Montgomery development news - Page 221

bystander1 · #**4401** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 4:37 AM**

Welcome to the forum, Thedarkone1977.

bystander1 · #**4402** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 4:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyingyak

I will agree that downtown Montgomery needs more retail but probably not in the form of a urban mall or urban shopping center. A series of retail blocks would be a better start for downtown than a "self-enclosed block" type retail center. It is essentially a mall in a more vertical form to fit in a downtown situation and they typically only work in dense urban cores that already have a good deal of pedestrian and auto traffic. In Montgomery it would be too expensive because of the availability of cheap land - a la Montgomery Mall, Eastdale Mall and East Chase. Plus with a "self-enclosed block" type center your pulling people off the street...they would drive to the site, park and walk directly in...how would that be any different than a mall anywhere else in the city, just the fact that it's downtown.

A good row of retail along a series of blocks would draw people downtown and get them on the streets were they interact with other aspects of downtown that whatever would be in the "mall." Personally I think this is the type of renaissance that Dexter Ave is due for. Probably the most historic street in the state needs to have better pretense within the capital.

Yes I agree. Downtown does not need an enclosed "mall". But Dexter could be the perfect area for lofts and retail again. (Did you know that the design for The Shops at EastChase was inspired by the layout of Dexter Avenue?)

Quote:

I hate to admit it, because David Bronner really is financial genius, but you could easily compare a downtown mall to the high rise office towers that he is building. They are sucking up all the smaller individual tenants into one structure instead of leaving them dispersed throughout the downtown.

...How..DARE..you......

OCA REP · #**4403** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 2:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thoraudio

Service needs to improve a little though....

I agree 100%

We made our second visit the other day and the service was still "iffy." They have got to fix that because word is unfortunately spreading that the "food is good, but the service sucks!"

BTW, thoraudio, it was good to see you there and catch up a little the other day...

Thedarkone1977 · #**4404** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 3:43 PM**

Dyingyak,

I agree with you 100%, it shouldn’t be an enclosed mall. Your right it should be blocks of individual\touching buildings with wide sidewalks and areas for benches and art. The building should be made to look like older buildings and all be a little or completely different.

I think Dexter Avenue would be a great location but I also think the area to the right and in front of Riverwalk Stadium would be great. Bell Street (Maxwell Avenue) across from the park overlooking the river would be a good location. But the best and most visible location would be the area between the Convention Center and Troy University Montgomery. Everyone who comes down town would see it. It would be next to all the downtown hotels. It would give Troy Montgomery more visibility. And I think it is so close to Dexter Avenue that it would cause that area to be developed also. I think it has to be done by one developer or multiple developers working together to get it done in a reasonable time. It would be a big project that people would really be excited about. If a project like that and the Park across the river (I’m going to register that name….LOL) were done at the same time, there would be an excitement about downtown that would push it over the top and make it the top destination in central AL.

Thedarkone1977 · #**4405** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 3:57 PM**

Thanks bystander1.

I didn't know that about East Chase. I think the people who did EastChase would do a great job on a project downtown.

OldCloverdale · #**4406** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 5:53 PM**

Building up America: How Hyundai changed the world...in South Alabama

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/17/bu...ndai-changed-the-world-in-south-alabama/

thoraudio · #**4407** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 6:20 PM**

Downtown needs 'shopping' but not Belk's or Dillard's or things like that.

Downtown needs 'touristy' shopping. The night life is coming along great (ate at Wintzell's last friday, and was floored by the number of people actually out and about, it was awesome), but now that needs to be expanded.

DT needs things to keep tourists and conventioners interested during the day and on the weekends. If you've ever been to Charleston or Savannah, you know what I'm talking about, and that's what Montgomery needs to aim for.

My proposal is an open air market on the lower half of Commerce, between the street and current parking lot/proposed green space. Right now, there is nothing to draw people down towards the Riverwalk except a long, dark tunnel.

Charleston has an awesome open air market that is a huge draw.

source

source

Now, imagine something like that on lower Commerce. Filled with local vendors, fruit stands, etc...

Now you've got something to draw people to the green space between there and the Embassy and Train station, as well as drawing them towards the Riverwalk.

You could even do a two story, with offices/apts/shops on the top, and market underneath.

At a few plaques and murals about cotton and slave trade and you've got a built in draw.

Port_of_Bama · #**4408** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 8:20 PM**

We are asking for the same thing in DT Mobile(light retail). I like the French Market in DT New Orleans. The French Market is more like a flea market.I can see a French Market near the river in Montgomery.

Port_of_Bama · #**4409** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 8:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCloverdale

Building up America: How Hyundai changed the world...in South Alabama

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/17/bu...ndai-changed-the-world-in-south-alabama/

I like the new design of the Sonata that you guys are producing.

bystander1 · #**4410** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 3:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

I like the new design of the Sonata that you guys are producing.

Yeah, you, me and a lot of other people too. My brother works there and said they're running over capacity trying to keep up with demand.
1000 cars a day was their optimum standard output, now they're producing up to 1200 a day just to fill current orders.
I'm thinking of trading my 06 Sonata for the new '10 model.

bystander1 · #**4411** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 3:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thedarkone1977

Thanks bystander1.

