Mobile Development Thread

[PHX4EVER]

I took few pictures while drivin on I-10.Some of the pictures was taken with my phone cam.

[10101000]

Nice!!!!!!!!!!

[CottonCity251]

Nice shots phx4ever!
You captured some of the best views of the skyline!

[BlessedMobile]

I thought it was clear to everyone that the same guy who is doing the Hampton is doing the other hotel which will be on the site of the demolished bank building. This developer happens to have a history with Hyatt and thus Hyatt Place is the logical hotel for the property. This is a moderate priced business class hotel...not something you put on a premier piece of waterfront. Rest easy friends.
PS...those are great shots phx4ever. give us more.

[SouthSky]

Good shots phx... anyone been down Royal Street lately to see how the downtown Hampton is coming along?

[midwestrabbi]

I do not need to tell you guys this, but Mobile looks great. Are there any plans for more high rises in the near future ? Another question is downtown Mobile below sea level ? I have heard people compare Mobile with Nola when it comes to sea level.

[10101000]

Some parts of it, yes, but not all of the business district is below sea level. New Orleans is surrounded by water, Mobile faces the water. I would say New Orleans is like a bowl.

[10101000]

Thursday, September 18, 2008 By JEFF AMYBusiness Reporter
Local and state governments are in the process of renewing the $120 million-plus incentives package meant to lure the aerial refueling tanker project to Mobile's Brookley Field Industrial Complex.

The Mobile City Council extended the deal Tuesday, while Mobile's city Industrial Development Board did the same Wednesday. The Mobile County Commission and Mobile Airport Authority are expected to act Monday. The Baldwin County Commission effectively continued its commitment when it approved its 2008-09 budget Tuesday.

The original deal is set to expire Sept. 30, local officials said, and they want to keep the incentives in place in hopes that Northrop Grumman Corp. and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. may be able to win the multi-billion contract again, assuming the Pentagon reruns a competition next year.

"We certainly should do this," said Lee Moncrief, chairman of the industrial development board, which has promised the companies sales tax and non-school property tax breaks valued at $16.5 million over 10 years.

Tanker assembly and modification is supposed to create 1,500 jobs at Brookley. EADS has also pledged to assemble civilian A330 freighter aircraft there if the military project goes forward, creating another 300 jobs.

Mobile County Commission President Stephen Nodine said that extending the tanker incentives will be on the agenda in today's work session, in advance of the scheduled Monday vote.

"We can't stop now and we have to be resolved in our commitment," Nodine said. "It's not just the commitment to the tanker project, we also need to show the world that we are committed to the aerospace sector."

Linda Swann, assistant director of the Alabama Development Office, said the state is in the process of extending the deal.

It's hard to put a total value on the incentive package. In addition to the $16.5 million in local tax breaks, known commitments include:

$67.5 million in cash and $7.9 million in employee training and project coordination from the state.

$13.75 million in cash from both the Mobile city and county governments.

$2.5 million from the Baldwin County Commission.

$2.5 million from the Mobile Airport Authority to improve a dock at Arlington Point.

The state has also reserv ed $265 million in Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds, which were meant to assist economic recovery from 2005's Hurricane Katrina by allowing companies to borrow at a lower interest rate. Northrop and EADS would also get capital improvement tax credits from the state, allowing them to write off capital investment from state corporate income taxes over 20 years, and get 10-year property tax exemptions on their equipment from the city.

EADS also got more than $14.4 million in assistance when it built its Airbus North America engineering center at Brookley.




© 2008 Press-Register. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[10101000]

Airport leaders: Airline to cut fares
Thursday, September 18, 2008 By JEFF AMYBusiness Reporter
Mobile Regional Airport officials said Wednesday that American Eagle has made its fares to and from Mobile "more competitive" with prices at airports in Pensacola and Gulfport.

"Their commitment to adjust fares truly shows their commitment to the Mobile community," said Bay Haas, executive director of the Mo bile Airport Authority, which runs Mobile Regional.

Andrea Huguely, a spokeswoman for American Eagle, said that the airline's governmental relations chief, Dale Morris, met with Haas and other local officials.

"He did make a commitment that we would remain competitive in that market," Huguely said. "We wouldn't so much characterize it as a change. It's more our ongoing commitment to make sure we are competitive."

Haas said he made American's commitment public Wednesday because airport employees concluded from analysis of fares from the first quarter that American had reached rough parity. Mobile Mayor Sam Jones in turn encouraged people to fly American from Mobile.

The Airport Authority has been criticized because of high fares charged by airlines serving Mobile Regional. Many Mobile-area cus tomers choose to fly from Pensacola or Gulfport, which are both served by discount carriers, to save money.

