Mobile Development Thread

[MobiMan]

hmmm i have an idea, the City doesnt do a great job advertising the City
so we could do our own advertising on YouTube and MySpace
lets get out our camcorders and cameras and start filming our families and friends and ourselves of course having fun DT like Picnics in the park, eating at the local DT establishments, having Coffee, walking the family dog, eating ice cream with the kids, shopping at the very few retail stores and walking out caring bags of course, just smiling laughing and socializing, and of course it needs to be of mixed races, not just one or the other

just a thought

[10101000]

Mobile has a MYSPACE already, but I did not see anything like that on there. It would be great to get a bunch of young professionals involved.

[Bogue]

On parks: There's a lot of benefit to having them. It's a fact that people who work w/in sight of parks are healthier. They have lower incidences of absenteeism, lower incidences of chronic illness (migraines esp.), and have a higher job satisfaction level (meaning less likely to leave). At the end of the day, downtown is a business district. Even if they don't actually use them, the small parks still provide a psychosomatic benefit to those folk just by being visible.

Parks also increase local property values... thus attracting a higher economic class of people. They can also spur development on their fringes. Lots of the folks who've renovated on Bienville Sq. have cited its existence as part of why they chose that location.

Large parks in a downtown area aren't really that common. The large park in Atlanta (Piedmont) is actually in their Midtown area, for example. It's much more common to find these small-sized parks.

Mobile's verdance is one of its selling points. Look on Youtube and you'll find a video of a tourist driving around town talking about how beautiful the live oaks are... That's something done by a random tourist. In Spring, our whole city blooms. Greenspaces are the #1 indicator of how much pride people take in their city. That can be your front yard, the medians, or these small parks. In Mobile in Spring you can literally SEE how much people care.

If you read the article on this particular park there's an amphitheatre mentioned. Small outdoor concert venues can allow a number of options.... the outdoor movie idea floated a while back, for example. It's possible uses would depend entirely on its size, of course. Offer the use of the space to local bands on days when the ship is in town... that's something for the tourists to do as well.

I agree wholeheartedly that we need more tourist options for the new cruisers to take in, but we have to remember that these folk are only a temporary impact. What should always be foremost is making life better for the locals. When we increase our quality of life here we make the city more easily marketable to new RESIDENTS... much more of an impactor than tourists. That's not to say "ignore the tourists"... just that we have to think comprehensively on the function of our downtown & not just focus on tourism alone.

Marketing is an area where the city is sorely lacking. I like that there's a new "Go Coastal" marketing campaign kicking off, though. We'll have to see how that works, but in the meantime I like the idea of a youtube campaign.

[Bogue]

http://www.al.com/business/press-register/index.ssf?/base/business/1218964532277010.xml&coll=3

This is about SaltAire (the new town on the western side of the bay).

[MobiMan]

Bogue

I understand where you are coming from and ive read all the same statistics and what not, and still as far as a micro park on every corner makes no sense, and it's because we have so many beautiful yards and so many century old beautiful oak trees, and we already have so many nice parks, and thats why i feel we dont need more, atleast not DT, Ok the Mardi Gras Park is actually an excellent idea, i forgot about the Amphitheatre, i do love that whole idea, but still we dont need more parks in DT, Now with that being said, we do need more parks in other areas of Mobile, to bad they can,t bring back Monroe Park, it had a stadium, a zoo, and an outdoor theatre... what are they gonna do with all that land above the old housing projects, they just tore down there is a lot of land up there thats nothing but trees and creeks very lush and perfect for some developement, i could see shopping and new buildings popping up in that area,

[Bogue]

