Birmingham Development News

[Blazer85]

Originally Posted by hallman02

I noticed this weekend the cranes have gone up near UAB Hospital. I'm assuming it's the new Women's Center and Radiation Center?

Yep... and with how fast UAB gets things done around here, I wouldn't be surprised if you started seeing the structure rise out of the ground in the coming months. Because of all the formalities and approvals and everything required, by the time UAB actually gets ready to move (in terms of construction), everything has already been well-planned and thought out in advance. Too bad all construction projects can't go so smoothly.

[B'ham Bound]

Originally Posted by hallman02

I noticed this weekend the cranes have gone up near UAB Hospital. I'm assuming it's the new Women's Center and Radiation Center?

Here's a link to a pano of the construction site:

http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=...l-69599411@N00

[UrbanLover]

Downtown Supermarkets

There is a rumor, now repeated with credibility by several sources, that Publix is going to build it's new urban grocery model (i.e. compact, relatively limited selection, lots of pre-prepared items) both in the heart of Lakeview and on 20th Street South at the old Firestone Building location. Both would help spur more mixed-use development in those locations.

[Dystopos]

I can see that the Firestone site would be a great fit about midway between UAB and the loft district. Lakeview is already served by Piggly-Wiggly and V. Richard's, but I'm sure if this rumor is true, that Publix has done their research.

[Blazer85]

It sure did take long enough, but I'm glad it was finally resolved... these things are quite popular.

Bass Pro makes it official
Outfitter to build store, hotel, park
Friday, May 25, 2007
PATRICK HICKERSON News staff writer

After six years of negotiations, Bass Pro Shops formally agreed Thursday to open a tourist destination in Leeds that includes a hotel, nature park and one of its signature stores.

And it could start moving dirt as early as next week.

"It's done," said Leeds Mayor James "Tac" Whitfield.

The Missouri-based outdoors retailer and a government cooperative created to lure Bass Pro Shops, comprising Leeds, Moody and St. Clair County, completed a two-day closing Thursday morning in downtown Birmingham.

The store has scheduled a ceremonial opening for Nov. 13, 2008.

The development will be more than the 148,000-square-foot Bass Pro store. It also is expected to have a hotel with 175 to 225 rooms and up to three restaurants, all next to a 35-acre public park managed and maintained by Bass Pro Shops.

Whitfield described it as an "educational-type nature park for all ages" with hiking paths and places to accommodate school field trips.

Its neighbor will be the Barber Motorsports Park.

A Bass Pro spokesman, Larry Whitely, said the Leeds store will be different from the others in the chain. "This will be the first one with a nature park."

The project is funded in part through about $32 million in bonds. Bass Pro Shops also has pledged a development that will add $40 million in property value assessment to the site.

Whiteley said the company, which now has 41 stores, is continuing to refine its plans for Leeds. He declined to reveal other site details.

He did say the typical store employs 300 people, with restaurants employing 150 to 200.

Don Mock, chairman of the Leeds Commercial District Authority, confirmed the hotel and restaurant plans.

Site preparation could during the coming week, said authority attorney Lee Barnes Jr.

The project, coupled with Red Diamond Inc.'s move from Birmingham to Moody, is viewed by many as a catalyst that will spur commercial and residential growth along the Interstate 20 corridor, where 70,000 vehicles zip by daily.

Preliminary projections have estimated annual revenue from Bass Pro Shops at $100 million, with the potential to draw 3 million visitors.

The Leeds school system has a $40 million building plan for a new high school and middle school funded with anticipated Bass Pro Shops tax revenue.

There is an expectation that many of the visitors also will be headed to Barber Motorsports or the Talladega Superspeedway down I-20.

Cause of anxiety:

Just a few weeks ago, it appeared Bass Pro Shops might be one that got away.

The Leeds City Council in April hired Birmingham lawyer Charlie Waldrep to examine the deal, which sent anxiety waves through Leeds and Moody that the deal was teetering. All parties, however, accepted revisions last week that included a broader shouldering of the debt among Moody, St. Clair and Leeds.

Through those weeks, Whitfield said, he tried to stay positive and not dwell on the possibility of a mega-deal falling through the city's fingers.

"I never wanted to let myself think that," Whitfield said. "We're just blessed that things have worked out."

Closing on the deal began Wednesday afternoon in a 14th floor conference room of the Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker law firm in downtown Birmingham.

Tables were arranged in a horseshoe pattern with legal folders opened to the 102 documents that each party would sign into the night. As many as 24 people, lawyers, bankers, office assistants and politicians, ambled about the conference room. The closing finished at mid-morning Thursday.

After the paper moving and dirt moving, some of the billboards along I-20 also could come down.

For Mock, the one telling motorists that they have just passed Bass Pro Shops could use some revision. It recently confused people from Anniston.

