Mobile Development Thread

[SouthSky]

Damn, I want one of those condos. That is one nice location! Good pictures, by the way.

[nimsjus]

New Lagniappe is out. The cuisine options(all of which were in midtown/downtown) sound amazing. I cant wait to get back and try these places.
The restaurant scene just keeps getting better and better.
True, the French restaurant in the Legacy Village shopping center off Dauphin Street just west of the Interstate, should be opening soon. I also have heard that something is going into the GM&O building off Water. I’ve heard everything from fine dining to a sandwich shop. I ran into the Dream Chef people I profiled earlier this year at the Farmer’s Market downtown (more about that in a bit) and they are opening a restaurant on Old Shell Road (I believe behind Nixon’s Drugs on Infirmary Drive) serving lunch and dinner. Their breads are great and I had a wonderful sausage biscuit hot off the griddle at the market last Saturday.
Adding to this is the return of Cortland Inge to Mobile – which I am thrilled about. He will be opening around the beginning of he year in the old Gus’s building on Dauphin Street. Beyond being a pioneer in Downtown about 15 years ago by opening the Courthouse Café on Royal Street across from the Riverview, he went on the open the Bakery Café.At the time, this CIA graduate (Culinary Institute of America. He’s not a spy) was brining new tastes and preparations to Mobile. And he is just an overall nice guy without any of the generalizations made about chefs – no pretentiousness is found in Cortland. After years spent away in Washington DC, Chicago and Seattle he has found his way back home.He came for a visit and was literally blown away with what is happening here, and the growth of local restaurants. He specifically mentioned in our meeting that Liquid has unbelievable sushi – that what they are doing could hold up against anything found in Seattle. Cortland also went on and on about the crab and corn bisque and the beef tenderloin small plate at the Royal Scam. After four back surgeries, and being unable to do anything for two years after the last one, he is back on track. In Seattle, he had sold a successful BBQ joint and was thinking about opening a French Bistro when he came home.He met Eddie Cornell, who owns the building, and after establishing not only a business relationship but working in concert with each other, began to work on getting what will be named the Courtyard Manor up and running. Courtland plans on bringing in a chef from out of town, and bringing to our area items that are innovative but not overly snobby. I am expecting great things.
http://www.lagniappemobile.com/article/1166

[NitekKetin]

The GM&O building is a bit far north for fine dining.

[nimsjus]

Originally Posted by NitekKetin

The GM&O building is a bit far north for fine dining.

I would love for downtown to get to a point where the GM&O building was not "out of the way", "too far north", or "out over by itself". I hear comments like that all the time, and at the moment they are true. It is very isolated. Sadly it is one of a handful of great old buildings Mobile thought enough of to save(actually it was probably more a case of noone else wanting that land, or else it might be gone too). If more could be made of either side of Water St it would help the GM&O area out tremendously. The PR went out of its way to build their new building in this area to spark positive energy in that area. If the city ever followed through with that plan they came up with for Water St, this area could thrive. I guess they have to start/finish the Bring Back Broad St project first...

[NitekKetin]

I think there needs to be increased infill development along Royal Street, in order to entice people northward beyond even St. Louis Street.

[nimsjus]

Nice article from sundays real estate section on what Lyons, Pipe, & Cook laf firm has done for downtown in the past decade or so. A really good read. These guys do alot of positive things for downtown that many others don't bother to do.
http://www.al.com/business/press-register/index.ssf?/base/business/1193563433221640.xml&coll=3

[CottonCity251]

Not really about downtown, but check out this article in US Industry Today about Mobile's growing economy...

US Industry Today

[LHG]

I must say, this forum is a great resource for all of the great press coming out about Mobile right now. We deal with several out of town clients that look at Mobile as a great opportunity for investment. It certainly helps to have a cheerleading section!

[CottonCity251]

Has anyone heard anything about someone going to build a Six Flags Amusement Park out by the Alabama MotorSports Park? Haven't found anything concrete.

[Port-City_J]

I haven't heard anything about that, but it would be great though!!

[elb401]

umm i haven't but it sounds like it could be a rumor. They have New Orleans right. I also think that they don't wont to expand and build anymore parks.

[Alxx611]

I was at Greekfest and they had a few nice old pics of Downtown that I liked:

How have i never heard of this 20-story proposed hotel that was to be built in the 20s? It was to be on South Royal Street




What is this building? Its not the Cathon Hotel is it?





Greek Orthodox Church, much more beautiful on the inside.



Hampton Inn cranes downtown-hard to see in the first pic.

[pboo74]

if anyone is reading please anwser,have you heard about the maritime museum what's the word on it,also about the waterstreet landing project?

[elb401]

The maritime meusem is still in the fund raising stage. the director is saying its on time. The company that was going to develope the condos went bankrupt. that doesn't mean they still cant do the project. it just makes them less believable. they say they are still going to do them. They say they are just waiting for the right time. so who knows if that is the truth.

Oh that is a picture of the Beinville hotel. its gone now and an office building is there now. Its the southwest corner of the square across from woodlands bank and the old subway.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by elb401

umm i haven't but it sounds like it could be a rumor. They have New Orleans right. I also think that they don't wont to expand and build anymore parks.

I thought New Orleans hasn't opened since Katrina and will not open?

[CottonCity251]

I've heard about the Malbis Hotel, I think is the name, in the first picture. Plans were scrapped because the stock market crashed the day after the anouncement which begin the Great Depression. NBC 15 featured it on one of its Tricentennial Moments during the city's 300th year celebration.

[nimsjus]

Great pictures...Sunday's PR featured an article on downtown parking.
http://www.al.com/business/press-register/index.ssf?/base/business/1194171304227800.xml&coll=3
I kind of agreed and disagreed with some of what was said. I agree that there may not be a major parking shortage downtown just yet. However I disagreed with the people who said the problem was Mobilians are not willing to walk a block or 2 for parking. I think the biggest problem is that people do not know where they can and can't park, and what parking is free or paid. Most of the parking downtown is poorly marked and some of it looks pretty bad too. Im downtown all the time and there are still times where I cant figure out if a lot is private/public, free/paid, etc. If the city would just force all public lots(paid or free) to maintain a certain level of upkeep/signage, it would help out alot. The city could also look into converting some parallel spots on side streets into the diagonal metered parking to squeeze in a few more spots, especially on the less used north/sout streets. Just a few thoughts. Has anyone got any pictures of the Hampton Inn construction? I hear there are cranes up now

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by elb401

The maritime meusem is still in the fund raising stage. the director is saying its on time. The company that was going to develope the condos went bankrupt. that doesn't mean they still cant do the project. it just makes them less believable. they say they are still going to do them. They say they are just waiting for the right time. so who knows if that is the truth.

Oh that is a picture of the Beinville hotel. its gone now and an office building is there now. Its the southwest corner of the square across from woodlands bank and the old subway.

I am beginning to hope that they don't build the condos at Waterstreet Landing. I think they should just move forward with the retail counterpart. Along with the rest of Mobile Landing, the retail should attract more people to the area and wouldn't be to high to block views of the bay.

[SouthSky]

I love this website... Downtown Mobile Alliance. They recently released the updated the Major Investment Report for the downtown area. On this report there are several updates on buildings referenced in this thread along with new investments within the Broad Street perimeter.

Link: http://downtownmobile.org/images/news/major_investment_report6.pdf

Video: http://www.airwind.com/portfolio/downtown/ Cool skyline shots

[nimsjus]

That report was great. I had seen it on another site. I really like the look of the gayfers project. I was shocked at how many condo projects were slated. A few of those I had never seen until that report(the former florist building, and some of the smaller projects). Curious what others though of those projects.