Mobile Development Thread

[Port_of_Bama]

^^^ I hope so or either Audi both would be great.




Sky got me excited about the posibilities of having a BRT.

[Electrical Porpoise]

Originally Posted by BlessedMobile

I have it on good authority that the intersection of Old Shell Road and McGregor Avenue will soon be the home of a LARGE Texaco station with lots of gas pumps and a convenience store. The little gas station on the corner with the FULL SERVICE pump will be gone. I guess the neighborhood just won't be the same anymore! First it was the CVS drug store on one corner and now Texaco on another. Progress is coming to a neighborhood near you.

I noticed yesterday that the Exxon signs were being changed to Gasco, whatever that is. Same blue and red font, however.

[SouthSky]

MPR
Alabama business leaders more optimistic about economy

Link Here

Expectations of Alabama and Mobile-area business leaders rose for the first quarter in the Alabama Business Confidence Index. Numbers above 50 anticipate economic expansion in the coming quarter:

Statewide: 55

Huntsville: 60.3
Mobile: 58
Montgomery: 53.9
Birmingham: 52.2



Source: University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research

[Electrical Porpoise]

Some random data to look at:

Adults With College Degrees in the United States, by County

[Port_of_Bama]

David Bronner, chief of the state's system of pension funds, had expressed interest in the property before he backed the renovation of the historic hotel adjacent to the 35-story RSA Battle House Tower.

http://blog.al.com/press-register-business/2011/01/rsa_checking_out_law_firm_prop.html

[Port_of_Bama]

If i`m not mistakin the 2008 Population count for Mobile County was 404,000
and the 2010 estimates are around 416,000.It`s not much but it is healthy moderate growth.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/datacenter/population02012011.html?appSession=67395046810883


Escambia County (Pensacola) grew by 60K from 2009 to 2010 ! And the Pensacola metro grow by 100K in the last decade.


Jackson County MS grew by 2k they were down to 121k in 2005 due to Katrina gald to seem them rebound.

Mobile`s over all metro grew around 75K in the last decade.

[NitekKetin]

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

http://blog.al.com/press-register-business/2011/01/rsa_checking_out_law_firm_prop.html

Ideally, that squat law office building would be demolished for a complement to the adjacent Battle House complex. High quality retail would be located at the ground level.

[thecapitalbama]

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

If i`m not mistakin the 2008 Population count for Mobile County was 404,000
and the 2010 estimates are around 416,000.It`s not much but it is healthy moderate growth.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/datacenter/population02012011.html?appSession=67395046810883


Escambia County (Pensacola) grew by 60K from 2009 to 2010 ! And the Pensacola metro grow by 100K in the last decade.


Jackson County MS grew by 2k they were down to 121k in 2005 due to Katrina gald to seem them rebound.

Mobile`s over all metro grew around 75K in the last decade.

You mean Escambia county grew by 6k not 60k in 2009-2010.
The 2000 Census was 294,000 and chart said 303,000.

Pensacola Metro grew only 41k from 2000 to 2007, 41,000 people from 412 to 453,000.

Mobile's CSA grew about 50-55,000.

[thecapitalbama]

Originally Posted by SouthSky

Through some more treasure hunting, I've found another proposal for transit in the Mobile area. The MPO has a Bus Rapid Transit plan to combat rising traffic problems on the Airport/Government corridors. This is their preferred plan but it has not yet been implemented.



If you are unaware of what a Bus Rapid Transit system is this picture will help:

I read somewhere Mobile was looking for a way to make water street more
friendly to people, adding this to water street could help plus with attractions like the gulf quest museum adding a person bridge over water street, this could also be good use for this system. People riding these buses could safely cross water street.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by thecapitalbama

You mean Escambia county grew by 6k not 60k in 2009-2010.
The 2000 Census was 294,000 and chart said 303,000.

Pensacola Metro grew only 41k from 2000 to 2007, 41,000 people from 412 to 453,000.

Mobile's CSA grew about 50-55,000.

LOL I was looking at the numbers wrong.

[Port_of_Bama]

They were talking about adding more pedestrian bridges on Water St I believe to make it safer to cross.


@Nitekkiten I was wonder what RSA is ging to do with the building once they purchase it.High quility retail would be good for that location.

[BlessedMobile]

Originally Posted by NitekKetin

Ideally, that squat law office building would be demolished for a complement to the adjacent Battle House complex. High quality retail would be located at the ground level.