I agree about how it sucked to lose the old Monroe Park, but that was sort of unavoidable given the needs of the city's industries. Not sure about the area near Orange Grove. It's right there visible to everyone coming off I-165, but it's sort of peripheral to both downtown & midtown... wierd location... neither one thing nor the other. I think that's why it doesn't get addressed, really. I think there's sort of a spine of development going down Dauphin & Govt. streets and then branching in a few places. I think it might be a while before gentrification gets out that far, but the redevelopment of Broad might eventually help draw people that direction. It might make a good area for a restaurant district... leave the wetlands and build some restaurants that are raised on one side. That would allow a boardwalk eating area right there on it from which people could look at the wetlands and watch the gators & birds, etc. w/ the highway actually functioning as a screen against the docks. Target restaurants w/ a local flair for the tenants (maybe convince Dreamland to move for example) and it would be cool. Mix in a few local small businesses (like a florist and a candy shop... that sort of thing). It's an interesting location b/c it's so visible, but anything impacting the wetlands is going to have to jump some hurdles. This way you'd get to avoid a lot of that.

I think their insistance on this particular area (old CH location) being the location for the park was to give some sort of historic front yard to that area... I think the idea is to create a nexus around which they want to concentrate that sort of development. Seems like sort of a gateway to the entertainment area that they want to create.

[10101000]

Just wanted to let you ladies and gentlemen know that I am about to set a photo tour of the city and the metro area. Do you have any particular area that you would like me to photograph?

[MobileMoving]

Originally Posted by (Tim)

Mobile has a MYSPACE already, but I did not see anything like that on there. It would be great to get a bunch of young professionals involved.

There will be an ad campaign coming out soon titled "Y We're Here" that showcases young professionals living and enjoying the city. It will also tell stories about why they stayed or moved to the bay-area, as well as insights on the generation-y workforce. Look for it next month!

[yeahwhatever]

Originally Posted by MobiMan

i want feedback on the whole Park deal, what is the deal with all the Parks, if you look at an aerial view of Mobile you see more green than anything else, i understand preserving green spaces within the City, and they have done a great job with trees up and down the streets, hell the parks we have are rarely used, accept for special events, and the bums of course, i love the Parks we have now i visit them often but most of the time im sharing a bench with a homeless guy, i feed the squirells a nut i feed the bum some nuts, one nut for the squirell a handfull of nuts for the bum,

Whats wrong with having nice parks in your city? If my memory is correct, there are only four parks downtown: bienville, cathedral, spanish plaza, and cooper. I also dont understand all of these complaints about homeless people in the parks because its not that big of a problem. Yes, homeless people spend time in the parks, but this is a city, not utopia. Maybe you've spent too much time in the suburbs to realize that every city is going to have an issue with homelessness. Instead of consistently dismissing an idea for a park due to the homeless people, why not suggest the creation of a safe place for them to sleep.

Originally Posted by MobiMan

Build something, another big Building, something that will be used and taken care of, if they are gonna build a Park build a large Park one where you can actually throw a football or frizbee without hitting a car parked near by or the bum laying on the bench, a Park where you actually get tired after walikng half way across it, then they wont have to build these mirco Parks on every corner, and they always wanna put them where there could be good developement for retail, residential, or business, now we get a Mardi Gras park thats 5 or 6 smaller parks in one small area, i love the idea of the Mardi Gras themed park but maybe somewhere else like maybe within a larger park, the Mardi Gras theme could be a small portion of the park,

The mardi gras park will be 350 feet wide, if you need more room to throw a football we night need to let you try out for the falcons.
I see plenty of other areas around downtown that would be perfect for new businesses and condos. I really hate surface lots and think it would be great if they would just build a big garage on one lot and turn the rest into new residential and retail developments.

Originally Posted by MobiMan

it seems the cost spent on all these micro parks they could build an Aquarium
or something, now we have a larger ship maybe bringing in thousands more people to Mobile, so we need something for them to do,,,someone said a zoo or Aquarium would be more for the locals because all big cities have one or the other or both, so its nothing new, and thats true its not new or original, but it adds to the quality of life its very educational, its fun, and when those thousands of extra people are here yes it does give them something extra to do, just like the Carriage Rides, and just like the Movies in the Park would

I like the idea of an aquarium, but if you think the cost of the park is close to the cost of an aquarium, thats just crazytalk. if an aquarium is built, it will have to be constructed similarly to the exploreum. The main floor is about 10 feet higher than street level to protect the exhibits from flood waters.
a zoo is different. first, there is no area big enough downtown for a zoo. second, the hurricane/flood threat is too great to risk with so many animals that will be difficult to evacuate. third, the noise of a downtown area with cars, trains, and ships is just not adequate for wild animals.

horse drawn carriages are just cruel to the animals. many cities are beginning to ban them from operating.

