Mobile Development Thread

[NitekKetin]

Originally Posted by phoenixboi08

I think development should be brought away from airport. It's too crowded I think that Prichard will play a key role in Mobile's future development. Since it's so underdeveloped, A lot could be done there. It will take some time, but businesses will come DT when there's a strong clientel and people will come when there are some diverse businesses. I think Mobile needs to take it a LITTLE slow for now, we don't want to tip the scales.

Why has real-estate never been very stong here? And why hasn't Mobile and Prichard never talked annexation? That city needs better management. And it's in a key location. Very many visitors pass that way on the interstate... but then again, I guess that Mobile would be bitting off more than they could chew.

The last time there were talks of annexation between Prichard and Mobile were in the 1970s. At the time, Mobile was going to annex not just Prichard, but Chickasaw and Saraland as well. THAT was resoundingly defeated.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by phoenixboi08

I think development should be brought away from airport. It's too crowded I think that Prichard will play a key role in Mobile's future development. Since it's so underdeveloped, A lot could be done there. It will take some time, but businesses will come DT when there's a strong clientel and people will come when there are some diverse businesses. I think Mobile needs to take it a LITTLE slow for now, we don't want to tip the scales.

Why has real-estate never been very stong here? And why hasn't Mobile and Prichard never talked annexation? That city needs better management. And it's in a key location. Very many visitors pass that way on the interstate... but then again, I guess that Mobile would be bitting off more than they could chew.

I would like to see more developments along Dauphin Island Pkwy. and Government Blvd. D.I.P really needs some help and shouldn't be neglected like it is currently. I agree though, Airport Blvd. doesn't need to much more developments...they need to focus more on transportation. I've heard talk of a BRT system planned for Airport Blvd., check this video, but no actions. Sooner or later, there will be a need for an elevated roadway. It needs something...BRT, light rail, or even streetcars.

Let's be realistic, Prichard's tax dollars isn't worth the work needed done in the city....crime, infrastucture, and blight. Residents from portions of Prichard that bordered Mobile wanted to be annex into the city during Dow's adminstration; Mobile just didn't act on it or basically said, "we don't want you". Prichard is a city of its own character, so I'm glad it didn't happen. With improved leadership and increased revenues, Prichard's future will be something good to watch by all of us.

[Muskavon]

Yeah Cotton, I thought I'd heard of Prichard annex discussions many times over the course of my 30-something year lifetime (usually by motivated Prichard residents) but I think you summed up the reason why it doesn't happen unfortunately. Cities around this area like to highly pick and choose what they grab and what they don't based on what they think they can gain, not what extra they think they'll be responsible for. This happened in P'cola about a decade ago when they drew a perfect little area around all the highly commercialized development in the Cordova Mall area while hop-skipping various chunks they didn't want the burden of. And they knew it'd work by including only a few residential spots (the ones that'd get to vote on it) who would benefit. Now presonally, I'm generally in favor of these cities taking in the areas that actually are a part of what makes them work as it makes sense and streamlines leadership, IMO. But the ways they are forced to go about it to get approval or to get the good without the bad is sometimes a bit seedy to me (and defeats the benefits noted above to a great degree).

[phoenixboi08]

YEAH! I forgot about D.I.P. I'm just so used to thinking of everything here as being MOBILE, kinda like it is in Phoenix. I think if the city keeps ignoring these areas, they are going to lose some leverage in selling Mobile's strong points... I just am not a fan of westward expansion, because of the simple fact that so many services (police, fire/rescue) are so strained. It would make sense to develope closer towards the center of the city...but what do I know?

Light on the Riverview looks awesome. Is the second building behind it used for commercial office space or by hotel management?

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by phoenixboi08

YEAH! I forgot about D.I.P. I'm just so used to thinking of everything here as being MOBILE, kinda like it is in Phoenix. I think if the city keeps ignoring these areas, they are going to lose some leverage in selling Mobile's string points... I just am not a fan of westward expansion, because of the simple fact that so many services (police, fire/rescue) are so strained. It would make sense to develope closer towards the center of the city...but what do I know?

