BIRMINGHAM, AL | Urban Renaissance & Construction - Page 19

B'ham Bound · #**361** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 1:25 AM**

UAB has plans for a discount department store but it would be in the new student center.

"The bookstore will also be included and talks are underway with major retailers to operate a smaller version of their discount department store in the center."

http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf...g_retaile.html

SpawnOfVulcan · #**362** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 3:57 AM**

Special lighting at Regions Field tonight!

'Birmingham' all aglow: LED lights bring bursts of color to Regions Field

Jon Reed
AL.com
March 27, 2014
LINK

Quote:

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Stop for a beer at Good People Brewing Company or drive along Interstate 65 at night and a ballpark will tell you, in many changing colors, exactly where you are.

Birmingham Mayor William Bell counted down from 10 Thursday night and the 14th Street side of Regions Field, the one that screams "BIRMINGHAM" in massive letters, burst into a rainbow of colors.

It's a way to celebrate the start of Birmingham Barons' second season at the downtown ballpark, a campaign that starts off with an exhibition game Friday against their parent club, the Chicago White Sox.

"We wanted to create a signature lighting piece in honor of the Birmingham Barons beginning their second season against the White Sox," Bell said.

The LED lights change color and dance and, Bell said, are an everyday thing, not just for special events.

The lights are also part of a bigger lighting campaign that's spreading across the city, Bell said. Last June, the LightRails project brought color to the 18th Street underpass, just across Railroad Park from the ballpark.

Next up for illumination will be the 14th Street underpass, set to light up Friday night after the Barons-White Sox game, and the 20th Street underpass, Bell said. Other lighting projects will come to different neighborhoods soon.

Bell said he's excited for the future and the upcoming Barons season, a follow-up to a year when the team won the Southern League title and drew huge crowds downtown.

"Last year was a miracle season," he said. "We know it's our sophomore year, but we want our sophomore year to be just as exciting as our freshman year."

Here are some pictures from AL.com.

[URL=http://imgick.al.com/home/bama-media/pgmain/img/alphotos/photo/2014/03/-bfe150c5d8e16c78.JPG[/URL]

Via this LINK you can see a video of the colors.

Looks like Birmingham has forgotten the wish for RSA to "rainbow" the city and has taken it upon itself to accomplish the task. I'm still waiting for the Expressway tunnel under Highland Ave to receive the same treatment....

Bamablazer · #**363** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 4:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by B'ham Bound

UAB has plans for a discount department store but it would be in the new student center.

"The bookstore will also be included and talks are underway with major retailers to operate a smaller version of their discount department store in the center."

http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf...g_retaile.html

I completely forgot about reading that!!! It just never entered my mind that Wal-Mart was who they were talking about. The store in AtlantaMustang's post would absolutely fit there!!!!

Bamablazer · #**364** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 4:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tascalisa

Special lighting at Regions Field tonight!

'Birmingham' all aglow: LED lights bring bursts of color to Regions Field

Jon Reed
AL.com
March 27, 2014
LINK

Here are some pictures from AL.com.

[URL=http://imgick.al.com/home/bama-media/pgmain/img/alphotos/photo/2014/03/-bfe150c5d8e16c78.JPG[/URL]

Via this LINK you can see a video of the colors.

Looks like Birmingham has forgotten the wish for RSA to "rainbow" the city and has taken it upon itself to accomplish the task. I'm still waiting for the Expressway tunnel under Highland Ave to receive the same treatment....

This is just beautiful, the Highland Avenue Expressway tunnel would just rock!!!!

Matthew · #**365** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 4:24 AM**

WOW! I love the lighting! Birmingham's creative lighting projects are really impressive.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**366** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 4:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew

WOW! I love the lighting! Birmingham's creative lighting projects are really impressive.

I'm loving the ideas, and I hope that the city continues to push this idea throughout the city.

However, I'm a bit uneasy about the relationship between the City and the original artist (who designed the lighting for the 18th St underpass-the first "Light Rails" project). Apparently the City has been working with other artists, utilizing the original idea created by said artist.

But yea, still wishing for that Expressway tunnel...

jslaughter · #**367** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 6:27 PM**

Source:al.com

Source:al.com

http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf...l#incart_river

let's hope it gets funding.

TimCity2000 · #**368** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 1:25 AM**

Those pics are of an old proposal.

From the article: "Unlike previous efforts to redevelop the site that included new construction on the property’s parking lot, Stewart said their plans for the project are true historic preservation of what’s already there."

Sorry, no new tower... just a redevelopment of the site.