Originally Posted by MobiMan

also we need to build and renovate all over DT it seems everyone stays focused on Dauphin St. and Royal and then they throw a little something else here and there

some of those streets DT are ugly with metal building and little short box buildings, i wish they would focus on doing something about that,

i would like to see a retail street, with mostly shopping and a few restuarants, maybe another coffee shop

I agree. it will just take some time. Mobile is just starting to prove to everyone else what we knew it was capable of all along. the best thing to do is to go out an support what we have right now. investors will see this activity and hopefully decide to put their money into opening up a new place downtown.

[SouthSky]

Originally Posted by MobileMoving

There will be an ad campaign coming out soon titled "Y We're Here" that showcases young professionals living and enjoying the city. It will also tell stories about why they stayed or moved to the bay-area, as well as insights on the generation-y workforce. Look for it next month!

Looking good! What's that website again so I can bookmark it? TIA

[MobileMoving]

Originally Posted by SouthSky

Looking good! What's that website again so I can bookmark it? TIA

You will be able to find it online at www.maypa.org

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by (Tim)

Just wanted to let you ladies and gentlemen know that I am about to set a photo tour of the city and the metro area. Do you have any particular area that you would like me to photograph?

I have some ideas Tim ,if you could snap some photos of the oakleigh historic district, some of the neighborhoods that are off od Springhill avenue and Govt street.


The best sky line views to me that I never seei n pics are the ones approaching the wallace tunnel, Africa town Cochrane bridge, and a view from Fort Conde Village. Oh yeah make shure you get the Fort Conde Village with the skyline of The RSA portion and the Govt Plaza , and Cruise ship all from the Village if you could.

[10101000]

Ok

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by (Tim)

Ok

Can you take some shots of the hood....say pics of the skyline from MLK Ave. and St. Stephens Road?? Also some shots of the skyline from I-165 at night please.

[10101000]

I am getting some night shots that is for sure.

[buckett5425]

So I went to the maypa website, very interesting. Anybody else notice how they photo shopped in the Fantasy, but butchered the skyline in the process? lol

[10101000]

I think that is the Holiday.

[MobiMan]

Originally Posted by yeahwhatever

Whats wrong with having nice parks in your city? If my memory is correct, there are only four parks downtown: bienville, cathedral, spanish plaza, and cooper. I also dont understand all of these complaints about homeless people in the parks because its not that big of a problem. Yes, homeless people spend time in the parks, but this is a city, not utopia. Maybe you've spent too much time in the suburbs to realize that every city is going to have an issue with homelessness. Instead of consistently dismissing an idea for a park due to the homeless people, why not suggest the creation of a safe place for them to sleep.



((No one said anything was wrong with having nice parks in our city
we just dont need more, it cost us the tax payers a lot of money every year to keep up parks that people arent using

and yes at the moment there is 4 DT but after they build the 3 new parks there will be 7, 2 will not be in the heart of DT but still close and its still more parks for our tax dollars to pay for, with very few visiting them

and yea i guess we should build a park just for the homeless so they will have a safe haven))






The mardi gras park will be 350 feet wide, if you need more room to throw a football we night need to let you try out for the falcons.
I see plenty of other areas around downtown that would be perfect for new businesses and condos. I really hate surface lots and think it would be great if they would just build a big garage on one lot and turn the rest into new residential and retail developments.