Light on the Riverview looks awesome. Is the second building behind it used for commercial office space or by hotel management?

Its commercial office space, some law firms are in that building.

[Electrical Porpoise]

The City of Mobile has done enough for Prichard. And now Prichard is doing a great job of turning the city into a nice place and I love the local effort. But if anything Prichard needs to give back in some way because they have been a burden on Mobile for a while -- and they are doing their best, but I do not see any benefits in Mobile investing in the dense areas.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by nimsjus

Not downtown, but I was skimming the Al.com forum while I was there for the paper and one of the posters there said they heard Cheesecake Factory is working on moving into the old Copelands at Airport and Hillcrest. Anyone heard this rumor? If it is true, then that would be the first of the higher end retail/restaurants to move since the boom started. Might be a sign of things to come...

Won't be a Cheesecake Factory but a retail center....

The former Copeland's restaurant building at Airport Boulevard and Hillcrest Road is under contract to be purchased late this month by a local investor who plans to tear it down and build a 15,000-square-foot retail center, according to Justin Smith of Saad & Vallas Realty Group.

Courtesy of Kathy Jumper's column in the Press-Register.

[nimsjus]

You beat me to it...
The same article also mentioned:
Harbor Financial Services has leased 4,500 square feet on the 21st floor of the RSA Battle House Tower at Dauphin and Water streets and will move there in October, according to John Toomey and Jill Meeks of John Too mey & Co .

It will cost $500,000 for White-Spunner Construction to build a roof over the third-floor walkway that connects the Retirement Systems of Al abama parking deck off Water Street to the Battle House Renaissance Hotel on Royal Street, according to court records. The hotel's spa and fitness center are being built on the top floor of the seven-story parking deck.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by CottonCity251

Won't be a Cheesecake Factory but a retail center....

The former Copeland's restaurant building at Airport Boulevard and Hillcrest Road is under contract to be purchased late this month by a local investor who plans to tear it down and build a 15,000-square-foot retail center, according to Justin Smith of Saad & Vallas Realty Group.

Courtesy of Kathy Jumper's column in the Press-Register.

Man that sounds like another strip mall I hope not ! I hope they will build something worth going to, and no bull crap, Airport has over 20 strip malls already.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

Man that sounds like another strip mall I hope not ! I hope they will build something worth going to, and no bull crap, Airport has over 20 strip malls already.

I agree...

[Del]

Maybe not - will this be a retail centER, or a retail centRE?

[Port_of_Bama]

Centre I hope, or Town Centre .When I was at home during Christmas I saw several strip malls being built is that sort of like a new urbinism or something ? The one that is being built in the loop area righ off of Airport like heading to Subway at the loop shocked me.

[The 251]

Here are some pics I took while I was down this weekend for USA Day.
Sorry they are so large... if you hold down CTRL and scroll down with your mouse roller, the aspect ratio will adjust to fit them in your sceen.

enjoy

[bayou15]

Nice pics. The one with the guy on the park bench, where was his box of chocolates?


Also, someone in a red truck looks to be following you, Must be one of those B-Ham posters checking up on us

[bayou15]

Damn, that bank building(tombstone) needs some help!

[Port_of_Bama]

good shots man ! I wish they would hurry up and do something woth that land it`s taking some charecter away from that block. I would love to see some brown stones on that block.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by bayou15

Nice pics. The one with the guy on the park bench, where was his box of chocolates?


Also, someone in a red truck looks to be following you, Must be one of those B-Ham posters checking up on us

lol ,you gotta be the craziest man. The hell with a brown stone that block needs some hight.

[bayou15]

What block are you talking about?

[MobileLSUboy2005]

Originally Posted by Del

Maybe not - will this be a retail centER, or a retail centRE?

if its only 15,000 square feet...its only gonna be maybe 7 or 8 stores. I'm so sick of Mobile building these ridiculous little strip malls everywhere that are never worth going to!

[bayou15]

I HEAR YA CUZ