Mobile Development Thread - Page 202

Port_of_Bama · #**4021** Posted **Jun 6, 2009, 5:13 PM**

Sounds good to me NOJA seem to be a really nice spot.Downtown has been getting trendy lately with dining. I saw a new sort of TEXMEX spot called Bull and another place by the name of Liquid. I have another idea for a fine dinning spot. It`s on Dauphin Street before the Cathedral Square it appears to have a mural with 3 or 4 potraits of jazz musicians in a courtyard. That would make another nice spot for dinning.

NitekKetin · #**4022** Posted **Jun 7, 2009, 12:26 AM**

^I think I know the location you're referring to. You're right, that would make an excellent location for a nice, upscale restaurant.

Verve · #**4023** Posted **Jun 7, 2009, 6:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

I have another idea for a fine dinning spot. It`s on Dauphin Street before the Cathedral Square it appears to have a mural with 3 or 4 potraits of jazz musicians in a courtyard. That would make another nice spot for dinning.

That space has had a number of restaurants in it. The two most prominent and long-term were Beinville Bistro and John Word. It would be a great spot and hopefully the murals will always stay there.

Port_of_Bama · #**4024** Posted **Jun 7, 2009, 7:41 PM**

first off welcome back verve I miss your post ! Yeah I remember John Word it`s now on the causeway. I could see nice Italian dinning there.

BlessedMobile · #**4025** Posted **Jun 8, 2009, 2:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

first off welcome back verve I miss your post ! Yeah I remember John Word it`s now on the causeway. I could see nice Italian dinning there.

Actually, the restaurant on the Causeway has always been called "The Captain's Table". John Word has had it a long, long time. The dowtown "John Word's" was very upscale and on Dauphin by the Cathedral. I wish I could say the food on the Causeway is as good as it was on Dauphin. The Captain's Table is more like hotel dining.

Electrical Porpoise · #**4026** Posted **Jun 8, 2009, 2:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlessedMobile

The Captain's Table is more like hotel dining.

probably because it is hotel dining.

BlessedMobile · #**4027** Posted **Jun 8, 2009, 3:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electrical Porpoise

probably because it is hotel dining.

Yea....location and taste. Even the prices are hotel-like...high for what you get.

nimsjus · #**4028** Posted **Jun 8, 2009, 11:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verve

That space has had a number of restaurants in it. The two most prominent and long-term were Beinville Bistro and John Word. It would be a great spot and hopefully the murals will always stay there.

I always thought restaraunt/bar for that space too, even though several have failed there in the past for whatever reason. I also noticed recently that the upper floors of that building are not intact anymore. During Mardi Gras my wife and I noticed when we saw one of those green shudders on the upper floors open and we could see straight through to the sky. No roof or floors on the opper levels, just a facade.

nimsjus · #**4029** Posted **Jun 8, 2009, 11:45 AM**

Kathy Jumpers column in the PR had a few downtown related things this week...
"MLK Redevelopment Corp. paid $625,000 for 4.1 acres at Congress and Broad streets, where it plans to build a 40,000-square-foot retail center, according to court records and MLK officials. The Mobile County Health De partment had owned the property. Surety Land Title handled the transaction.

Local investors paid $260,000 for the southwest corner of Conti and Conception streets downtown, and plan to use the 8,484-square-foot site for parking and future development, according to Grubb & Ellis/Peebles & Cameron."

The first I think is the grocery store thing we discussed a few weeks back. The second property is a parking lot currently on the same intersection that also includes OGwynn Condos, the old Parkside building, and Noel B's restaurant. Hopefully they will spruce up the parking lot in the short term and potentially develop it in the future,

Port_of_Bama · #**4030** Posted **Jun 8, 2009, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nimsjus

I always thought restaraunt/bar for that space too, even though several have failed there in the past for whatever reason. I also noticed recently that the upper floors of that building are not intact anymore. During Mardi Gras my wife and I noticed when we saw one of those green shudders on the upper floors open and we could see straight through to the sky. No roof or floors on the opper levels, just a facade.

I noticed the same thing I wonder what gives ?

BlessedMobile · #**4031** Posted **Jun 9, 2009, 1:53 AM**

Since I see that many of the Mobile posters like to talk "shopping center" I think I will bring up what might be some good new for our BelAir Mall. BelAir is owned by Colonial Properties that is part of Colonial Bank. Our own Mobile native and resident, Lewis Beville, has been named the president to replace Bobby Lowder. That being said, I am hopeful that Beville will encourage Colonial to either sell the center to someone who will make it a lifestyle center or Colonial will do it themselves. Colonial badly needs the money and BelAir badly needs remodeling (read that as "mostly demolished"). Beville is a money-making machine who will make it his business to turn Colonial around; let's believe that our BelAir Mall will benefit from his efforts.

Port_of_Bama · #**4032** Posted **Jun 9, 2009, 2:52 AM**

My fingers are crossed !!

