Montgomery development news

[thoraudio]

Originally Posted by OCA REP

Thanks for clarifying that! You have no idea the WILDFIRE we had to contend with when this RUMOR initially surfaced!

I'm not saying anything, but I heard a McDonald's with two drive thru's is going where Dirk's soon will have used to be.

[OCA REP]

Originally Posted by thoraudio

I'm not saying anything, but I heard a McDonald's with two drive thru's is going where Dirk's soon will have used to be.

I'm sure there is a joke in there somewhere... but, just as an FYI, the Cloverale Village area is our next target for SmartCode.

[thoraudio]

I gotta say, the alley was hopping today.

Went to Dreamland, it was packed, inside and out. Headed to SaZa's, got a seat at the bar cause it was packed. Alley Deli looked busy as it could be, and probably Wintzell's too.

If someone had said 5 years ago that you could put 5 restaurants on lower Commerce and they'd boom, you'd have been laughed out of the city.

Work was progressing on iCantina, and it looked like people were working on the BrewPub building as well.

[bystander1]

I rode through earlier tonight but couldn't find a parking spot. And with the other projects coming online it's going to get even more crowded. And baseball hasn't even started yet.

Glad to see the underground utilities work finally underway along Commerce.

Looking forward to seeing the results of the Maxwell Blvd. charrette Friday.

[Port_of_Bama]

I don`t know if any of you guys know Bronner personaly but the Mobilians are sending our condolences.God Bless

[OldCloverdale]

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

I don`t know if any of you guys know Bonner personaly but the Mobilians are sending our condolences.God Bless

The daughter of David Bronner, chief executive officer for the Retirement Systems of Alabama, was found dead Thursday night.

A family friend found Allison Bronner, 25, dead at her home in Birmingham just before 11 p.m., said Philip Russell, a deputy coroner with the Jefferson County Coroner’s office.

She appears to have died of natural causes, and no foul play is suspected, Russell said.

[bystander1]

My deepest condolences to the Bronner family...

[Port_of_Bama]

If Bronner was governor of Alabama.I think the state would be in the same category as North Carolina,Texas, Tennessee, and other progressive southern states.

What do you guys think ?

[BlakFlava]

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

If Bronner was governor of Alabama.I think the state would be in the same category as North Carolina,Texas, Tennessee, and other progressive southern states.

What do you guys think ?

I think, no, I KNOW that if Alabama could have avoided Fob James and Guy Hunt, we could've recovered from George Wallace.

[bystander1]

Here are some excerpts from The Montgomery Advertiser.
Click here for the full story.

Planners re-imagine Maxwell Blvd.
By Jill Nolin • March 5, 2011
Montgomery Advertiser

Planners envision a redeveloped Maxwell Boulevard area that would offer new residential and recreational opportunities for Montgomery residents, but beyond that, they see the area as a virtual clean slate that can be remade into a compelling economic development tool.

The area that is expected to benefit first from the revitalization efforts, which is an extension of the momentum building in downtown, is the block on Maxwell Boulevard that faces Overlook Park, according to Victor Dover with Dover, Kohl & Partners.

Dover predicted that, once the downtown urban farm is in operation and once improvements are made to Overlook Park, which literally overlooks the farm now, this block would become highly desirable real estate. The Riverwalk could be rerouted through Overlook Park as it continues on to Maxwell Air Force Base.

A "request for proposal" process, which is being done on lower Dexter Avenue, will likely be done for this block as well. The plan, which is still in its draft form, calls for the RFP process to happen within a year.

While planners see these improvements as the more short-term and immediately possible, the long-term vision includes mostly smaller scale, more affordable residences, a bike-pedestrian path, a 35-mph speed limit on Maxwell Boulevard, more public green spaces and a developed area on the river that would be set up like a "great urban terrace."

"It's not private. It's not walled off. It belongs to everyone in the city," Dover said of the promontory, which creates the opportunity for a stirring view of downtown Montgomery.

Planners have dubbed the hypothetical area they hope to develop on this river "Promontory Point Square," and the artistic rendering shows a wedding chapel and several upscale residences. Dover said this area could be used as a recruitment tool for new businesses and industry.

Through creative planning, Dover said it would also be possible to create a nine-mile bike path from Maxwell to Gunter Hill Park.