"They had taken the exit looking for Bass Pro Shops," Mock said.

E-mail: phickerson@bhamnews.com

[Randy Sandford]

My sister-in-law works for Daniel Realty at their corporate office in Grandview on 280. She said that they are going to relocate to Grand River in Leeds when the first office building is completed there. That was the first time I had heard there would be any office buildings at Grand River (haven't really heard much about this development anyway). I asked her to dig up more information for me. I also did a little internet research tonight and managed to find this preliminary website hosted by an advertising/marketing firm:

http://www.borczdixon-testdrive.com/...r/default.html

Then I came across something else. A website promoting Grand River as a potential location for Trinity Medical Center:

http://www.trinityatgrandriver.com/index.html

I thought Trinity was definitely moving to Grants Mill Rd. in Irondale, although I know there's been some opposition to them moving there. This is the first I've heard of them considering Grand River in Leeds, so I'm wondering if this is something they were considering before selecting Grants Mill Rd., or are they now trying to select a site that is a little further from the other hospitals that were in opposition to the Irondale site?

Anyway, that last link shows a site plan for the Town Center at Grand River which will be on the north side of I-20 at the US 78/Leeds exit. I'm assuming the massive residential development will be on the other side of the interstate since there isn't much room for it on the north side. If that is the case, then the only way they could connect the two sides would either be a road passing beneath the Cahaba River bridge on I-20 (the span is wide enough on the east side of the river to do this) or build a new overpass over I-20. I'll try to find out more information from my sister-in-law.

[Randy Sandford]

Well, after studing the site plan for the Town Center at Grand River a little further, I noticed that one of the roads will continue further to the east. That area would be inaccessible to US 78, and the nearest road it could connect to would be Markeeta Rd. which is approximately 2 miles away. I also noticed on a map and aerial photos that there is a lot of undeveloped land available in the area north of I-20 between the Cahaba River and Markeeta Rd. Perhaps that is where Grand River's residential area will be which would make more sense for it to be on the same side of the interstate where the Town Center will be located. But they are also touting there location adjacent to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and Barber Motorsports Park on that first link I posted, it's hard to determine exactly where it will all be built at this time (even on the north side of I-20, it would be close to those two sites, but not really adjacent as the website would suggest). Again, I'll post more information if and when I find it.

[sabre0link]

Originally Posted by Randy Sandford

Well, after studing the site plan for the Town Center at Grand River a little further, I noticed that one of the roads will continue further to the east. That area would be inaccessible to US 78, and the nearest road it could connect to would be Markeeta Rd. which is approximately 2 miles away. I also noticed on a map and aerial photos that there is a lot of undeveloped land available in the area north of I-20 between the Cahaba River and Markeeta Rd. Perhaps that is where Grand River's residential area will be which would make more sense for it to be on the same side of the interstate where the Town Center will be located. But they are also touting there location adjacent to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and Barber Motorsports Park on that first link I posted, it's hard to determine exactly where it will all be built at this time (even on the north side of I-20, it would be close to those two sites, but not really adjacent as the website would suggest). Again, I'll post more information if and when I find it.

Found the following image on the site... Not the best, but it gives a better idea as to the layout of things....

http://www.borczdixon-testdrive.com/...ages/map1b.jpg

[Randy Sandford]

Thanks sabre0link! I didn't even notice that before. So it looks like there will be residential development south of Barber Motorsports Park, but the area I mentioned earlier (east of the Town Center location and north of I-20) is also shaded. It will definitely be a large development, and although suburban developments aren't thought of very highly in this forum, it is still nice to hear of major residential developments in Jefferson County instead of one of the outlying metro counties. And that area of the county is ripe for growth.

This sounds great:

Grand River is a registered member of the Audubon International Gold Signature Program and is working to earn designation as a Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary.

With its scenic ridges, breathtaking valleys, and majestic parks, Grand River is a natural beauty. Picturesque streams cascade over natural rock bottoms. Native rock outcroppings and specimen trees help define its architecture. Habitat corridors protect the wildlife, and botanical surveys ensure the preservation of indigenous plant colonies.

United States Steel and Daniel Corporation applaud the work of Audubon International and its efforts to educate and inspire millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife and natural resources around them. We have drawn from their guidance and planning specifications to develop Grand River as a sustainable community of nature.

[Blazer85]

Downtown renaissance now for real
Jerry Underwood
Sunday, May 27, 2007

The idea that downtown Birmingham is undergoing a renaissance has been a hot topic during recent years.

Some of this talk was probably premature, at least at first. But an array of downtown condo, hotel and office projects appears to have finally laid a firm foundation for a legitimate comeback.

Call it critical mass.