TimCity2000 · #**369** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 7:26 PM**

apologies in advance for these pics... it was nasty outside this morning, and my camera is not great. not to mention i had to stay in my car for a lot of these. anyways, here are a few construction updates:

U.S. TREASURY:

FUTURE HOME OF THE NEGRO LEAGUE MUSEUM AND "THE VENUE" APARTMENT COMPLEX:

LIV PARKSIDE

FUTURE UAB DORM:

UAB STUDENT CENTER:

UNIVERSITY FLATS:

Bamablazer · #**370** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

apologies in advance for these pics... it was nasty outside this morning, and my camera is not great. not to mention i had to stay in my car for a lot of these. anyways, here are a few construction updates:

U.S. TREASURY:

FUTURE HOME OF THE NEGRO LEAGUE MUSEUM AND "THE VENUE" APARTMENT COMPLEX:

LIV PARKSIDE

FUTURE UAB DORM:

UAB STUDENT CENTER:

UNIVERSITY FLATS:

Thanks for these updates. The Treasury building looks a whole lot better than I expected, I was dreading it because of the pre-cast walls I saw at first. I guess the glass made all the difference.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**371** Posted **Mar 30, 2014, 6:48 AM**

I and a friend were in downtown yesterday. The new lightrails project on the 14th St underpass looked great. Also, the lighting on the BIRMINGHAM sign at Regions Field looked beautiful.

TexasRE · #**372** Posted **Apr 1, 2014, 1:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tascalisa

Special lighting at Regions Field tonight!

'Birmingham' all aglow: LED lights bring bursts of color to Regions Field

Jon Reed
AL.com
March 27, 2014
LINK

Here are some pictures from AL.com.

[URL=http://imgick.al.com/home/bama-media/pgmain/img/alphotos/photo/2014/03/-bfe150c5d8e16c78.JPG[/URL]

Via this LINK you can see a video of the colors.

Looks like Birmingham has forgotten the wish for RSA to "rainbow" the city and has taken it upon itself to accomplish the task. I'm still waiting for the Expressway tunnel under Highland Ave to receive the same treatment....

Oh, do I like that! Keep up all the great work Birmingham!!

SpawnOfVulcan · #**373** Posted **Apr 1, 2014, 3:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasRE

Oh, do I like that! Keep up all the great work Birmingham!!

The best part is that you can see it from I-65.

TimCity2000 · #**374** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 3:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamablazer

Yes, that is the one. There were fresh survey markings and sticks around. It maybe nothing, I had not seen any plans for it. Someone on this thread did say that property was included in the plans for the old Firestone place across 3rd Avenue.

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

TimCity2000 · #**375** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 3:25 PM**

while this project will be a nice infill, I'm more excited about the next phase(s) that the article hints about:

55,000 sf
200 units
grocery store...

B'ham Bound · #**376** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 4:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

while this project will be a nice infill, I'm more excited about the next phase(s) that the article hints about:

55,000 sf
200 units
grocery store...

Yep. That's the project I was referring to. Sadly, I was told Publix decided not to sign on as the grocer at this time.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**377** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 6:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

while this project will be a nice infill, I'm more excited about the next phase(s) that the article hints about:

55,000 sf
200 units
grocery store...

Quote:

Originally Posted by B'ham Bound

Yep. That's the project I was referring to. Sadly, I was told Publix decided not to sign on as the grocer at this time.

It'd be cool if they could somehow get a Whole Foods in there. I'm glad that someone is actually intending to bring in a grocery store. As it is it's probably too much of a hassle to get from Parkside to maybe the Western Market near Five Points. With a grocery store, it'll be a lot easier for developers to justify building in downtown.

jslaughter · #**378** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 6:28 PM**

I'd prefer something cheaper than whole foods. Hahaha maybe a Kroger

TimCity2000 · #**379** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 6:48 PM**

i'm amazed it's been this hard to get a grocery store downtown in the first place. surely the THOUSANDS of new units coming on line will speed this up.

even without a big downtown population, a grocery store could've been taking advantage of the tens of thousands of people working in the CBD or UAB who leave at 5 and might want to pick something up on their way home.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**380** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

i'm amazed it's been this hard to get a grocery store downtown in the first place. surely the THOUSANDS of new units coming on line will speed this up.

even without a big downtown population, a grocery store could've been taking advantage of the tens of thousands of people working in the CBD or UAB who leave at 5 and might want to pick something up on their way home.

Birmingham's downtown population is already pretty big for a city its size in the US. Considering that, I too have been confused as to why it's taken so long.

Maybe the Western near Five Points is the reason?