BIRMINGHAM, AL | Urban Renaissance & Construction - Page 10

TimCity2000 · #**181** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 3:14 AM**

some updates from al.com today...

Unveiled: Birmingham's 20-story Thomas Jefferson Hotel renovation to begin this spring

this one, along with pizitz, are game-changers in my opinion. glad this one could start as soon as april. hopefully pizitz will follow shortly. love that the dirigible mast is being restored!

TimCity2000 · #**182** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 3:18 AM**

Birmingham's $30 million intermodal station set to start construction

didn't realize this one was actually 2 buildings... one block apart.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**183** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 3:20 AM**

Another story on AL.com (LINK) today telling us that the intermodal facility will begin construction this spring.

It's pretty interesting, virtually all of the entrances into the city (relative to transport mode) have basically been renovated and spruced up. Many of the interstates are in much better condition (though 20/59 could use some work on the northbound lanes as they approach the 459 interchange), the airport is almost done being reconstructed, and now the bus/train terminal is being rebuilt.

EDIT: Wow! I didn't notice that either. Before, I think the Amtrak/Greyhound station was the only image they showed! The Amtrak/Greyhound station should be taller than that rendering shows. I think if that building in the rendering were built at the scale shown in the image the roof would basically be flush with the track-level of the viaduct.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**184** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 3:29 AM**

BTW, just to give everyone an idea of what's going on the the intermodal station... Below is an image of what is there now. This is looking SOUTH.

Screen capture from Bing

The thing with the gold dome is the BJCTA (bus system) hub. The Amtrak station is that white rectangle and the stuff to the left that fronts the parking area. Most of the station is built into, and underneath, the elevated railroad viaduct that bisects downtown.

If you think you've seen a nasty American train station, you haven't seen the Birmingham Amtrak station...

atlantaguy · #**185** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 4:01 AM**

All of this Downtown news is fantastic! The momentum is obviously gaining steam, and for someone 150 miles away that doesn't even live there I'm pretty excited.

Considering the very recent past, it's almost unbelievable at times - to me, anyway.

TimCity2000 · #**186** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 4:16 AM**

agreed atlantaguy! you can feel it in the air over here. it's refreshing.

now if you guys could just send us over a couple of your 500+ footers, that'd be great!

(or the georgia dome or turner field since you don't need them anymore lol...)

atlantaguy · #**187** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 5:11 AM**

LOL! Don't even get me started on the Stadium situations over here.

I wish you guys could get a new signature tower, but the present direction going on is fantastic. Downtown has such wonderful bones, and it finally seems like everything is coming together. BHM isn't going anywhere either.

The urban fabric is going to be light years ahead of where it's recently been - new tower or not. A lot of us over here are very happy for you guys.

I really feel that all of the Downtown & urban development going on all over our region is good for all of us, and really bodes well for HSR when we can eventually find funding.

We will eventually be connected by rail faster than the drive on I-20. I'm ready for it now.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**188** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 6:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlantaguy

LOL! Don't even get me started on the Stadium situations over here.

I wish you guys could get a new signature tower, but the present direction going on is fantastic. Downtown has such wonderful bones, and it finally seems like everything is coming together. BHM isn't going anywhere either.

The urban fabric is going to be light years ahead of where it's recently been - new tower or not. A lot of us over here are very happy for you guys.

I really feel that all of the Downtown & urban development going on all over our region is good for all of us, and really bodes well for HSR when we can eventually find funding.

We will eventually be connected by rail faster than the drive on I-20. I'm ready for it now.

As for what you said your previous comment: Birmingham deserves a signature building, but because of FAA height restrictions it will never happen unless it is built on the Southside, and then it would look incredibly awkward. What I think will happen is that all of the historic towers will be renovated (Brown Marks and the Thomas Jefferson are going to be overhauled starting this year - never though Brown Marks would ever get going again), and once that happens, we might see something akin to Vancouver's skyline only a bit more interesting to look at.

I think a lot of people forget about the possibility of a quality rail connection between Atlanta and Birmingham. Nationally, people like to go, "Ooo! Charlotte and Raleigh!" and draw lines connecting them to Atlanta. But, IMO, Atlanta and Birmingham have a closer relationship than Atlanta does with the Carolina metros. That relationship will become even more important, and apparent, once ALDOT finishes widening I-20 between Birmingham and Anniston.

TimCity2000 · #**189** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 6:21 AM**

Vancouver?? You're joking right? Or I'm completely misunderstanding lol...

atlantaguy · #**190** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 6:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

Vancouver?? You're joking right? Or I'm completely misunderstanding lol...

I may be misinterpreting what tascalisa is saying TimCity2000, but I think what he meant is that Downtown could potentially be filled with beautifully restored buildings mixed in with glassy residential highrises. Just like what is going on over here in Midtown, but of course on a smaller, but no less important scale.

