Montgomery development news

[kevinlpugh]

Would you agree that the land that runs adjacent to I-65 would be a good place to put some tall office builds or some kind of office complex? I think a company would pay mega money to have a board room at the top of a building that had a view of the Montgomery skyline...

[Brown Duckz]

Originally Posted by kevinlpugh

Would you agree that the land that runs adjacent to I-65 would be a good place to put some tall office builds or some kind of office complex? I think a company would pay mega money to have a board room at the top of a building that had a view of the Montgomery skyline...

It could be our own "Buckhead" ....

[Chad Emerson]

The reason one can confidently predict that Cobbs Ferry Road will simply evolve (devolve?) into an Eastern Blvd (and then--over time--Southern Blvd) replica is because that's the pattern for this type of development all across the country.

Indeed, nowhere in the Southeast (or, for that matter, our entire country) has this type of massive single separated use development ever aged well.

Nowhere.

So, while in the short term, the number of shopping options in Prattville has certainly increased in size and quality, as soon as the accelerated depreciation value of those buildings is realized in ten years and less, then that I-65 exit will begin the painful process of becoming a major eyesore.

Not because I hope so. And, not because I have any secret info.

Only because that's been the inevitable result everywhere in the U.S. that this type of growth has occurred.

[bystander1]

^^ I've told some of my co-workers about that same thing you're talking about.
They think I'm being pessimistic, but I'm just being realistic.

The more new shopping centers, the more empty buildings there will surely be along that stretch as retailers leave for "newer" areas in years to come (Like Memorial Drive, for example).
Prattville has been slow over the years to get the retail that's finally coming now, and so it has not experienced the national "empty box" situation yet.

[thoraudio]

Planning commision votes on adopting the redevelopment plan today.

Downtown improvements up for vote

By Kenneth Mullinax
Montgomery Advertiser


The Montgomery Planning Commission decides today whether it will approve a series of urban design, transportation and policy principles to guide the redevelopment of downtown Montgomery for years to come.

Commissioners will vote on the final adoption of the Downtown Montgomery Plan, which will cost the city $10 million and reap a series of private partnership investments aimed at bringing the downtown area back to life, said City Planner Ken Groves.

"I feel the plan will be adopted on Thursday without any major modifications because each member of the planning commission and over 800 residents participated in putting it together," Groves said.

The plan was created by Dover, Kohl and Partners, a town-planning firm in Coral Gables, Fla. The finished proposal recommends several basic prescriptions for reanimating Montgomery's dying downtown area such as removing policies that impede the reuse of older buildings, expanding green and civic spaces and adopting new zoning regulations that give property ownersmore options, Groves said.

Montgomery Planning Commission Ken Upchurch said the plan helps eliminate urban sprawl.

"If we only move east, we will have a ghost town for downtown Montgomery," Upchurch said.

The first phase of the plan includes a $1.5 million Court Square Plaza renovation; restoring the historic downtown building facades; converting one-way streets to two-way; redeveloping the Five Points business district and marking the Montgomery route of the Selma to Montgomery March.

Creating an arts district and restoring the Lightning Route electric trolley line from Union Station to the State Capitol are some of the proposed long-term projects.

"These dollars, both public and private, that are being invested in our central city area through this plan, are important insurance that will help Montgomery be a healthy city from the inside-out to the east," Upchurch said.

Groves agrees.

"This is not Ken Grove's plan, it's the community's plan," Groves said "and if adopted, it will help bring our downtown area back to life."

[kevinlpugh]

They are actually working on getting the place up and running. Here's proof:

http://www.freddiebs.com/slideshow.swf

http://www.freddiebs.com

[Brown Duckz]

300 jobs coming to Montgomery

By Crystal Bonvillian
Montgomery Advertiser


A new business is coming to Montgomery, bringing with it at least 300 jobs by year's end.

The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce this morning announced the arrival of ER Solutions Inc., which will operate a call center out of the Crescent Center, located at 2400 Presidents Drive in Executive Park. The center will begin training its first 20 employees on March 12.

An open house will be held Feb. 27 for potential employees, who will serve as customer service representatives, said Wally Sherer, vice president of sales for the company's consumer division. The employees will take calls from customers of various regional utility companies, as well as a national telecommunications company.

ER Solutions is a subsidiary of Convergent Resources Inc., one of the 10 largest accounts receivable management companies in the U.S. Its headquarters is located in Atlanta.

[Brown Duckz]

Downtown improvements up for vote

By Kenneth Mullinax
Montgomery Advertiser


The Montgomery Planning Commission decides today whether it will approve a series of urban design, transportation and policy principles to guide the redevelopment of downtown Montgomery for years to come.

Commissioners will vote on the final adoption of the Downtown Montgomery Plan, which will cost the city $10 million and reap a series of private partnership investments aimed at bringing the downtown area back to life, said City Planner Ken Groves.

"I feel the plan will be adopted on Thursday without any major modifications because each member of the planning commission and over 800 residents participated in putting it together," Groves said.