I didn't know that about East Chase. I think the people who did EastChase would do a great job on a project downtown.

They probably would have...had the founder (Jim Wilson) been still living. His bold vision, even in economically challenging times, is no longer present at the firm.

Dyingyak · #**4412** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 1:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bystander1

Yes I agree. Downtown does not need an enclosed "mall". But Dexter could be the perfect area for lofts and retail again. (Did you know that the design for The Shops at East Chase was inspired by the layout of Dexter Avenue?)

Really? It seems like every other lifestyle center I've seen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bystander1

...How..DARE..you......

It's a double-standard I live...not crazy about what he does, but my wife is a teacher so I appreciate all the benefits of the RSA and her retirement package.

Dyingyak · #**4413** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 1:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bystander1

They probably would have...had the founder (Jim Wilson) been still living. His bold vision, even in economically challenging times, is no longer present at the firm.

I don't know...Jim Wilson wasn't, or JW&A isn't, exactly known for "urban" projects, not to say they couldn't but everything they have done has such strong suburban influences. Even East Chase which is supposed to feel urban isn't even close. _B

bystander1 · #**4414** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 2:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyingyak

Really? It seems like every other lifestyle center I've seen.

That's because Wilson was one of the first designers of the modern "Main Street" concept for urban shopping centers. He said that the design of The shops at EastChase would follow the pattern of Dexter Avenue, with the anchor store Dillards being where the Capitol would be.

Lots of articles in Business Alabama and the Montgomery Advertiser were written about his ideas for EastChase and for building "lifestyle centers" instead of enclosed malls over a decade ago.

Thedarkone1977 · #**4415** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 4:16 PM**

Guy’s,

What’s going on with the two new downtown hotel projects?

The Hyatt Place\MainStay Suites project and The Capital Inn site.

I haven’t heard anything about them in a while. Have they been postponed?

Dyingyak · #**4416** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bystander1

That's because Wilson was one of the first designers of the modern "Main Street" concept for urban shopping centers. He said that the design of The shops at EastChase would follow the pattern of Dexter Avenue, with the anchor store Dillards being where the Capitol would be.

Lots of articles in Business Alabama and the Montgomery Advertiser were written about his ideas for EastChase and for building "lifestyle centers" instead of enclosed malls over a decade ago.

Well if they were one of the first developers the concept I'm surprised they don't market themselves as doing such.

Jefficator · #**4417** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 7:32 PM**

No one is lending for commercial real estate development right now. Probably won't be lending for at least a year. Those projects couldn't restart until at least summer 2010

bystander1 · #**4418** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyingyak

Well if they were one of the first developers the concept I'm surprised they don't market themselves as doing such.

They did actually, for only about a year or so.

Scoots71 · #**4419** Posted **Mar 20, 2010, 6:48 PM**

This is interesting... One Court Square anyone?

Mayor pushing for multi purpose sports facility in Montgomery

Posted: Mar 19, 2010 10:39 PM
Updated: Mar 20, 2010 10:01 AM
Posted by: Mario Hendricks - bio | email

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Sports fans have something to get excited about in Montgomery.

Today, the mayor's sports commissioner announced that the Capital City will host championship football, baseball and softball games for The National Private School Athletic Association.

While it's a big deal for the area, the mayor says Montgomery is working on building a facility that will keep sporting events like these coming.

Cramton Bowl has seen it's share of action. City leaders wonder just how much more the stadium can take. Built in the early 1920's, Cramton Bowl is showing it's age. It is limiting the city to what events can be brought to town.

"It needs some uplifting if you will...not from a standpoint of the field..the field is fine...but the concessions, the seating and particularly the press box are," stated Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange.

Change is coming however. Along with updates to Cramton Bowl, the mayor wants to build a multi purpose indoor sports facility in order to attract indoor sporting events that would otherwise pass Montgomery by.

"Let's take the volleyball tournament we had a few months ago. We had about 70 teams here and it worked well in The Renaissance, but the problem is next year. They want to double that size and The Renaissance is not available and we don't have the exhibit space to put those teams...so we must have our own facility," added Mayor Strange.

These upgrades could cost the city 12 to14 million dollars. It's an investment that the mayor says will show others, no matter what the event, that the Capital City is ready to play ball.

The mayor also added that building a multi purpose facility would take about 15 months.

bystander1 · #**4420** Posted **Mar 20, 2010, 8:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoots71

This is interesting... One Court Square anyone?

No question, Cramton Bowl needs more than an overhaul. Tear it down and rebuild the thing...

As far as the multi-purpose facility goes, I'm sure thoraudio would love that One Court Square idea.

But I think the city should build an arena that would handle much more than what the Pelham facility does. We need a new arena to compete with other facilities across the nation with cities of similar size--we shouldn't have to compete with Pelham. We'll find out very quickly that it's way too small.

But, if it's being built primarily for indoor amateur sports, then, I guess... maybe One Court Square would be okay since it would be a small facility... theoretically speaking.