Montgomery development news

[Dyingyak]

Meetings scheduled for West Fairview Avenue revitalization

The city of Montgomery is seeking input from the community on the future of West Fairview Avenue. The information collected will become part of the master plan for a prominent commercial corridor in west Montgomery.

Dover-Kohl, the same urban design firm that crafted the master plan for downtown Montgomery, has agreed to do the same for west Montgomery. Dover-Kohl will do the work for $30,000. Urban Advisors Ltd. will provide an economic analysis for $10,000.

The weeklong design process will start Monday, with a kick-off presentation and
hands-on design session from 6 to 9 p.m.

On Tuesday through Thursday, the design teamwork area will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is essentially an "open studio" where anyone can share their ideas and visions as well as watch the plans evolve.

Friday, the work-in-progress presentation will last from 6 to 8 p.m. Evolving artistic renderings of what West Fairview Avenue could look like will be available for public view.

The meetings, called charrettes, will be held at New Life Baptist Church at 1943 Rosa L. Parks Ave. in Montgomery.

From Saturday...should be good results, and the city is getting a killer deal on the design work.

[| BRAVO |]

I was passing through Montgomery last week and caught a glimpse of the new ASU Entrance on Hall Street.

It looks sharp!

I had to hop of the interstate to get a better look.

[| BRAVO |]

Here's a pic I snapped...

[Port_of_Bama]

It is sharp and I`m suprised that they chose blue lights instead of a bronze or golden color.

[| BRAVO |]

They're supposed to be white lights. The image adds a bit of a blue hue.
I work for the company that manufactured and installed the letters.

[bystander1]

Decorative lighting on the Hall Street bridge over the interstate would look even better.

[Dyingyak]

*removed*

It would take an epic shift in mentality at ALDOT!

[Revive Montgomery]

I'm not going to hold my breath on the re-packaging of those bridges. An underfunded state entity, that is thrashing in the water to stay up to date on bridge and road capabilities, is going to laugh at the notion. Just reality...

[Revive Montgomery]

Sorry for the double post, but we need some political heavy hitters to team up with some industry leaders and make a real push for the upgrading of our state dock facilities. We have and will lose industry to Mobile without a dredged dock facility provided for by the state port authority and CAWA. Our current dock is barely equipped to dock a bass boat!

There is a 100 acre site sitting off of the Northern Bypass and I-65 with River access that could be manipulated. It was an old wood treatment facility. It would just take commitment and investment.

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by Revive Montgomery

I'm not going to hold my breath on the re-packaging of those bridges. An underfunded state entity, that is thrashing in the water to stay up to date on bridge and road capabilities, is going to laugh at the notion. Just reality...

Something more simple like the overpasses on I-85 through Auburn/Opelika.

I'm not talking about something like the 17th Street bridge in Atlanta...are you serious?!

[bystander1]

'Open container' bill sent to governor
February 17, 2010
Montgomery Advertiser

A bill that would allow Montgomery to change the way that alcohol is sold and consumed in specified parts of the city is ready for the governor's signature, just in time for the coming baseball season and spring pub crawls downtown.

The Senate gave final passage to an "open container" bill for Montgomery on Tuesday. It would allow the city to establish, by ordinance, "entertainment districts." In those designated areas, people would be allowed to purchase alcohol from a licensed provider and then could consume it anywhere within that district.

Currently, if people buy an alcoholic drink at one business, they cannot leave that business and go somewhere else with that drink. If they do, they are violating an Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board rule. The bill is aimed at downtown Montgomery, but it isn't limited to that area. Instead, it gives the city the authority to establish an entertainment district in any part of the city.

Gov. Bob Riley has six days to sign the bill or veto it. If he does not sign it within six days, it becomes law without his signature.
-- Markeshia Ricks

No word yet on whether the geezer will sign or just leave it alone.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by bystander1

No word yet on whether the geezer will sign or just leave it alone.

I don't see any reason why he wouldn't sign it. I give it a 95% chance to become law.

[RSAHort]

Baumhowers at the RSA HQ is set to open Tuesday, March 2, 2010.

[OCA REP]

Originally Posted by bystander1

No word yet on whether the geezer will sign or just leave it alone.

Love it! I wonder if SpongeBob Riley will sign it too. He seems to be on such a MORAL high road right now, I can see him not signing it and letting it become law automatically in six days...

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by OCA REP

Love it! I wonder if SpongeBob Riley will sign it too. He seems to be on such a MORAL high road right now, I can see him not signing it and letting it become law automatically in six days...

Yeah, that's what I thought he'd do also. Though I was surprised that he signed the bill to allow higher alcoholic content products in the state last year.

[thoraudio]

Originally Posted by OCA REP

Love it! I wonder if SpongeBob Riley will sign it too. He seems to be on such a MORAL high road right now, I can see him not signing it and letting it become law automatically in six days...

you can rag him all you want, but he's doing the right thing on the Casinos.

