BIRMINGHAM, AL | Urban Renaissance & Construction - Page 20

Bamablazer · #**381** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 8:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

looks like you guys were onto something...

Starbucks, apartment project could be first phase in larger downtown project with 200 apartments, retail, office and grocery store

Wow!! What a great beginning. There's a half city block across 3rd Avenue S. where Firestone is now located, and an entire city block directly across 20th Street S. from Firestone, the possibilities are endless. That area is a great location.

Tourian · #**382** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 10:40 PM**

I'm thinking it will end up being an ALDI or dare I say Trader Joe's even though the latter said that B'ham isn't on their near term radar. They have the same parent company so the distribution channels have to be in place.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**383** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 12:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tourian

I'm thinking it will end up being an ALDI or dare I say Trader Joe's even though the latter said that B'ham isn't on their near term radar. They have the same parent company so the distribution channels have to be in place.

Well, given the right project in the right part of town I would say anything is off the list. Trader Joe's may have looked at potential opportunities in Birmingham and decided that at that moment it wasn't the right time. Maybe this project is something looked for but never found.

Also, considering there's a TJ's in Knoxville and Athens, GA, I'd have a hard time being convinced that Birmingham (or Huntsville and Mobile for that matter) is unworthy.

Of course, everything I said above could be applied to virtually any other higher end retailer that we don't have around here.

TimCity2000 · #**384** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 2:12 PM**

when it rains...

this is an awesome location. block away from pepper place. couple blocks from lakeview.

also close to the davis property that was bought and planned for development... hope we hear more about that one soon.

looks like Birmingham is stuck in the 5- to 6- story range though...

Iron City Lofts six-story apartment project planned near Pepper Place

Tourian · #**385** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 3:06 PM**

That's great. I can't wait until a new big commercial development is announced to take care of all if these new residents.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**386** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 6:59 PM**

For that part of town, I don't think 5 or 6 floors is unreasonable.

TimCity2000 · #**387** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 7:00 PM**

agreed. a highrise there would really stick out. in fact, the 6 story building will likely stand out among the 1-story workshops / warehouses in that area.

TimCity2000 · #**388** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 8:02 PM**

holy crap...

another one:

Houston-based developers announce $40 million Lakeview apartment project

no pics yet, but I think this has to be the block just east of the 29Seven apartment building along 7th.

*edit*

they're calling it "The Metropolitan":

B'ham Bound · #**389** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 9:23 PM**

Insane. And what's even crazier, they'll be absorbed in no time. We're nowhere near over saturation.

TimCity2000 · #**390** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 9:26 PM**

now we just need retail to follow... the first floors of cityville and 29seven have been practically empty since they opened :/

B'ham Bound · #**391** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 9:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

now we just need retail to follow... the first floors of cityville and 29seven have been practically empty since they opened :/

Yep. That doesn't surprise me all too much. It's only two blocks away from the park but there is zero foot traffic around that area. I expect that will change a lot after Rotary Trail and some other units come on line.

Tourian · #**392** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 10:12 PM**

We're doing good but we need another big attraction to draw more foot traffic - even after all these residents get settled in. The Barons are a great start but looking for something more if a major sports team is still out of reach. Perhaps some combination of a major movie house, bowling/D&B sort of thing. If not then we need the start working on the convention center RIGHT NOW.

TimCity2000 · #**393** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 10:55 PM**

anyone know what the current population downtown is? or how to find that out?

definitely think we'll see a census increase with the thousands of new units coming online. guess that's a few years out though..

Bamablazer · #**394** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tourian

We're doing good but we need another big attraction to draw more foot traffic - even after all these residents get settled in. The Barons are a great start but looking for something more if a major sports team is still out of reach. Perhaps some combination of a major movie house, bowling/D&B sort of thing. If not then we need the start working on the convention center RIGHT NOW.

You are right. Let us not forget about the Alabama Power Company's old steam plant and the city block they bought across Powell Avenue from it, we still have not heard what it is they plan to do. It is big enough to hold a major movie house, bowling, farmer's market and a lot of other attractions.

B'ham Bound · #**395** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 11:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

anyone know what the current population downtown is? or how to find that out?

definitely think we'll see a census increase with the thousands of new units coming online. guess that's a few years out though..

REV tossed out 9,000 IIRC.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**396** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 11:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

anyone know what the current population downtown is? or how to find that out?

definitely think we'll see a census increase with the thousands of new units coming online. guess that's a few years out though..

There were around 7,000 in 2010. There are two census tracts that cover downtown so if you just find the population for those two that will tell you. I'd do it myself, but I left my external hard drive in my office, and I don't have ArcGIS on my laptop right now.

EDIT: BTW, anyone have a count on the number of units currently planned after this week.

jslaughter · #**397** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 2:52 AM**

An outdoor theatre would be nice around that area. Just a thought.

*BRAVO* · #**398** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 3:02 AM**

Dang, gone for business a couple of days and it seems I missed a few announcements.

TimCity2000 · #**399** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 4:20 PM**

Parisian redevelopment to begin in May

glad to see things moving ahead. this project was revised down to 28 units (from 50). engineering firm will occupy part of the 1st floor. developers are looking for a restaurant to occupy the other part... it would face the Lyric.

mousquet · #**400** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 7:04 PM**

^ The name isn't usurped as it does look like what's commonly developed over here in our time. What they often call "infill" on this skyscraper fan forum. Except for 2 things.

- Those comfy, generously sized glass bays that are IMO still too unusual locally over Paris, due to our harsh environmental constraints. It's just usually colder in the Paris region than in Alabama, and glass causes heat loss.

It's almost some kind of luxury over here to have that kind of cool glass bays in residential buildings, even today. That sucks for Paris.

- AND what I'm assuming to be a surface parking garage stuck to the building.

Ahhh of course, that is wrong, and you guys absolutely know how wrong it is. Parking garages must be underground now. So they'll end up tearing it down.