When I first read your post I thought I was going to disagree about the looks of the law office but after looking at it more closely I must agree with you. That has the lines of a cheap motel and the colors to match. I remember a few years ago that the Republic Parking manager told me that RSA wanted to buy the lot and building but the lawyers weren't interested. The parking lot is at least 3 times larger than the overall building. It is a big piece of property that Bronner should want. I can't imagine what would be best for the land now but it is going to be something nice one day.

[Alxx611]

Looks like the Copelands building at Airport and Hillcrest is being gutted finally. Not sure if they are still sticking with the plans to expand the original building design into a shopping center of some kind, but I would think so if they aren't completely tearing it down.

When this project first came up a year or two ago, Serda's was mentioned to open another location there, but I heard from an Serda's employee that John Serda has bailed out of those plans.

[Port_of_Bama]

Glad to know that someone is willing to invest in this area !http://blog.al.com/live/2011/02/martin_luther_king_jr_avenue.html

[SouthSky]

I've been wondering about that old Copeland's location... you'd think that would a prime piece of property for development.

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

Glad to know that someone is willing to invest in this area !http://blog.al.com/live/2011/02/martin_luther_king_jr_avenue.html

MLK certainly is need of development, and I wish this man good wishes! The area to the north of downtown (with an exception of DeTonti) needs a big makeover.

Also in the news today:
EADS could be getting good news within the week HERE

[jmbreland]

Wow! After nearly a month's absence, I'm so thrilled to find several pages of new development news for Mobile!

I'm very excited about the maritime museum development along with the ferries, the pedestrian bridge, and the parking garage. ESPECIALLY the parking garage! Parking's sorely limited in that area of downtown, especially considering all the events that take place there through the year and all the venues: Museum of Mobile, Exploreum, Ft. Conde, Convention Center, not to mention all the restaurants and shops nearby, then add to that the Maritime Museum, ferries, and Amtrak terminal. That's just huge in my mind. The area will definitely become much more inviting to visitors knowing that there's accessible parking!

As for the BRT. I'm all for it, but please, for the sake of aesthetics, do not destroy those oak trees planted in Water Street's median. As for those along Government St., I seriously doubt they will do anything to those ancient oaks. They are much too valuable to Mobile, and Gov't St's "oak tunnel" is one of Mobile's signature vistas. Nobody will touch them.

Speaking of aesthetics, I really think the city should invest in buying the tall date palms from California and plant them along Water Street, Broad Street, and some other major throughfares in the city core. They look awesome here in downtown Jax, but oaks are largely absent. Mobile has the huge bonus of having those oaks to go with the palms. That'd look just spectacular. (I'm a palm enthusiast and I do know a great deal about palms and I know those date palms will fare very well in Mobile. New Orleans's got them lining their downtown streets as well.)

Click here to see a Google street view of Jacksonville' palm-lined Riverside Avenue.

Click here for a street view of New Orleans' palm-lined Canal St.

[Port_of_Bama]

I think they should start planting Date palms along Water street first.

And I`m glad that this guy is starting a revitalization of MLK.Orange Grove is looking nice,and he mentioned an upscale bistro.One could be surprised of how little investments would bring on a sense of pride.I wish him all the best !!!
I think the city should start looking at St. Louis street downtown.That is a major street that is prime for development.More hotels and cafes Hopefully.



I been wanting to post links about EADS for the longest but I have been holding out.When we get the contract I would like to know what kind of impact you guys think it will have on this city ???

I just hope that downtown and mid town will benefit greatly from it.

[jmbreland]

Sorry for the double post, but I'm wondering if POB's avatar is of a New Orleans' MG parade or some new additions to Mobile's MG float fleet.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by SouthSky

I've been wondering about that old Copeland's location... you'd think that would a prime piece of property for development.



MLK certainly is need of development, and I wish this man good wishes! The area to the north of downtown (with an exception of DeTonti) needs a big makeover.

Also in the news today:
EADS could be getting good news within the week HERE

Also I noticed that they have cleared out a large parcel of land on Airport next to where Milo`s use to be.I always wondered why that land was never occupied with some sort of business but it is clear now and the tractors are out.I`m thinking a Publix maybe ??

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by jmbreland

Sorry for the double post, but I'm wondering if POB's avatar is of a New Orleans' MG parade or some new additions to Mobile's MG float fleet.

LOL I Found the pic through Google and it had Mobile Mystic Stripers parade taged to it.