Mobile Development Thread

[SouthSky]

Originally Posted by elb401

Looks like Broad Street will see some work! I used to live on Broad near Charleston about a year ago. My wife and I miss it sometimes. It will be a great street again!


http://local15tv.com/shared/news/fea...et-10108.shtml

That corridor badly needs improvements in some places (bike lanes and such). Broad is very busy on the west side of downtown during most days and would fare well with some median and pedestrian-related modifications.

[SouthSky]

New apartments at 304 Government? (old Press-Register HQ)
Link Here

[Port_of_Bama]

Old

Originally Posted by SouthSky

New apartments at 304 Government? (old Press-Register HQ)
Link Here

Hmmm well, if my not miss reading the article I have reasons to think that the old Press Registar could be demolished for a new apartment development.Noticed it did not say redeveloped into, converted or anything of that nature. I would like to see such developments and could be a great project.

[Port_of_Bama]

Do you guys know what 220 St. Michael St is being renovated into ?? I also noticed a new BBQ restaurant called Cotton City BBQ as well which is down the street in the former Fuji San location on the corner of St. Michael and Conception streets from

220 St Michael st




Renovation on a building on St.Michael st by Port_of_Mobile, on Flickr

[elb401]

FYI...... the former Krispy Kreme on Government Street in Midtown has sold. The buyers are going to demolish the building and construct a Dairy Queen.

[Alxx611]

^^ Even if it's just a fast food place, I'm actually glad to see Mobile getting a Dairy Queen again finally. I think the closest one for years now has been the one in Saraland or across the Bay.

A few things:

1.) Barton Academy Foundation is trying to raise $15 million for interior renovations, while the MCPSS has already pledged $3.5 million for exterior renovations. Can anyone catch me up to speed what the plans are?

2.) Walter Energy is no longer going further with their plans to build a controversial coal terminal, rather are selling the land to the Port Authority who will probably use it to expand the container terminal in the future.

[NitekKetin]

Dairy Queen is also opening a location on University Boulevard near USA's campus.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by Alxx611

^^ Even if it's just a fast food place, I'm actually glad to see Mobile getting a Dairy Queen again finally. I think the closest one for years now has been the one in Saraland or across the Bay.

A few things:

1.) Barton Academy Foundation is trying to raise $15 million for interior renovations, while the MCPSS has already pledged $3.5 million for exterior renovations. Can anyone catch me up to speed what the plans are?

2.) Walter Energy is no longer going further with their plans to build a controversial coal terminal, rather are selling the land to the Port Authority who will probably use it to expand the container terminal in the future.

As for #2, that's probably the best thing. Coal will eventually be replaced with something, while containers will always need to be shipped. Although, by the time coal fizzles out who knows what the elevation of mean sea level will be, so it might not make a difference anyway.

[Del]

@ Alxx611 re: Barton--- Have you seen this article? Spells it out pretty well. I hope they can get their $15 million and that "Mobile's international businesses" are willing to pony up handsomely.
http://blog.al.com/live/2014/03/what...academy_r.html

[SouthSky]

It is rumored that the Trustmark Tower management downtown have two tenants lined up for the ground floor... one being a chain pharmacy. The other rumored tenant is a Chickfila (who apparently blew it out on their test run). Who knows how accurate this is, but that's what the grapevine is saying.

As for Barton, I thought I saw they were supposed to reveal some plans for the building over the weekend, but I haven't seen them as of yet.

[eshore78]

Some big news ..
http://m.local15tv.com/news/Rouse_Pr...eredirect=true

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by eshore78

Some big news ..
http://m.local15tv.com/news/Rouse_Pr...eredirect=true

The fact that an outside investor is willing to buy it is a pretty good sign.

Lately, many outside investors have been buying up Alabama properties.

Let's just hope that the local momentum that has encouraged this outside investment continues.

[Alxx611]

RE: Barton Academy. I was just curious why they were raising $15 million, if that takes into account the use of Historic rehabilitation tax credits in mind. I'd like to think they could fund most of the project with those, and then leverage a loan for the remaining amount. Didn't think $15 million would need to be raised. Curious if a developer is being hired or if that's something in-house for the school system.

[elb401]

Tax credits would not help with the Barton Restoration. Barton is a public building and the school system doesn't pay property taxes.

[elb401]

http://blog.al.com/live/2014/05/lets...river_business

Glad to see this starting to happen.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by elb401

http://blog.al.com/live/2014/05/lets...river_business

Glad to see this starting to happen.

About time !

[Alxx611]

Originally Posted by elb401

Tax credits would not help with the Barton Restoration. Barton is a public building and the school system doesn't pay property taxes.

Right, but typically the tax credits are sold to investors and banks in exchange for equity for the project. So I don't think it should matter if they pay property taxes or not. The two school properties for sale just mentioned in above post could greatly benefit from historic tax credits as well too.

Also, I've been hearing that the Downtown Alliance is looking for uses for the old methodist church on Joachim, particularly business incubator or performing arts space. The Marigny Opera House in New Orleans would be a good model:

[Port_of_Bama]

600,00 sq-ft shopping complex will be breaking ground soon. What retailers you guys think would be a good fit for the new complex ? I wish the design was a little better though.


I wish the design was like the Ridge Hill retail Center

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/i...0312211410.jpg

[SouthSky]

We know that Costco is included. The others? I've heard plenty of names... nothing substantiated, though.

[Port_of_Bama]

Historic Admiral Semmes Hotel purchased by Mississippi company

The Admiral Semmes Hotel, a landmark of Mobile’s LoDa’s landscape since 1940 and one of the triumvirate of locally owned historic edifices downtown, per USA Today (Battle House, Malaga Inn being the others), has been purchased by Alabama Hotels LLC. based out of Hattiesburg, Miss.

This is possibly the first of several purchases in the area according to one of the company’s principals, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Cost and future investment plans slated for the property will also be announced in the near future according to the source.

Whether or not the Admiral Semmes will retain its historic name remains unknown. The restrained architectural style of the Depression-era structure is fully apparent from the outside since opening roughly three quarters of a century ago. The hotel’s founder and namesake, Raphael Semmes, was not only a noteworthy local attorney, editor and writer, but was the first and only commander aboard the Confederate ship, CSS Alabama, which capsized in 1864 off the coast of France. The city of Semmes was even named after him.

In recent times the location has lost some of its historic luster. A quick look at Tripadvisor.com shows a guest approval rating of 45 percent, with the majority of reviewers rating their stay as very poor.

http://lagniappemobile.com/historic-...sippi-company/




Also on another note " Future home of Alabama Music Box remains unknown"

I hope it will be another downtown location but I`m glad to read that they have plans to reopen because they were very successful in what they do.

http://lagniappemobile.com/future-ho...mains-unknown/