According to data prepared for the authority by Sixel Consulting Group, the cost to fly out of Mobile was the seventh highest among the nation's 150 largest airports in the 12 months that ended March 2008.

Pensacola ranked 62nd highest in fares, while Gulfport ranked 76th.

Haas said that American Recently sought support from Mobile for its efforts to combine transatlantic operations with British Airways.

"They asked us for help on a political issue and we said we want to be treated as well as the people in Mississippi and the people in Pensacola," Haas said.

Pricing data from Airline Planning Group shows that in five quarters beginning January 2007 and ending March 2008, American's average fares to southwestern destinations were higher from Mobile than from Gulfport and Pensacola in three quarters and lower in two. There was never more than 7 percent difference.

American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, restarted Mobile service in 2005, and has in recent months carried more than 20 percent of all passengers in and out of Mobile. That's the second largest market share behind longtime leader Delta Air Lines.

But American is reducing service to Mobile, meaning that there will be fewer chances to use the fares.

American Eagle dropped its once-daily round trip to Chicago this month, and will trim from five to three daily trips to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport by November. Airport officials say they're trying to restore a fourth daily link to Dallas.

Overall, the airline will fly 41 percent fewer seats to and from Mobile by November, compared to a year before.

Continental Express seats to and from Houston are supposed to rise 13 percent by November compared to a year earlier, while Delta's seats to Atlanta are supposed to rise 1.5 percent over the same period. Northwest Airlink plans no change to Memphis, Tenn., while US Airways Express plans to cut 6 percent of its seats to Charlotte, N.C.




© 2008 Press-Register. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[10101000]

He not only built a community of almost 10,000 acres, he also planned the tallest skyscraper in Mobile, only to be stopped by the Depression and stock market crash. He died on a trip to Greece to visit his monastery. His heir apparent, William Jason of Malbis, planned to continue the Jason Malbis vision, but he died upon returning from Greece after visiting Jason’s home. George Malbis led the modern era with the new mall. William Scourtes planned to insprie the community with a return to thier roots of religion and history as expressed in the church and the Malbis Memorial Foundation. He was producing a movie when he died with Mary Riser. Her final cut is an inspiring tribute to Malbis.

[MobiMan]

hey Tim

Is that an actual picture of the building he was going to build
if so to bad someone cant take his plans and build it today

(it actually looks like a building in New York)

im sure the cost would be crazy
since back then they took pride and added so much detail

anyway thanks for digging that up, i love old Mobile history
find some more

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by (Tim)

He not only built a community of almost 10,000 acres, he also planned the tallest skyscraper in Mobile, only to be stopped by the Depression and stock market crash. He died on a trip to Greece to visit his monastery. His heir apparent, William Jason of Malbis, planned to continue the Jason Malbis vision, but he died upon returning from Greece after visiting Jason’s home. George Malbis led the modern era with the new mall. William Scourtes planned to insprie the community with a return to thier roots of religion and history as expressed in the church and the Malbis Memorial Foundation. He was producing a movie when he died with Mary Riser. Her final cut is an inspiring tribute to Malbis.

Wouldn't that have been a nice addition to the skyline... NBC15 did a story on that building a few years back, I like it. Thanks for digging that up Tim.

[10101000]

Yes this was to be built in Mobile. He died before he could build it. You know it is funny, seems like people keep dying to build projects in Mobile and unexpectedly at that. Just today, the man that was going to move a franchise of Pintol's in the picklefish location died, so that project is off. Also the condo guy, he up and died. Humm, I am beginning to wonder???

[MobiMan]

Conspiracy Theory huh Tim

[MobiMan]

I bet if that Building would have been built , more would have followed
what a shame
and Tim you are right about that everytime something good is about to happen to Mobile more times than fewer, it ends up not happening

it does make you wonder

[10101000]

Well it ends in death!

[pboo74]

Originally Posted by BlessedMobile

I thought it was clear to everyone that the same guy who is doing the Hampton is doing the other hotel which will be on the site of the demolished bank building. This developer happens to have a history with Hyatt and thus Hyatt Place is the logical hotel for the property. This is a moderate priced business class hotel...not something you put on a premier piece of waterfront. Rest easy friends.
PS...those are great shots phx4ever. give us more.

Where about downtown is the demolished bank building?I didn't know that he was building another hotel and when is construction going to start..

[BlessedMobile]

Pboo...The building was located on the SE corner of St. Joseph and St. Louis. It had been a bank building used up to the 70's I think. It was demolished and the hotel will be built on the property across from the Commerce Building with the old bank building lot used for parking. It is a good fit for downtown as it is more of a mid range hotel for conventioneers and business people.

[pboo74]

Thanks blessedmobile.. Do you know what the height is going to be and when construction will start?

[bayou15]

30-35 stories, first of 09