incorporated the history of the building.

Designed by Don Buel Schuyler — an apprentice of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1940s — the building retains the original exterior and relies on natural light inside.
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  #334  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2011, 12:07 AM
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Courthouse is crown jewel of city’s urban renewal project

Quote:
The beautification of downtown Tuscaloosa continues with the aid of about $7 million in federal money.

Design work has begun on Phase II of the Downtown Urban Renewal Project, which is an enhancement of a two-block area bordered by Seventh and Eighth streets and 21st and 23rd avenues.

This will include decorative lighting, relocated utility lines and improved sidewalks that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It is funded by two separate grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and construction on these new renovations could begin by late September, city officials said.

This new project goes along with Phase I of the Downtown Urban Renewal Project, which saw about $40 million in federal grants through HUD and the Federal Highway Administration spent on streetscapes and the creation of the Government Plaza, the 1.5-block park adjacent to City Hall.

Of this, the city of Tuscaloosa invested about $900,000, according the latest project construction tabulation that the City Council signed off on earlier this year.

Part of Phase I’s high costs came from property acquisition and relocation of tenants within the initial four-block renewal area. These led to the construction of the $12.5 million intermodal facility and 400-space parking deck, 80 percent of which was funded with federal dollars, and the Federal Courthouse building that is under construction near Seventh Street and University Boulevard and 20th and 21st avenues. So far, $47 million has been awarded for the courthouse’s construction, but the final cost of the 127,376 square-foot building won’t be known until it’s completed, officials said.

The massive Greek-style building is lined with six columns and sits in the middle of a nearly 5-acre site with a sprawling lawn fronting University Boulevard. Workers are busy with finishing touches of the interior, exterior and grounds of the structure, which is expected to open in late October.

One half of 1 percent of construction costs of federal buildings must be spent on public art, and the final of 16 murals, each measuring 14 feet by 9 feet and depicting the history of the area, was still under way last month. The last painting will portray the city after the April 27 tornado, and show residents rising from the destruction to help others.

The Downtown Urban Renewal Project is more than these streets and buildings. The grand scheme contain seven phases and, if completed, will enhance almost all of the city’s downtown area.
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  #335  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2011, 12:27 AM
ttownfeen ttownfeen is offline
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Finally, I was able to take some photos of the courthouse construction. It's mostly done, I think.

Front view (from University Blvd):




I don't know what this is (a very large planter?), but there are two on both sides of the front courtyard.


East wing:



Back view (from 7th St.)




The facility has an enormous basement, probably for security transport:


That's all from me today. Happy Fourth!
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  #336  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2011, 4:47 AM
bamastu13 bamastu13 is offline
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I saw those planter things the other day and didn't really know what they were for. Whatever they are, they're gonna look good when they are done! That is a massive basement too. Is there parking underneath?
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  #337  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2011, 8:12 PM
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Awesome post and thanks for the pics. Looks like the amphitheater just added Widespread Panic.
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  #338  
Old Posted Jul 6, 2011, 2:37 AM
ttownfeen ttownfeen is offline
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Originally Posted by bamastu13 View Post
I saw those planter things the other day and didn't really know what they were for. Whatever they are, they're gonna look good when they are done! That is a massive basement too. Is there parking underneath?
There is likely parking in the basement, I think, but it would be limited to employees for security reasons. Most likely the driveway will be blocked by a security gate.

Fireworks over the Tuscaloosa Amp(hitheater) (inconveniently blocked by the bigass floodlight center-right) and the Hugh Thomas Bridge. The Farmer's Market (which is moving to the Riverwalk) is bottom right.


Last edited by ttownfeen; Jul 6, 2011 at 3:00 AM.
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  #339  
Old Posted Jul 19, 2011, 4:33 AM
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The Birmingham Biz Journal posted an article about this this morning, but the Tuscaloosa News finally picked it up. Or... they just now put it online. Anyways...

Student Housing Complex to Replace Delaware Jackson

A $41 Million, 337 unit, housing complex is expected to be complete at the site by August of 2012.

This site is roughly bounded by Edward Hillard Dr., the railroad tracks, DCH parking lot, and UA Law School. It will contain 774 beds. The firm that is constructing the complex has said that it will match the look of the rest of the university.

I'm kinda confused though... they kinda make it sounds like it's going to be part of the university. Not sure if that's the case, or what.
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  #340  
Old Posted Jul 19, 2011, 3:16 PM
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Interesting take, but I'm sure there are more fine points that need to be hammered out:

City consultants unveil proposed rebuilding plan
Officials, residents invited to influence the final version


TUSCALOOSA NEWS

By Jason Morton
Staff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | An exhaustive proposal for revitalizing the areas of Tuscaloosa affected by the April 27 tornado is now in the hands of City Hall.

Facts
Proposed master plan
A proposed master plan has been released to City Hall by BNIM, the consulting firm hired by the Tuscaloosa City Council to develop a master plan for rebuilding the areas of Tuscaloosa damaged on April 27. The public will have a chance to comment on this proposal on Saturday at Central High School. The plan presented during this community forum may include additional changes imposed by Mayor Walt Maddox and the City Council.

What's next
Here is what will happen before the final plan is adopted:

Aug. 2: Mayor's presentation of the plan to the Citizens Advisory Committee and the City Council for review.
Aug. 15: The Citizens Advisory Committee presents the plan, along with it's suggestions or changes, to the city's Planning Commission.
Aug. 23: The Planning Commission's recommendation is due to the City Council.
Aug. 27: Plan could be formally adopted during this regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council.

The 96-page document centers on seven key elements — ranging from a citywide greenbelt and walking trail to village centers and multi-use neighborhoods. The document grew out of five weeks of brainstorming and idea-gathering from city officials, business owners and the Tuscaloosa Forward Task Force.


I'm glad to see that they've designed more greenways to connect all the parts of the city that were affected. Its a great use of the land that most people would probably have overlooked. Interesting to see that they point out the future bypass in the map.
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