I enjoy a trip to the table games in Biloxi as much as anybody, but Mcgregor and his counterparts are skirting the law, and our AG is either in their pocket, too much of a wuss, or they've got pics of him.

They operate in bald face defiance of the law, because they have local officials in their pockets.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by thoraudio

you can rag him all you want, but he's doing the right thing on the Casinos.

I enjoy a trip to the table games in Biloxi as much as anybody, but Mcgregor and his counterparts are skirting the law, and our AG is either in their pocket, too much of a wuss, or they've got pics of him.

They operate in bald face defiance of the law, because they have local officials in their pockets.

Agreed. He's the executive branch of the state government, so his job is to execute the law. It kind of puzzles me that people are surprised when these places get shut down... they're in obvious violation of the law. People need to stop getting mad, if you're gonna break the law, you gotta be willing to accept the consequences.

BTW, McGregor is under fire for allegedly rigging the slot machines at Victoryland.

Hmmm, who am I gonna side with... the guy that's enforcing the law, or the guy that's breaking it... And all these arguments that Riley is wasting money going after the bingo halls are ridiculous, I mean, maybe if the bingo halls weren't there, breaking the law, the state wouldn't have to spend the money to shut them down!

Either way, I'm in favor of gambling in the state. I just wish that the legislature would go ahead and get a referendum approved, or something.

Anyways, I'm done with my rant, and I apologize for getting off topic

[Capital Heights]

I had rather hoped we would not get into Bingo on this forum. But, since you brought it up, here are my two cents. It is not yours, mine, or Riley's opinion whether or not the machines are legal that counts. No court has ruled that they are illegal. The timing and the show of force at the raids, at a minimum, suggest there is something here other than what meets the eye. I happen to believe that it is a number of things. Payback for the millions that the Mississippi Indians have given Riley and I think it is also a diversion tactic in the waning months of this administration. All the media are focused on the bingo issue and no one is watching any other administration activity.

Bringing it back to local development: we now have a $100 plus million entertainment and lodging development within fifteen miles of downtown Montgomery closed and boarded up. Can't be good for the kinds of things we like to promote on this forum.

[thoraudio]

Originally Posted by Capital Heights

Bringing it back to local development: we now have a $100 plus million entertainment and lodging development within fifteen miles of downtown Montgomery closed and boarded up. Can't be good for the kinds of things we like to promote on this forum.

It never shoulda been built in the first place.

The court has established what constitutes bingo. And if they were legal, Country Crossing and Victoryland wouldn't have shut down for 'software upgrades'.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by Capital Heights

I had rather hoped we would not get into Bingo on this forum. But, since you brought it up, here are my two cents. It is not yours, mine, or Riley's opinion whether or not the machines are legal that counts. No court has ruled that they are illegal. The timing and the show of force at the raids, at a minimum, suggest there is something here other than what meets the eye. I happen to believe that it is a number of things. Payback for the millions that the Mississippi Indians have given Riley and I think it is also a diversion tactic in the waning months of this administration. All the media are focused on the bingo issue and no one is watching any other administration activity.

Bringing it back to local development: we now have a $100 plus million entertainment and lodging development within fifteen miles of downtown Montgomery closed and boarded up. Can't be good for the kinds of things we like to promote on this forum.

Here's what the court defined as legal bingo, this past November:

"The attorney general said the court's opinion -- which gave a six-element-test for bingo including that players must listen for numbers, mark their cards and watch for a bingo pattern -- is the first state law defining the game. "

From the Birmingham News

That decision definitely makes it sound like those machines were illegal. Of course, to be fair, I must note that the Attorney General stated that the court decision didn't completely rule out electronic bingo. But, judging by what we've heard in the news, I don't think that the machines did those things.

Here's the last thing I'll say on the issue, then you can say whatever you please and we can get back on topic (which I apologize for getting off topic in the first place):

Bottom line, IMO, if an electronic bingo machine fails that test of legality under that court decision, it should be removed or gotten rid of. Like I said, I approve of approving gambling in the state, but at the moment it's illegal. Bob Riley is simply doing his job, no matter what his motivations are.

Seriously though, how many great things have happened for Alabama under his administration? Healthcare has improved to the point that it's arguably the best in the five state area, if not the SE, education has improved, he's attracted billions of dollars in private investment that we'll be seeing the fruits of in the coming years, safety along state highways has increased dramatically, and again he's a tireless recruiter of industry. All in all, he's been great, I think it's ridiculous to find some stupid little detail like bingo/gambling to spazz out on and ignore all the of the wonderful things he's done, or helped do, to improve our quality of life.

Anyways, I'm done on this subject. Back to ec dev!