Montgomery development news - Page 135

thoraudio · #**2681** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 1:37 PM**

I know I'm in the minority here, but to me, tall doesn't necessarily mean good.

Downtown Montgomery has desperate need of infill, and going vertical eats up that growth. I would much rather see a 6 story building that takes up the entire parking lot on Bibb between Commerce and Lee, than a 12 story that only takes up half. And (to beat Bystander to the punch

), instead of a 12 story that takes up the whole lot, I'd rather see another 6 on the site of the skate park and the Alabama machinery bulding.

Imagine (if you will), a Montgomery where, instead of 4 or 5 monsterous RSA buildings, if all of that investment, and office space, had been limited to street smart 6 story buildings.

hiijakd · #**2682** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 1:38 PM**

It is part of the new smart code district, therefore 6 stories max unless there is a special exemption, which i seriously doubt. The Renaissance was before smart code and that is why it is taller.

hiijakd · #**2683** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 1:43 PM**

and well said thor, i agree. We don't need to go up until we finish going out and filling all these horrible surface lots. I love the alabama machinery building. It just needs to be redone and modernized. The thing has a parking lot on the roof so you know it could support more building on top.
the owner isn't interested in selling though. last i heard his asking price for that property was "a &^&*load" in his own words. Apparently someone made him mad.

Capital Heights · #**2684** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 3:19 PM**

I understand the concept of height restrictions, but I just do not buy into it. They way I see it is that there really is not that much vacant space downtown. There seems to be a proposal for a 10-12 story building every six months or so. If we limited them to six stories than they would necessarily have to occupy more ground space to approximate the same overall square footage. Once the vacant space is taken up by six stories buildings, then our old historic structures will be torn down to make way for more development. I would rather see buildings go up on vacant lots (Bibb and Commerce come to mind) and not tear down any old buildings. Plus, I like the skyline of tall buildings.

thoraudio · #**2685** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 3:57 PM**

height becomes necessary when you run out of ground space..... and we've still got plenty of ground space.

bystander1 · #**2686** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 8:07 PM**

What in the world is historic about the corner of Bibb and Commerce? 20 year old asphalt?

...wrong location for a six-story limit...

thoraudio · #**2687** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 8:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bystander1

What in the world is historic about the corner of Bibb and Commerce? 20 year old asphalt?

...wrong location for a six-story limit...

join us.... height bad.... infill good.... join us....

hiijakd · #**2688** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 10:06 PM**

pardon me, i meant smart code area, not necessarily a historic site. but i believe it is still a historic district. wow, slip of the keys causing all kinds of controversy.

going to huntsville tomorrow, i'll give my opinions when i get back

ExpatBaman · #**2689** Posted **Mar 13, 2008, 11:53 PM**

So the main drag of East Alabama Town (Commerce) is not historic? Hogwash. If a certain moronic mayor hadn't been dead set on personally setting off the charges to bring down the Frank Leu building, we'd be having an entirely different conversation now.

We should be talking about the renovation of this:

But because of morons who don't respect historic density, we're discussing a parking lot.

bystander1 · #**2690** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 2:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thoraudio

join us.... height bad.... infill good.... join us....

downtown is spread wide enough already...

thoraudio · #**2691** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 2:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bystander1

downtown is spread wide enough already...

don't want to spread it wider.... wanna fill in the blank spots.

Which is better? One blank spot filled in with a 12 story, or 3 blank spots filled in with 3 four storys?

bystander1 · #**2692** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 2:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExpatBaman

So the main drag of East Alabama Town (Commerce) is not historic? Hogwash.

Not the part we're talking about...not any more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExpatBaman

If a certain moronic mayor hadn't been dead set on personally setting off the charges to bring down the Frank Leu building, we'd be having an entirely different conversation now.

The Frank Lue was so severely out of current building code that it wasn't feasable for the developer to renovate it.
But I agree. A certain moronic mayor blew the chance to turn that lot into a hotel over a decade ago.

bystander1 · #**2693** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 2:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thoraudio

don't want to spread it wider.... wanna fill in the blank spots.

Which is better? One blank spot filled in with a 12 story, or 3 blank spots filled in with 3 four storys?

One blank spot with a 20+ story building...

bystander1 · #**2694** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 2:54 AM**

Oh, btw, this news about a possible hotel downtown is totally unrelated to the possible "tremendous announcement" by the city.

That's all I know...

Brown Duckz · #**2695** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 3:17 AM**

I knew it! Hyundai is going to build a 30+ office tower!

Fibb2000 · #**2696** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 3:17 AM**

Dang it! I wish you guys would stop teasing us with this "big announcement" and just give us something! A little kernel of information to hold us over

Does anyone have any guesses on what this could be?

bystander1 · #**2697** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 3:22 AM**

^^ The city won't give us any more info...us guys are just as anxious as you are.

ExpatBaman · #**2698** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 3:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bystander1

The Frank Lue was so severely out of current building code that it wasn't feasable for the developer to renovate it.

I guess they'd never heard of the International Existing Building Code back then.

If I counted right, the Frank Leu bldg had 10 stories. I wouldn't be opposed to a 10-story hotel there, as long as there was no exposed parking deck to go along with it. Hausmann's Paris, the most beloved urban area in the world, was built with buildings mostly of about that height.

Dexter, though, is a different story. Nothing above 6 stories there, ever!

hiijakd · #**2699** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 3:43 AM**

went by and checked my sources today and they said that the hotel was the announcement. but i'm not so sure that is true, i'll check again tomorrow and let you all know.
oh yeah, should be closing on the perry street loan either tomorrow or monday so work will finally be starting. woot!

hiijakd · #**2700** Posted **Mar 14, 2008, 2:37 PM**

still no more news,

hey thor, i'm going to huntsville today do you want me to beat up neilsen for you?

and for neilsen...that was a joke.. I am eating at the furniture factory tonight...is it any good?