((as far as throwing a football at the new mardi Gras park
i was talking about the existing parks ))





I like the idea of an aquarium, but if you think the cost of the park is close to the cost of an aquarium, thats just crazytalk. if an aquarium is built, it will have to be constructed similarly to the exploreum. The main floor is about 10 feet higher than street level to protect the exhibits from flood waters.
a zoo is different. first, there is no area big enough downtown for a zoo. second, the hurricane/flood threat is too great to risk with so many animals that will be difficult to evacuate. third, the noise of a downtown area with cars, trains, and ships is just not adequate for wild animals.


(((if you add up the cost of all these new parks its comes to more than 10million , a small aquarium that could be added to later as it grows after doing research, would cost around 30million for a really nice small aquarium (and im not talking about one for your home either)
if the city really wanted to they could build it theres room and citys under sea level have them so no it wouldnt be a problem

as far as a zoo there is plenty of land just north of the city and again Miami, jacksonville, tampa, new orleans(under sea level) all have zoos and we are further above sea level then they are, so dont say it cant or shouldnt be done its being done
and they all have ships, trains, cars, actually more of those things than we have
new yorks central park and brooklyn ny zoos having the most noise)))


horse drawn carriages are just cruel to the animals. many cities are beginning to ban them from operating.

(((we have been using horse drawn carriages for hundreads of years they are fine and its not cruel)))



I agree. it will just take some time. Mobile is just starting to prove to everyone else what we knew it was capable of all along. the best thing to do is to go out an support what we have right now. investors will see this activity and hopefully decide to put their money into opening up a new place downtown.

(((and after all that being written down i do understand where you are coming from but my views are my views and yours are yours

i tried to use the mutiple quotes but it wouldnt work for me for some reason)))

[Bogue]

I think a good zoo would require more land than we really have access to presently in downtown... It's "possible" that the city could purchase some of the lower level housing north of town between Broad St. & Pritchard to create such a facility, though. I think even the land around Orange Grove isn't quite large enough for a really good zoo. Most of those zoos that you mention are a fair bit older so the land costs were much less so they could get a bit larger of an area, but I understand your point. I think that as far as DT is concerned there's a bit of a land crunch for the really large things. It'd be great if they could do so, though.

I also really like the website, MobileMoving. Good on them to get such a thing going.

[MobiMan]

instead of trying to build the biggest, build a smaller zoo with the most popular animals, you know the ones that bring the the people in,
it only has to be around 25 to 40 acres
and trust me above the projects that just got tore down there is atleast 200 acres of unused land
check out most zoo's they have 3 and even 4 restuarants,
we dont need all that
a lot of wasted space
with the right design we dont need 100 or 1000 acres

and when i say get what brings the people in
you can have a frog house that shows mainly Dart Frogs
only because they are cool and colorful and appeal to children
lions, tigers, monkeys, zebras, also appeal to children
my uncle raises lions and tigers in Mississippi and he has 30 acres but only uses 3 acres for the four lions and 3 tigers they are all together and playful and as happy as can be
by law they recomend 1200 sq ft per tiger per lion, now ofcourse you can go larger than that

the little zoo we have out in wilmer isnt that big

and the zoo in central park new york is only 5 acres

dont go big just go really nice and upscale with an old time look
from the 20's to 40's very historic, instead of restaurants, hot dog cart, snocone cart, popcorn and peanuts
and of course a gift shop

i get a magazine with exotic animals for sale around the country and most arent that expensive, tiger cubs are from from free to good home to $5000(5 thousand for white tigers) the other tigers are $300 to $1200 all the time same with the lions
Zebras are anywhere from free to good home to $5000 a pair
monkeys anywhere from free to good home to $ 4000 and sometimes a little more,
Kangaroos are anywhere from $1000 to $2500
anyway feeding them is where the cost is

i would say for a very nice upscale 25 acre zoo around 25 to 30million

and like i said bring in the crowd pleasers, and of course have a small petting zoo

i would actually wanna start off with an african exhibit

start small and build it up