"It's a very achievable vision in our lifetime. What you see here is where you can begin," Dover said of a link from Maxwell to downtown.

City Council Vice President Tracy Larkin, who represents part of the targeted area, called Maxwell Boulevard "one of the most important corridors this city has." Larkin said the area has been in a shameful state, and he said Montgomery was ready to "make a different kind of statement to the world."

[ExpatBaman]

Originally Posted by bystander1

Here are some excerpts from The Montgomery Advertiser.
Click here for the full story.

Great stuff there. A big step toward creating a fantastic riverfront for all Montgomerians.

[bystander1]

I went to the news conference for the presentation and it was pretty impressive. I talked to Victor Dover and have plenty of info to share over the next few days. He was pretty excited with this particular charrette the most, even though he's been to several here already.


I took these with my camera.






The urban farm windmill in this pic is up and running as of last week.




Dover suggested that the area at the corner of Maxwell Blvd. and Holt Street (the large building on the right in the pic below) should be the perfect spot for the city's next signature building because of its prominence; its proximity and view from the interstate, the view of the river (one of the South's best), and it's location between Maxwell and downtown. He said be it a hotel, highrise luxury condos, or a corporate HQ building, the city should market that corner to someone whose building can make a statement.

[ExpatBaman]

Originally Posted by bystander1

I went to the news conference for the presentation and it was pretty impressive. I talked to Victor Dover and have plenty of info to share over the next few days. He was pretty excited with this particular charrette the most, even though he's been to several here already.

The potential for redevelopment here is amazing, almost beyond belief. Keep it coming, bystander1!

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by ExpatBaman

The potential for redevelopment here is amazing, almost beyond belief. Keep it coming, bystander1!

Okay! Check this out.

Victor Dover said they are going to go back and modify the plans to make sure the bike lanes are not only along Maxwell Blvd. but throughout the buck of the new neighborhood because there is a great demand from commanders and officers at Maxwell for those kind of amenities.

[Thedarkone1977]

The Farmers market on Fairview will be staying open thanks to the ASU business program and the Montgomery Police Department.

Click here to read the AL.com article.

[OldCloverdale]

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/arti...360/Fresh-Market-to-move-to-new-location

The Fresh Market in Montgomery plans to move from its current site on East Boulevard to a former Bruno's location on Perry Hill Road.

A corporate spokesperson said Tuesday that she couldn't comment on the pending move, but a "coming soon" sign went up at the new location Tuesday.

The Fresh Market's current location contains a little more than 19,000 square feet.

James Basler, the manager of the store, said Tuesday afternoon he hadn't heard the move was a done deal, but the former Bruno's site would give the store more room and a chance to redesign itself.

"I think it's a better location," he said.

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange confirmed the move Tuesday afternoon, but said he didn't know what would become of the current Fresh Market space.

"I do not know what the backfill plan is for that site," he said.

He said the new location will be convenient for a lot of Montgomerians.
"It's good for Fresh Market," he said.

Fresh Market had been at its current site since it opened in Montgomery on Jan. 23, 2004.

The closing of Bruno's on Perry Hill Road was announced on May 1, 2009.

For more information on The Fresh Market, visit www.thefreshmarket.com.

[EXbubba]

Originally Posted by ExpatBaman

That's a great-looking rendering for a great project. Hopefully the housing board won't drop the ball with this.

Where are the rec facilities (ball fields, courts etc) to keep the kids occupied? What about a small branch library?

[brad0022]

Originally Posted by EXbubba

Where are the rec facilities (ball fields, courts etc) to keep the kids occupied? What about a small branch library?

Kids should stay inside all day playing video games and breaking stuff like we did back in my day. Also Lagoon Park fields arent too far away from downtown.

[brad0022]

Originally Posted by Thedarkone1977

The Farmers market on Fairview will be staying open thanks to the ASU business program and the Montgomery Police Department.

Click here to read the AL.com article.

Very nice to hear this news. Also the city is talking with a produce company (cant remember the name) to take over the Coliseum location. Heard that on WSFA today.

[brad0022]

Anyone here a member of urbanplanet.org? I've recently been keeping up the Montgomery news section going to keep it current. Sad that it's ghost town now. Views are somewhat still active but no more conversations.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/forum/332-montgomery/