Montgomery development news

[thoraudio]

BTW, I noticed a 'for sale' sign on the Montgomery Theater today.

[bystander1]

^ I wonder how overpriced it is?

[neilson]

Originally Posted by bystander1

There's a business called Freddie B's coming and it is said to have two restaurants, professional billiard tables, and coin-op games. I don't know where it will be located, but it sounds like it would be too large to fit in any available building downtown... though that would be nice.

BTW, there is a 'sale pending' sign at the old Kmart building on E. South Blvd.

That's a nice building; I hope it's some sort of Quality retail for that blighted part of town.

[Brown Duckz]

Longer article.

Court Square to get makeover

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


A new idea for downtown Montgomery is already taking shape, just days after a Florida-based planning firm set up shop on Dexter Avenue and began soliciting ideas from the community.

The historic fountain plaza in Court Square will undergo a radical transformation in the coming year. The city intends to spend $1 million to install "Belgian" cobblestone streets in the entire plaza, clearing the way for foot traffic and automobiles.

The design was conceived by a number of people, including traffic designer Rick Hall, who is in town this week holding meetings with community members and working with city planner Dover, Kohl and Partners.

Hall said the plaza will have more than 33,000 square feet of cobblestone surface, which will slow automobiles and restore the area to its pre-1950s design. The iconic fountain at the end of Dexter Avenue will become more accessible to pedestrians after the plaza is completed, he said.

A block of Court Street that was paved over in the 1970s also will be reopened in an effort to reinvigorate businesses in that area.

In the past eight months, city officials had been considering installing a roundabout at the fountain, but Monday morning Mayor Bobby Bright committed to the new design.

"It's going to be more expensive," said Ken Groves, director of planning and development for the city, "but creating the character of the place is going to be a very good investment."

The city also is paying up to $310,000 for the services of Dover, Kohl and Partners, which has conducted nearly 80 town planning sessions of this kind.

All week, residents can visit their office space at 2 Dexter Ave. to participate in planning meetings and talk with the designers.

At a Saturday meeting, more than 100 people interested in the process met in small groups on the Alabama State University campus to talk about their ideas for downtown.

"A lot of people talked about the greening of downtown," said Margaret Flippen, a senior project manager for the firm.

More park space and more two-way roads were other ideas mentioned at the meeting.

On Monday, Joe Kohl, a principal of the firm, was studying a large map of the downtown area, typing in notes about the public input.

"There is a lot of talk about creating an entertainment district in the warehouse district," Kohl said.

That area near Bibb Street already has seen some redevelopment, particularly as developers create condominiums near Riverfront Stadium.

By the end of the day Monday, company officials estimated about 75 residents had stopped by to discuss the plans. The work-in-progress presentation will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Troy University Montgomery's Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts.

[Brown Duckz]

Alfa Corp. to acquire insurance company

Montgomery Advertiser


Montgomery-based Alfa Corp. (NASDAQ:ALFA) announced today that it would acquire Virginia Mutual Insurance Company through a wholly owned subsidiary.

In the deal, Virginia Mutual would be converted to a stock company.

The “plan of conversion” is subject to the approval of the Virginia State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Mutual policyholders. Pending these approvals, the deal should be complete by the first of next year.

“We have made great strides in the operations at Virginia Mutual and now must prepare for the future,” Jerry A. Newby, Alfa's chairman, president and CEO, in a statement. “A major step in this plan is to create an environment that is favorable for capitalizing and expanding this business as we move forward.”

A company release didn’t reveal the financial aspects of the deal.
Virginia Mutual and Alfa companies have participated in a Strategic Affiliation Agreement since 2001, the companies said.

Alfa's stock was 3 cents up to 17.08 in mid-morning trading. For more inform

[Brown Duckz]

I wonder if the "big announcement" set for Wednesday was the fountain plaza?

[Brown Duckz]

SOUTHERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Biscuits 11, Stars 4
GAME 2: Sonnanstine outshines Stars

By A. Stacy Long
Montgomery Advertiser



Montgomery's Michael Coleman hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning.
-- Mickey Welsh


HUNTSVILLE -- Under normal circumstances, Andy Sonnanstine's start was less than ideal.