The plan was created by Dover, Kohl and Partners, a town-planning firm in Coral Gables, Fla. The finished proposal recommends several basic prescriptions for reanimating Montgomery's dying downtown area such as removing policies that impede the reuse of older buildings, expanding green and civic spaces and adopting new zoning regulations that give property ownersmore options, Groves said.

Montgomery Planning Commission Ken Upchurch said the plan helps eliminate urban sprawl.

"If we only move east, we will have a ghost town for downtown Montgomery," Upchurch said.

The first phase of the plan includes a $1.5 million Court Square Plaza renovation; restoring the historic downtown building facades; converting one-way streets to two-way; redeveloping the Five Points business district and marking the Montgomery route of the Selma to Montgomery March.

Creating an arts district and restoring the Lightning Route electric trolley line from Union Station to the State Capitol are some of the proposed long-term projects.

"These dollars, both public and private, that are being invested in our central city area through this plan, are important insurance that will help Montgomery be a healthy city from the inside-out to the east," Upchurch said.

Groves agrees.

"This is not Ken Grove's plan, it's the community's plan," Groves said "and if adopted, it will help bring our downtown area back to life."

[bystander1]

Another huge amount of jobs could be on the way.

Two of the four companies the governor is trying to lure to the state with special incentives are wanting to locate in Montgomery.

Originally Posted by WSFA.com

Hyundai Changes Economic Landscape, Two More Companies May Be Coming To Montgomery

D.J.'s Bar-B-Que just may be the perfect example of what Hyundai has done. Created more business for Olivia Rhodes and then some.

"We serve about 75 to 100 Hyundai employees per week," said Rhodes.

Another way to put it into focus? When Hyundai Motor Manufacturing arrived a few years ago, the company said it would hire 2,000 people. Today, 3,152 work at the sprawling plant and that doesn't include tier one suppliers. Add those numbers to the mix and you're talking real jobs, 12,000.

So what about all this talk of at least two major companies looking at Montgomery? Right now Alabama lawmakers are meeting in a special session to pass bills that would allow the state to borrow up to $750 million dollars in incentives for prospective corporations. Alabama is competing against Louisiana for at least one of the 4 prospects.

"It means opportunities," said veteran lawmaker Representative John Knight of Montgomery.

No one is saying on the record what kind of businesses are looking, but together they could add nearly as the same number of jobs Hyundai originally estimated.

"Between 1,700 to 2,000, especially just for Montgomery alone," said Knight.

"A huge impact," said Montgomery County Commissioner Todd Strange.

Alabama offered Hyundai some $250 million in incentives. Now that lawmakers are looking at borrowing more money, there is always that concern the state is giving way too much. After all, we're talking about taxpayers' money.

"It's a fact of life. Anytime you get into an incentive situation we always do a cost-benefit analysis. You figure out the rate of return and if it doesn't work then you start negotiating," Strange said.

"If we didn't think we could afford it, then it wouldn't be on the table," said Knight.

And what about the job pool. Are there enough employees to meet the needs of a new company? 12,000 are working because of Hyundai. Locally, the unemployment rate is 3 and a half percent.

"You can pull from Prattville, Millbrook, Lowndes County, 82% of the jobs are here in Montgomery, we can pull from this tri-county area," Strange said.

In the end economic experts say it comes down to this; sometimes you have to spend money to make money, and no one is benefiting more from that than the lady at D.J.'s Bar-B-Que.

"We got 4 new hotels since Hyundai," said Rhodes.

Another impressive number. Hyundai at first estimated its payroll at 99 million.. now it stands at 232 million.

Reporter: Bryan Henry
wsfa.com

BTW...
Rumor mill: Close sources say that one of the companies is an engine plant.

[neilson]

Question, what was formerly located at the Freddie B's site?

[RSAHort]

It was a Brunos years ago.

Here is Freddie B's website. If you click on photo gallery they have pics of the interior demolition.

http://www.freddiebs.com/

[jatrippe]

The new structure at the corner of Atlanta Highway and Mitylene in front of Walmart looks like a fast food restaurant. Anyone heard what it is yet? Also, there are some renovations going on at the old Steak N' Shake on Atlanta Highway. Anyone know what's going in there?

[thoraudio]

Originally Posted by neilson

Question, what was formerly located at the Freddie B's site?

I remember when it opened.....

as an Albertson's

[neilson]

Originally Posted by thoraudio

I remember when it opened.....

as an Albertson's

Albertson's in Alabama? That's crazy. Btw, where were the old Delchamps locations in Montgomery and what's become of them?

[Brown Duckz]

Originally Posted by neilson

Albertson's in Alabama? That's crazy. Btw, where were the old Delchamps locations in Montgomery and what's become of them?

I think they were bought out to make room for Bruno's if I'm not mistaken, at least on the eastside.....

[Brown Duckz]

New Automotive Industry for Auburn

A new automotive supplier is setting up shop in Auburn.

Korean-based Seohan Auto USA and Seohan Driveshaft USA will occupy a 250,000-square-foot building in Auburn's industrial park.

