Yes you are right, I forgot about the politics.

I don't see any new Class A office space construction for a while. AT&T just unloaded a few floors onto the market not too long ago. Unless a sizable HQ/regional office relocates, most new construction will be housing and, I'm guessing, hotels to a lesser extent (if at that).

There is that property owned by the Birmingham Board of Education that is for sale at 7th Avenue or is it Park Place and 20th Street North. That would be ideal for office, condo, or hotel or even a mixed use development. Also the building that once housed a small Parisian's there on 6th avenue and 20th street N. was stressed so as to be able to add a 15 story structure above it, either a Hotel or an Office building. I saw a rendering of the building around the time they finished the 32 story Harbert building on the 19th Street end of that property.

First look: Negro Southern League Museum slated next to Birmingham's Regions Field

this should be cool... right by B&A behind regions field.

http://media.al.com/business_impact/...5915-large.jpg

http://media.al.com/business_impact/...5918-large.jpg

I do believe that this new 15 story tower in 5 points will bring more highrise residential towers to birmingham what do y'all think?

what is that building behind it in the first picture?

Hmm. Looks like my reply didn't submit. Apologies if this shows up twice.

That's the planned Inland apartment project. Same folks over Cityville.

About 250 units.

On the 3rd Ave and 16th St. corner of Regions Field.

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingha...partments.html

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/01/post_864.html

Riding by there upsets me. The Grand Bohemian that's going in the Lane Parke Mt. Brook development was slated originally for the BOE property during the Kincaid admin. Anyway... water under the bridge. But yeah, some good lots over there that would lend themselves well to a few high-density/mixed-use projects. Hopefully, it's more of when and not if.

It's definitely a matter of when. Any blocks in downtown that are of reasonable value and considerable potential should easily be bought up and developed. Either way, there's enough going on to make up for what could have been.

well i can't really tell by the rendering but it looks like about 8 maybe 9 stories tall.

I think so too. A lot of smaller companies have been scrambling to move in lately so i think the rental spaces available will dry up. Bell has been courting industry from overseas particularly the middle east trying to bring a new player to our game so I think a large investor wanting their own signature space could be coming soon.

On a smaller scale maybe even Red Diamond will come back.

Given the hideous designs coming out of Montgomery,
I would prefer RSA stay in LA.

One of my biggest concerns is that they will not do anything to the bare sides facing the interstate. I've heard that they will do extensive cleaning to the exterior.

Certainly hope so, It would be great for the businesses in 5 points because of the new competition coming its way from Uptown, Lake View and possibly the Rail Road Park area. those 3 places will start to cut into the visitor traffic as each grow and develop.

I think it is unlikely they will address the interstate sides.
I would imagine they will focus their funds in the ornate sides and interiors.
However, there is/used to be a large painted sign on the interstate side.
I hope they refurbish the sign.

I don't think 5 Points is going to suffer.
I would almost consider it entirely different demographics.
Don't forget about the new hotel going in on 20th at 5 Points!

what is that tower in the second photo? it doesn't fit the project is it a monument of some sort?

As far as further development, residential or otherwise, I think the next step in a continuing renaissance for Birmingham is going to be the development and mobilizing of a youth culture.

Consider for a moment all the most booming cities in the country right now... Portland, Seattle, Austin, Atlanta, Houston and Denver are a few that come to mind. Young people (like myself) want to be in these places because they have affordable living but also a "scene" ... trendy restaurants and nightlife, cheap warehouses and lofts for creating art and manufacturing locally, tech-friendly everything, etc. Like most revolutions, it's gotta start from the ground up.

Birmingham already has a trump card with UAB (case study: UT in Austin). There's some youth that can create the scene... then the scene draws more youth, then the youth need places to live, then apartment towers go up, then the young residents of these apartments want to forsake their cars and lengthy commute, then the booming tech, medical and finance companies want to be close to the youth to draw the talent, then the companies scout vacant downtown sites, and then they build signature LEED starchitect office towers. It's the circle of life :D

Cultivate the scene, and the snowball starts to roll.

http://www.bhamwiki.com/wiki/images/..._rendering.jpg Photo creds to Bhamwiki.
I recently came upon this. It's a shame that it never came into being. They where proposed by Mr. Shepherd in 1987 but they where rejected. The shorter tower was supposed to be 44 stories and the taller one was 77 i think. If the taller one was built it would be the tallest in the southeast (if atlanta doesn't have an 80 story tower) and we wouldn't have to worry about mobile beating us with the tallest skyscraper in alabama.

you're right. unfortunately, i think our proximity to atlanta is somewhat of a hindrance in this regard... that city is a magnet for people all over the country, so its pull is especially strong in birmingham being just 2 hours away. this past year alone, 3 of my really good friends moved there. all that stuff you described is already happening there. i'm trying to be patient lol.