Recent activity downtown indicates that momentum is moving forward, much like a self-sustaining chain reaction.

Pushing this momentum are people who believe there is something positive in restoring the vitality of downtown as the economic and cultural core of the metropolitan area. Among them are Joey McClure and siblings Anna and Jeremy Erdreich.

McClure is developing a marketing effort to boost the area around the Alabama Theatre and McWane Science Center by turning it into an entertainment district akin to Lakeview. Other businesses, including Hendon + Huckstein Architects, LCS Designs and ServisFirst Bank, have pledged to help potential tenants with services.

McClure said he is motivated by fond childhood memories of downtown.

"It was better than the fair and the circus and everything put together," he said.

Anna and Jeremy Erdreich, who have rehabilitated downtown buildings for lofts and offices, are among those pushing for a special designation that would label the area around the new Innovation Depot as the city's Entrepreneurial District.

Jeremy says a proposed logo for the district that features a tilted letter "E" will help establish a brand for the area that is anchored by the $17 million business incubator.

Meanwhile, there are some high-profile building projects targeted for downtown. One of them: Birmingham's Harbert Realty Services and partners plan to spend $50 million to create a four-star hotel where the old Regions Financial Corp. headquarters stands.

Another: Georgia-based Melaver Inc. will spend as much as $40 million to transform downtown's abandoned Federal Reserve structure into an environmentally-friendly project that features a hotel, offices and shops.

"We will settle for nothing less than a building of national significance," Melaver's Colin Coyne vowed last year.

Of course, downtown still faces its challenges and progress seems to move in pockets. Next to the site of the Regions hotel project stands the old La Paree restaurant, one of its large plate glass windows broken out. Downtown still boasts a heavy load of eyesores.

Condo projects continue to move along in many sections of downtown, but many people have begun to wonder out loud if developers are moving too fast. If the condo market cools, it could spell trouble for redevelopment efforts.

For now, though, prospects for downtown look as bright as they have in many years. Investment in this comeback is real and considerable. Interest in the rebirth is deep and substantial.

After some false starts, this renaissance appears finally to be flourishing. Jerry Underwood is business editor of The News. His e-mail: junderwood@bhamnews.com.

[SpudBHM]

Does anyone have any updates on the City Federal Building condominium project in Birmingham? It seems to be taking forever. Are any of the units occupied?

[UrbanLover]

The latest I heard was that they were going to start moving people into the upper floors in late July, while they finish work on the lower floors. I'll believe that when I see it. I also heard they are 65% sold.

[Blazer85]

We'll see whether this pans out or not. I've been VERY impressed with what Riley has done for our state overall, but quite a bit underwhelmed by what he's done for the Jefferson Co./Shelby Co. region in his tenure as governor.

Riley says two major industries target city
Compares them to Mercedes-Benz
Thursday, May 31, 2007
CHARLES J. DEAN News staff writer

Riding on the outcome of a little-known statewide vote Tuesday to increase Alabama's borrowing capacity is the state's ability to attract new businesses, including two into Jefferson County.

In a speech to Birmingham business and civic leaders Wednesday, Gov. Bob Riley said two businesses "transformational" in their potential impact on the Birmingham area could be attracted to the state using incentives that would be available if voters approve Amendment 1 next week.

"Birmingham today has the option of having two international companies locate in this county within the next year," Riley told about 275 members of the Rotary Club of Birmingham. "The day we do not offer an incentive package, then we are out of the running for any kind of economic development project of that magnitude."

While Riley would not specifically identify the companies, he said one is a biotech company that would be like Mercedes-Benz in its impact on the metro area, the state and region.

The first of the two proposed amendments voters are being asked to approve next week would increase from $350 million to $750 million the maximum amount the state could borrow for industrial incentives.

The second amendment would protect new trust funds set up to help pay for health-care benefits for retired state agency and education workers.

Riley also said Wednesday that the University of Alabama at Birmingham would receive $50 million as part of a proposed $1 billion bond issue for school construction needs. If the bond issue is approved by state lawmakers, UAB would use that money for its biotech program.

In addition, Riley said UAB will receive $10 million more each year beginning with the 2008 budget that begins Oct. 1 for its cancer center and cancer research programs.

"I think you're going to see UAB do some absolutely incredible, remarkable things, not only helping so many people lead a better quality of life, but also become the economic development engine here," Riley said.

E-mail: cdean@bhamnews.com

[Randy Sandford]

Here's a link for Highland Heights which is under construction beneath The Club and the Vulcan Trail. Looks nice!

http://www.highland-heights.com/

[shades valley]

WOW! i am very impressed with highland heights, love the look of those...i cant wait to come home later and see the progress. anything else fun goin on thats actually under construction?