But a seven-inning outing in Game 2 of the Southern League championship series, one day after the Montgomery Biscuits chewed through four relievers, changed the description.

The Montgomery Biscuits pounded out six extra-base hits, including three home runs, in Wednesday's 11-4 win over the Huntsville Stars, but Sonnanstine's start may have a lingering effect.

"This was perfect for the playoffs," center fielder Jason Pridie said.

The Biscuits needed only one other pitcher -- Tony Peguero, who also pitched Tuesday -- to knot the series 1-1 and send it to Montgomery.

Game 3 is at 7:05 tonight at Riverwalk Stadium and Montgomery's bullpen, if needed, is fresh.

"I felt good about going seven. I felt I helped the team," Sonnanstine said. "This sets us up for the three games back in Montgomery.

"Any time you get through a game with just two pitchers that means you're doing something right."

Sonnanstine gave up four runs, all in the fifth after Montgomery grabbed a 6-0 lead, and nine hits.

In the sixth and seventh innings, he gave up three more hits, but kept the Stars from scoring while Montgomery added to its lead.

Michael Coleman hit a two-run homer in the seventh and Pridie added a two-run blast in the eighth.

"I was having a lot of fun there," Montgomery manager Charlie Montoyo said. "They did a great job of coming back after we took the 6-0 lead, but we came right back.

"That's how you stop momentum. We did a great job of that."

The Biscuits had no momentum against Huntsville starter Corey Thurman in the first three innings. Thurman racked up seven strikeouts in the first three innings and ran into trouble.

A walk and a hit in Montgomery's scoreless fourth led to the fifth-inning outburst.

In it, the Biscuits sent 10 batters to the plate, hit three RBI doubles and watched Longoria's leadoff home run. Thurman managed only one out.

"He (Thurman) was getting everybody with off-speed pitches," Biscuits hitting coach Mako Oliveras said. "I'm so proud of my hitters. They looked very bad their first at-bat. They adjusted in their second at-bat and it was a different story."

Sonnanstine weathered Huntsville's four-run fifth, which included solo home runs by Jeff Eure and Ryan Braun. Both were on 2-2 pitches.

"I made a couple of mistakes and they got hit hard," Sonnanstine said.

Sonnanstine has worked seven innings in his last five starts. He's worked 1992/3 innings this season and, including the postseason, has 17 wins.

"We expect good outings out of him and he didn't let us down," Longoria said. "He may not have had his best stuff, but he gave everything he had and we gave him some run support."

[Brown Duckz]

Public can view downtown plan


Montgomerians are invited tonight to view an updated downtown redevelopment plan by Dover, Kohl and Partners, the firm hired by the city.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. today at Troy University Montgomery's Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, ending a weeklong town planning session by the Florida-based firm.

Officials with Dover, Kohl said the meeting would showcase the plan in its present form, which incorporates community input from the last week.

At the opening meeting seven days ago, firm principal Victor Dover said residents will be able to see what they contributed to the process tonight

[thoraudio]

I'm pretty sure that Chad, Bystander, and myself will be in attendance.

[Brown Duckz]

Originally Posted by thoraudio

I'm pretty sure that Chad, Bystander, and myself will be in attendance.

Anyway you guys could snap some up-close of the renderings or whatever they are showing?

[thoraudio]

I won't have my camera with me, but hopefully Chad can post whatever powerpoint presentation they present, and we can do screen grabs from that later.

[thoraudio]

Good meeting, good crowd.

Here's a link to a news video before the meeting.

www.wsfa.com if that doesn't work.

[Brown Duckz]

Biscuits one win away from title

By A. Stacy Long
Montgomery Advertiser


The Montgomery Biscuits moved to within one win of the Southern League championship with a 7-0 win over the Huntsville Stars tonight.


The Biscuits have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series and can clinch with a win Friday. Game 4 starts at 7:05 p.m. Game 5, if necessary, is at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.


Tonight, right-hander Mitch Talbot threw his second five-hit shutout of the postseason.