If everything that is happening now keeps up with the obvious demand, it really could (and should) happen.

My friends over there from my two previous jobs (don't judge) from as far out as Alabaster have had total 360's when it comes to anything North of 459. The fear of the "City" seems to be melting away.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**191** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 7:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

Vancouver?? You're joking right? Or I'm completely misunderstanding lol...

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlantaguy

I may be misinterpreting what tascalisa is saying TimCity2000, but I think what he meant is that Downtown could potentially be filled with beautifully restored buildings mixed in with glassy residential highrises. Just like what is going on over here in Midtown, but of course on a smaller, but no less important scale.

Hahaha, what I mean is that downtown Birmingham is only allowed to grow so high into the sky. Vancouver has many many buildings in its downtown of very similar height.

atlantaguy · #**192** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 7:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tascalisa

Hahaha, what I mean is that downtown Birmingham is only allowed to grow so high into the sky. Vancouver has many many buildings in its downtown of very similar height.

Exactly. Hardly anywhere can compare to the density/high-rise residential nature of Downtown Vancouver in our part of the World. One thing in common though is they can only go so tall with development, just like Birmingham.

You guys have a legitimate urban renaissance going on right now. It's time to harness and celebrate it by being loud about what you want, and collectively make into your own vision.

TimCity2000 · #**193** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 7:56 AM**

Gotcha. Makes more sense now haha.

LMich · #**194** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 8:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tascalisa

The thing with the gold dome is the BJCTA (bus system) hub. The Amtrak station is that white rectangle and the stuff to the left that fronts the parking area. Most of the station is built into, and underneath, the elevated railroad viaduct that bisects downtown.

If you think you've seen a nasty American train station, you haven't seen the Birmingham Amtrak station...

It's funny how eerie this situation is to Detroit's Amtrak station. It's also a little crackerbox of train station built into an elevated rail line that's planned for an intermodal (BRT, streetcar, and city buses along with the Amtrak) replacement. A small tower is actually a stairwell/elevator that brings you up to the level of the platform.

A new station has been in the work for years, but they seem to have never gotten around to it. And, speak of the devil, but I wrote the owners of the land that the new station will be one (the state's transportation department) just the other day, and they say they are still planning it, but offered no detail, even though they'd sunk millions of dollars into actual track repairs and siding construction along the line. lol

TimCity2000 · #**195** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 5:47 PM**

can't wait 'til al.com puts up pics from the design review meeting today.

the 15-story tower in highland looks MUCH improved.

also, plans were submitted for a negro baseball league museum to be built near regions field... hadn't heard of that before. (wonder why it wouldn't be near rickwood?)

plus, the TJ Tower was approved

TimCity2000 · #**196** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 10:15 PM**

here it is... the revised highland apartment tower.

$40 million, 15-story apartment tower on Birmingham's Highland Avenue gets green light

jslaughter · #**197** Posted **Jan 22, 2014, 11:48 PM**

Boy o Boy that tower looks beautiful. I hope this means that there will be more high rise projects in the highland neighborhood. As a resident of southside, we haven't seen a highrise since the Capri back in 2007. The highland area would be a great midtown with hopefully more condos with 15 or even 20+ stories in the next 5 years.

jslaughter · #**198** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 12:28 AM**

I do agree the we need another tower. I don't think we will have one planned until about 3 years or so. I do however think a tower could be placed south of the tracks next to the BBVA Compass tower. It would expand the skyline. Aside from the Liberty building i don't see any towers that still need work so i think we will see more residential towers built near five points.

Bamablazer · #**199** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 12:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jslaughter

I do agree the we need another tower. I don't think we will have one planned until about 3 years or so. I do however think a tower could be placed south of the tracks next to the BBVA Compass tower. It would expand the skyline. Aside from the Liberty building i don't see any towers that still need work so i think we will see more residential towers built near five points.

The Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) in a joint proposal with I think it was Daniel Realty at one time was interested in building an office tower at 19th Street between 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue North, but the company that built One Federal Plaza was able to get more commitments for space in their building. So the RSA project was scraped. Perhaps with the strong office market downtown they could find another opportunity there.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**200** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 2:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamablazer

The Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) in a joint proposal with I think it was Daniel Realty at one time was interested in building an office tower at 19th Street between 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue North, but the company that built One Federal Plaza was able to get more commitments for space in their building. So the RSA project was scraped. Perhaps with the strong office market downtown they could find another opportunity there.

With the amount of activity in downtown right now, I think it'd be tough for RSA to stay away. Of course, the state is trying to reign in the amount of power that David Bronner has, that might make it a bit more difficult for them to entire the market.