NitekKetin · #**4033** Posted **Jun 9, 2009, 5:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlessedMobile

Since I see that many of the Mobile posters like to talk "shopping center" I think I will bring up what might be some good new for our BelAir Mall. BelAir is owned by Colonial Properties that is part of Colonial Bank. Our own Mobile native and resident, Lewis Beville, has been named the president to replace Bobby Lowder. That being said, I am hopeful that Beville will encourage Colonial to either sell the center to someone who will make it a lifestyle center or Colonial will do it themselves. Colonial badly needs the money and BelAir badly needs remodeling (read that as "mostly demolished"). Beville is a money-making machine who will make it his business to turn Colonial around; let's believe that our BelAir Mall will benefit from his efforts.

That's great, but why does Bel Air need to be transformed into a lifestyle center format? Many people want to be in an enclosed setting when those afternoon showers roll through. Also, in terms of occupancy, Bel Air is in a better position than just about any other mall along the Gulf Coast.

That being said, it does need a substantial interior renovation along with a modern food court.

Port_of_Bama · #**4034** Posted **Jun 9, 2009, 12:46 PM**

I agree about the food court ^^^ I`m just curious to know why you say Bel - Air is in a better position than most Gulf Coast malls ?

I`ve read on this forum before that if Bel-Air were to have a second level it would be the largest mall in the state is that true?

It would be nice to have a life style center downtown with Spanish or Italian architecture.

Port_of_Bama · #**4035** Posted **Jun 9, 2009, 1:08 PM**

Thyssenkrupp Expands Employment http://www.al.com/business/press-register/index.ssf?/base/business/124436614068310.xml&coll=3

Forecaster: Alabama out of Recession Next year http://www.al.com/business/press-register/index.ssf?/base/business/1244279732221500.xml&coll=3

NitekKetin · #**4036** Posted **Jun 9, 2009, 2:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

I agree about the food court ^^^ I`m just curious to know why you say Bel - Air is in a better position than most Gulf Coast malls ?

I`ve read on this forum before that if Bel-Air were to have a second level it would be the largest mall in the state is that true?

It would be nice to have a life style center downtown with Spanish or Italian architecture.

Well, Bel-Air *is* the largest mall between New Orleans and Tampa and has survived for more than four decades intact while attracting quality retail, so it does have an advantage over competing regional shopping centers.

I like the idea of an open-air shopping center as a component of a larger waterfront mixed used development and would support the concept even further if it managed by a well-known REIT, like Simon, Bayer or Taubman.

BlessedMobile · #**4037** Posted **Jun 9, 2009, 10:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NitekKetin

That's great, but why does Bel Air need to be transformed into a lifestyle center format? Many people want to be in an enclosed setting when those afternoon showers roll through. Also, in terms of occupancy, Bel Air is in a better position than just about any other mall along the Gulf Coast.

That being said, it does need a substantial interior renovation along with a modern food court.

Occupancy ...yes, but the quality of the tenant is lacking. I see many of the tenants as middle and low end. The good nationals have nowhere to come in Mobile and get the better traffic. Those urban shops can go into a strip center for less money. You ask why they don't? I think the mall prices have dropped because of the lower end shoppers. Just how many kids wandering the common areas ever have anything they have bought in the mall. Kiosk people are not popular among the inline tenants when they skim the cream off the top with the most popular, saleable items. The managers of BelAir also have the Galleria in Hoover and could upgrade our center to something similar. Malls are on the decline and ours is among the oldest. Time for a big change...in my opinion. That intersection is still the best on our area for development.

nimsjus · #**4038** Posted **Jun 10, 2009, 4:45 PM**

Mayor Jones is holding a press conference today to tell everyone his preference on a route for a new bridge. He hopes that his announcement will push the project back to the front burner and end the "bikering" over routes.
http://blog.al.com/live/2009/06/mobile_mayor_time_to_quit_bick.html

I have posted my thoughts on this numerous times and I disagree with Mayor Jones insisting that a bridge is neccesary. I find it very interesting that the council voted 7-0 against this bridge, but Mayor Jones continues to act as if he is the only person who has a say in the matter. Anyone know which route he supports?

Bayside · #**4039** Posted **Jun 10, 2009, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nimsjus

Mayor Jones is holding a press conference today to tell everyone his preference on a route for a new bridge. He hopes that his announcement will push the project back to the front burner and end the "bikering" over routes.
http://blog.al.com/live/2009/06/mobile_mayor_time_to_quit_bick.html

I have posted my thoughts on this numerous times and I disagree with Mayor Jones insisting that a bridge is neccesary. I find it very interesting that the council voted 7-0 against this bridge, but Mayor Jones continues to act as if he is the only person who has a say in the matter. Anyone know which route he supports?

They have updated your link (above) with a link to the mayor's preferred route.

BlessedMobile · #**4040** Posted **Jun 10, 2009, 9:08 PM**

Hooray. Mayor Jones has made his choice for the bridge location. Building the bridge is the only solution to the growing traffic problem. Let's remember we are talking about a project that would take five or more years to complete. Please don't think that you can steer travelers up to the Cochrane bridge. Many of the business people impacted by the bridge were there for the announcement; one would assume they support the bridge being built.