Talbot walked two, struck out 10 and didn't allow a baserunner past second base.


Ryan Christianson and Michael Coleman homered in the first four innings to help Montgomery grab a 3-0 lead.


The Biscuits added four runs with two outs in the eighth. Coleman hit an RBI single and Jeremy Owens cracked a three-run, inside-the-park homer off the right-field wall.

[bystander1]

Great turnout indeed. Glad you made it by, thoraudio.

Here are some really nice renderings of the redesigned Court Square and new trees planted along the streets:


before (current)...


after...



Here's a little closer pic:

[Brown Duckz]

Bass store site work imminent

By Marty Roney
Montgomery Advertiser


PRATTVILLE -- Site preparation work at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World location should begin by Oct. 1, Prattville Mayor Jim Byard said.

The city began selling an $8 million bond issue Thursday. The money will fund an incentives package used to lure the outdoors retail giant to town.

"Selling the bonds is the last big hurdle, and I am very proud to say we have cleared that hurdle," the mayor said Thursday. "We are working on a date for the groundbreaking, but construction work may begin well before the groundbreaking. I expect dirt to start moving within 10 days."

Bass Pro plans to build a 130,000-square-foot store near the intersection of Cobbs Ford Road and Interstate 65. Some residents had been concerned the store wasn't coming because no work had been done at the site.

Work has taken place, but it was easy to miss, Byard said. Crews have been working for about two weeks laying water lines that will supply the store.

Bass Pro wants to be open by late April to mid-May, according to documents on file with the city's planning department.

"If they had started earlier in the summer, I think they could hit that date no problem," said Kyle Patterson, a Prattville resident who said he will be one of the first customers.

"But starting in late September or early October, I think that's going to push the opening back a few months. I'll be tickled to death as long as they are open by the fall of '07 before hunting season starts," Patterson said.

Bass Pro touts itself as the nation's largest outdoor retailer, estimating that its stores attract more than 75 million visitors a year. It operates 34 stores in 27 states and Canada, according to the company's Web site. It has plans to build 23 stores, including three in Alabama.

Along with Prattville, Leeds and Spanish Fort are sites for future stores in the state.

[Brown Duckz]

Firm presents downtown vision

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


Unleashing private investment in downtown is the critical step that needs to be taken if a revitalization plan devised this week has any chance of success.

In a lengthy and detailed presentation Thursday night, town planners pushed that message every chance they had.

"To get private investors who are looking for a return on investment to do their part, you have to make it easier on them," said Victor Dover, a principal of Dover, Kohl and Partners, the firm hired by the city to facilitate the planning process.

To illustrate his point, Dover projected "before" and "after" pictures of the "five points" area downtown on the screen at Troy University Montgomery's Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, where the meeting was held.

Replacing a raggedy landscape of broken-down buildings and parking lots with a colorful and inspired illustration of row houses and civic architecture, Dover said he could point to more than a dozen ways the revitalized area would violate current city codes.

Dover persistently and subtly asked "what if," urging the city to dream of a future downtown that looks much different than it does now. Local real estate agent Sandra Nickel, sitting in the front row, said "Amen" point by point.

"That will be the excitement, watching the 'what if' translate into the 'when,'" Nickel said afterwards.

There were other ideas and suggestions for making the plan a reality, but stimulating residential and commercial growth with private funds is the most critical component, the presenters said.

This "work in progress" plan included several ideas for improving the downtown area. One was to remove the parking area in front of the Capitol -- which Dover said is "not good enough for that great address" -- and replace it with a green park.

Traffic engineer Rick Hall described a way to slow traffic by reducing lane sizes around the downtown area and increasing the area for planting trees on the sides of the roads, a suggestion many residents trumpeted when meeting with the planning group.

Hall said Montgomery should again be home to a trolley system, which would at first run up and down Dexter Avenue and later be expanded into other areas downtown.

Ken Groves, director of planning and development for the city, said it would be a minimum of five years before trolleys could roll up and down Dexter, but added, "that's okay, it doesn't have to happen tomorrow. If we start now, we might be patting ourselves on the back in five years."