The two companies manufacture the front and rear axle assembly for Montgomery's Hyundai plant.

Auburn economic development director, Phillip Dunlap, says the sophisticated machining operation will bring about 170 new jobs to the area.

In all, the project represents a capital investment of about 33 (m) million dollars.

Thirteen automotive suppliers are already located in Auburn.

Officials say construction on the new facility will begin immediately and should be complete by the end of the year

WSFA 12 News will bring you more on this story on the news at 5, 6, and 10.

[Brown Duckz]

Alabama's Governor Helps Mississippi Land Toyota Plant


Governor Riley says he tried to help Mississippi land the Toyota assembly plant because it will provide jobs in Alabama.

Toyota announced on Tuesday that it will build an assembly plant in northeast Mississippi near Tupelo. The plant is expected to employ two thousand people. Riley says he had been in contact with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour when the state was competing for the plant and he had provided assistance.

Riley says he and Barbour have tried to take a regional approach to economic development. And Barbour has supported Alabama's efforts to attract the ThyssenKrupp steel plant to the Mobile area.

That plant would be close enough to the state line to provide jobs in both states.

[Brown Duckz]

Special Session Latest: Committees Approve Incentives Package for Luring New Businesses


House and Senate committees have approved a proposed constitutional amendment to raise by 400 million dollars the amount the state can borrow to offer incentives to lure new industry.

State Finance Director Jim Main says the extra borrowing power is needed to pay incentives to German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp. The company is considering locating a two point nine billion dollar steel-making plant in Alabama about 25 miles north of Mobile or between New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana.

Alabama Development Office director Neal Wade says the chances are -quote- "50-50" that the plane will be built in Alabama.

Main told the House General Fund Appropriations Committee Tuesay that the extra borrowing power could also help lure as many as 30 new businesses to the state. Those include an engine plant that would employ 500 to 1,000 people in the Montgomery area and a railroad car plant that would hire 1,500 in the Shoals area of northwest Alabama.

The General Fund committee and the Senate Finance and Taxation-General Fund committees voted unanimously in favor of extending the state's borrowing power.

The House Education Appropriations Commitee and the Senate General Fund committee approved a proposed amendment creating two trusts to insure that there will be enough money in future years to pay retirement benefits for retired state employees and teachers.

The committee votes came on the second day of a special session called by Governor Riley.

[Brown Duckz]

Louisiana Governor In Europe Fighting Alabama For Steel Company


Competition between Alabama and Louisiana for a German steel mill is heating up. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco took six state lawmakers with her to Germany in her bid to woo a major steel manufacturer to build its new two-point-nine billion dollar plant in south Louisiana.

The new facility is to be built by Duesseldorf-based steel maker ThyssenKrupp A-G and will provide 27-hundred steel-making jobs. Blanco's group left Sunday for Germany. They return tomorrow. ThyssenKrupp A-G hasn't decided between a site near Mobile or one in Louisiana, along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Governor Bob Riley met with company officials in Germany earlier this month. He called the Alabama Legislature into special session this week to approve a 400 (m) million dollar incentives package for the plant.

The Louisiana Legislature approved a 300 (m) million dollar fund late last year to lure the plant to the Saint James Parish site.

[Brown Duckz]

School expansion could crowd out Dalraida residents

By Antoinette Konz
Montgomery Advertiser


Four homeowners asked the Montgomery County Board of Education to spare their homes when it comes time to purchase land for the renovation of Dalraida Elementary School.

Dale Mapp's home is one of five houses located on Johnstown Drive, which is directly behind the school. He and the other four homeowners said they received a letter from a real estate agent shortly before Christmas that offered them contracts to sell their homes.

"We love the Dalraida area, and we are all for expanding the school and making it better," he told the board Tuesday. "I just don't think the school needs to expand at the cost of my home."

Mike Solomon's family has lived in their Johnstown Drive home for 17 years.

"We want the school to do well, but we do not want to be displaced," he said.

Dalraida is one of several schools that will be renovated in the first phase of a massive Montgomery Public Schools project. The plan calls for 35,000 square feet of new construction at Dalraida, while the existing 30,000 square feet will be renovated.

School officials confirmed Tuesday that they had sent a letter to all five homeowners, but only to see if they were interested in selling their homes.

"We are interested in acquiring some land over there because we are going to need additional access that will allow us to build a new building without having to tear down an existing building," said Gerry Adams, assistant superintendent of operations for MPS. "We simply asked if they would be willing to sell, based on comparable prices in the area."

Ken Upchurch, the program manager for the first phase of the building plan, said he believes there was a misunderstanding between the homeowners and the school district.

"It was just a question that was blown out of proportion," Upchurch said. "If we don't ask questions, we won't know the answers. There are several other options that we can look at."

The homeowners say they just want to know what is going to happen.

"We've been living in limbo for the last few months," said Teresa Hudson, another homeowner. "We don't know what's going to happen or when."

Adams said the district still may be interested in the Johnstown Drive property, but a decision won't be made and a recommendation won't be given to the school board until he looks at all the other options.