[Blazer85]

City Federal to welcome its first residents in July
Tower to relive glory days as Birmingham icon
Saturday, June 02, 2007
DAWN KENT
News staff writer

Residents are expected to begin moving in July into the upper floors of the City Federal Condominium building, a 25-story former office and banking tower that is being transformed into urban living space.

Work is still under way on much of the 1913 building at Second Avenue North and Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard, as floors are being converted into condominiums from the top of the building to the bottom, where retail space is planned.

Atlanta-based developer Synergy Realty Services is spending more than $20 million on the project, as workers restore original architectural details, add modern touches and unearth long-forgotten remnants of the building's glory days.

"It's always an adventure," said Kat Stewart of Ingram & Associates, which is marketing the condos. "You never know what you're going to find."

Among recent discoveries are brass pocket doors in the former bank lobby that will be removed and mounted as an architectural element on the walls leading to the retail area.

Workers also are restoring some of the original tile floors, crown molding and ceilings. Elevator lobbies on individual floors and the building's iron and marble stairwell will retain their historical look.

In addition, the building's terra cotta exterior was painstakingly cleaned.

So far, there are 49 contracts on City Federal's 84 units, including a top-floor penthouse that was listed at $1.85 million. Nine closings are expected at the end of June and more are expected throughout the summer.

Adding safety and soundproofing features to the building took longer than anticipated, said Synergy principal Randy Herron. The developer had previously estimated the first condos would be ready by the first quarter of 2007.

The available units, with prices that range from $249,000 to $925,000, have two and three bedrooms, along with standard features that include granite countertops in the kitchens and master baths and hardwood floors in the main areas.

The upper floors feature far-reaching views of the city center.

Residential construction is expected to be complete by fall, and completion of the retail area is targeted by the end of the year.

Three retail spaces are available for sale on three levels - basement/terrace, first floor and mezzanine. They range in size from 3,164 to 7,405 square feet and in price from $400,000 to $740,000, said Bill Clements of Retail Specialists Inc.

Targeted tenants include a restaurant, boutique retail and specialty grocer concept, he said.

Opened as the Comer Building and renamed City Federal Building in 1962, the structure was once the tallest office building in the Southeast. It closed as a commercial building in 1994.

Other firms involved in the project include Visioneering, Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds Architects, Charles & Vinzant General Contractors and Andrea Carmichael Interiors.

E-mail: dkent@bhamnews.com

[Blazer85]

13 miles of Corridor X to open
Saturday, June 02, 2007
GINNY MacDONALD
News staff writer

State transportation officials plan next week to open 13 miles of Corridor X, the future Interstate 22 connecting Birmingham and Memphis, from Walker County 81 to Cherry Avenue near the Birmingham city limits.

State transportation officials say they plan to have the entire highway, except for its junction with Interstate 65 in Birmingham, open to traffic by Thanksgiving.

Crews were busy this week striping the interstate, putting up signs and adding lights to the roadway.

The opening will still leave 13 miles to be completed in Walker County and about three miles of work to be done at I-65 near Malfunction Junction.

Construction costs reached $1.014 billion last year and are expected to top $1.4 billion before completion.

State Transportation Director Joe McInnes said Friday that bids will be taken this summer to construct the corridor interchange to I-65, to widen I-65 to accommodate traffic from the corridor and for construction of the last part of the corridor at the interstate.

The I-65 widening, projected to cost about $75 million, will add outside lanes to I-65 from 16th Street to 41st Avenue.

The Corridor X/I-65 interchange, estimated to cost $145 million, will be the most expensive interchange in the state. It will extend about four miles from U.S. 31 in Fultondale to 16th Street in Birmingham.

Corridor X will not officially become I-22 until it connects with I-65. To meet the Federal Highway Administration's definition of interstate, the road must connect with another interstate and be built to interstate standards. For now, signs along the corridor designate the highway as the future I-22.

Design work is being done on an extension of the corridor from I-65 to U.S. 31. A feasibility study is being conducted for an additional segment from U.S. 31 to Interstate 20/59, just east of downtown Birmingham.

[BhamTiger10]

The Corridor X/I-65 interchange, estimated to cost $145 million, will be the most expensive interchange in the state. It will extend about four miles from U.S. 31 in Fultondale to 16th Street in Birmingham.

Did they mean 41st Ave? I'm glad that Corridor X is progressing so well. Hopefully there won't any big problems with constructing the future interchange.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by BhamTiger10

Did they mean 41st Ave? I'm glad that Corridor X is progressing so well. Hopefully there won't any big problems with constructing the future interchange.

Why hasn't anyone here mentioned the sale of the HealthSouth HQ and Digital Hospital yet?

[crash]

I was hoping for some more info on that...

Seems like a really small price for such a prime piece of real estate.

Anyone know what they plan on doing w/ it?