Asked whether the city could afford its part of the revitalization project, Groves said the city is in "excellent" financial shape.

The other suggestions for revitalizing downtown were: Preserving and restoring the existing buildings, expanding downtown green spaces and mixing land uses between residential and commercial.

The Florida-based firm will return to Montgomery in a couple of months to present the plan after more revisions have taken place.

[Brown Duckz]

More renderings.

[thoraudio]

Interesting comments from WSFA... a 'modest crowd' (about 300, same as the first time, very good considering Biscuits, Football, and Broadway Under the Stars was going on), and 'opposition' from Trenholm court residents? The ones I saw got excited when the possibility of changing that place was mentioned...

anyway, article and a video are Here

Consultants Present Downtown Montgomery Plan

A modest crowd gathered here in the Davis Theater for a complete walk-through of the downtown revitalization plan. The nearly three hour presentation showed the results of a two month study completed by a firm hired by the city. The group, Dover Kohl and Partners, proposed ideas they've used to help breath new life in more than a hundred other cities and many who came tonight are excited about the plans.

Montgomery resident, Robert Cope, says, "I think putting trees back into the street, like they are talking about on Dexter Avenue, is a wonderful idea. I think this will be a much more livable, much more beautiful city. "

Cope was among many who attended workshops throughout the week giving his own input to the city planners. Improvements like the new civic center, conference center, and court square throughway are only the tip of the iceberg. The final plan includes new housing, expanded green space, and better roadways.

All the one-way streets you see in downtown are a source of frustration for many traveling in the area. One of the ideas in the plan is open up all streets downtown to two way traffic except for the two alongside the capitol, Decatur and Union Streets.

Rick Hall, an engineering firm president from Tallahassee, Florida, says, "We plan to put a little rougher texture of pavement in the center of a lot of the streets to keep cars off it on a routine basis. Then, if a big truck comes by, it can ease over to that and safely traverse the street without running into anybody."

Presenters say this is only a work-in-progress and after the planning comes the enormous task of implementing the ideas. However, many of those who remember when downtown was a flourishing hub of commerce and entertainment are all for moving forward and making the changes.

Montgomery resident, Sanjernetta Bush, says, "I'm a native of Montgomery and I would really like to see the city as it used to be."

After Thursday night's presentation, the city staff will comb through all the draft reports. Then, they will meet with city planners to make adjustments. Finally, after all of the finishing touches are made, they'll hold another public presentation. That's expected to happen before the end of the year.

There is some opposition to the downtown plan, mostly, by residents of the Trenholm Court apartments. The plan proposes tearing down the apartments to make room for mixed income housing.

[Capital Heights]

Costco to Build Warehouse Store in Montgomery


Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright confirmed for CBS 8 News Friday that Costco, the international membership warehouse store chain, plans to build a location in Montgomery.

"I have been told they're coming and they are locating in East Montgomery," Bright said. He declined to provide many other details.

Costco is similar to the Sam's Club stores. You'll need to become a member to shop there. You can find popular items such as digital cameras, computers, walkie talkies, even caskets.

So far, no one is saying specifically where and when the store will be built.

[Brown Duckz]

Football Season Boosts Montgomery's Economy


In the hours, before the two SEC Tigers face-off, football fans are enjoying themselves.

For those who traveled from out of town for Saturday's game in Auburn, this means spending money. After Baton Rouge native, Collier Thornton, checks into the Embassy Suites, he plans to hit the town.

Thornton says, "We're going to eat. We'll probably watch football tonight. Have fun and enjoy Montgomery tonight."

It's no secret: Football season translates to dollars. This fact is among many reasons why Montgomery is working to make its downtown more inviting for visitors.

Montgomery Mayor, Bobby Bright, says, "Here they will spend money. They will buy gas. They will buy groceries and food. They will shop at retailers."

High school and college football draws athletes, coaching staff, parents and friends from across the state. Then, there are those like Gilbert Larpenter who just love the game and choose Montgomery to unwind for the weekend.

Larpenter says, "We've been coming to the Auburn/LSU game for a number of years and we always stay in Montgomery. It's the bigger town close to the game and it's real convenient."