My, Hasn't It Grown! RSA Battlehouse Tower Update - Page 51

pkp · #**1001** Posted **Oct 24, 2006, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elb401

I think they should try to recreate the old neighborhood that used to stand there......what was is called spanish....????

Spanish Alley - almost identical to the french quarter, but with older buildings. They tore all of it down and put in Spanish Plaza as a sort of momento....

Most people don't know that nearly all of the buildings in the French Quarter have no French influence -actually Spanish as most of the French buildings were destroyed - same with Mobile...

elb401 · #**1002** Posted **Oct 25, 2006, 2:47 PM**

Thanks for jogging my memory. There were two great articles on spanish alley from the past 2 years. One was in Lagnappapie (sp) and the other in Mobile Bay Monthly in the Ask Mcgree section. Anyways.....why doesn't the city seek out possible developers that would like to recreate that area of downtown?

Bama_75 · #**1003** Posted **Oct 26, 2006, 6:50 PM**

If they keep it, Please do something with that ugly yellow roof.

Exodus · #**1004** Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 4:18 PM**

That was very cool to watch. Thanks so much for the video.

BamaGrad04 · #**1005** Posted **Oct 30, 2006, 2:22 AM**

From the Press-Register on Sunday....

"The 35-story RSA Battle House Tower downtown is 50 percent leased, and negotiations are under way to lease another 25 percent of the space, according to Joe Toole , who handles real estate for the Retirement Systems of Ala bama in Montgomery. International Shipholding Corp . has leased the 17th and 18th floors of the tower for its corporate headquarters, and construction will start soon on that interior office space, according to Ron Blount , project director for RSA. The apparent low bidders to construct the shipping firm space were Rogers & Will ard in Mobile; James B. Donag hey Mechanical Contractors in Mobile; and Wayne J. Griffin Electrical Co . of Pelham, Ala., according to Blount. The work should be done by late March or April 1, he said."

So it's basically 75% leased. I'd say that's pretty good, although you have to hope it's not at the expense of other office space DT. Bonner sure is keeping tight-lipped about the tenants, though.

matguy7070 · #**1006** Posted **Oct 30, 2006, 2:42 AM**

50 percent!!!! Yikes! That is not good in most markets.
Even 75 percent is not great and that is not official yet.

I am a Mobilian originally, I love the city, but this tower is not what I think downtown needed to "jump" start a renaissance in downtown.

I looked at most of the downtown last weekend and the place looks worse than it did in the 1990's AFTER Dauphin Street went under renovations... about the time the old Brewery opened. Dauphin street looks like crap today and a lot of the places are closed up and shuttered once again. It is so sad to see after so much renovation went into getting just that one block renovated. Not to mention the square and buildings around downtown that are vacant and need so much work. I was so sad to see all of the old downtown rotting again. The convention center (built in the mid/late 90's) looks pretty good still and the whole waterfront looks much better than it use too in the 90's. This area and the Battlehouse are looking great... but at what expense and cost. It will be interesting to see if the RSA will ever exceed 75 percent. The overhead and cost of leasing inside that building have got to be outrageous right now.
Looks great on the skyline... but overall, I think Mobile will be disappointed with the numbers, financials and overall lackluster of this building in the long term revitalization of Mobile.

Just my two cents.

elb401 · #**1007** Posted **Oct 30, 2006, 4:11 PM**

I agree with you about the tower not jump starting the revitalization of Downtown. But I would have to disagree with you about how downtown looked better in the 90s. I don't think so there are far more buildings renovated now then ever then. there is more foot traffic and the profits of downtown businesses are up. but about the tower......I think it is a little too big.

BamaGrad04 · #**1008** Posted **Oct 30, 2006, 4:30 PM**

Regarding the 75% tentatively leased, I think you are forgetting that the tower is still not completed. With little to no interior work completed, I'd assume that the # of tenants will continute to increase as it nears completion. Then we can look at the occupany rate and make a determintation.

pkp · #**1009** Posted **Oct 31, 2006, 1:02 AM**

I think that the tower will, help, but there are other things that could have helped more. As far dt being better in the 90's - there were more bars then, which have fizzed out. However, there's much more residential, business, food, etc... than there was 10 years ago.

elb401 · #**1010** Posted **Nov 6, 2006, 6:01 AM**

My brother which has lived outside of Mobile for the pass couple of years was impressed with how far downtown and Mid-town Mobile had come.

jeffamy · #**1011** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 11:07 PM**

Dear forum participants,

My name is Jeff Amy. I'm writing a story about Mobile's skyline and how people feel about it, for the Mobile Press-Register. Know many of you have strong and well-argued thoughts on the subject.

If you'd like to talk to me, please call me at 251-219-5618, or e-mail at jamy AT press-register.com

Here's the catch. I need to hear from you by early afternoon of Friday Nov. 17.

Alxx611 · #**1012** Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 7:00 PM**

awesome story! I was busy being wrapped up with Alabama and Auburn stuff in the Register, that I was suprised when I first saw your story.

Musicisright · #**1013** Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 9:45 PM**

Here's the link:

Poll: RSA a great addition to skyline

"...Some people are very interested in Mobile's skyline, though. About 20 area residents post often to forums at www.skyscraperpage.com discussing the RSA Tower and other area buildings. The Web site is one of several catering to people who love tall buildings..."

Maybe we'll get some more forumers.

bystander1 · #**1014** Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 6:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musicisright

Maybe we'll get some more forumers.

Yeah, but unfortunately, they may end up being from al.com...

elb401 · #**1015** Posted **Nov 21, 2006, 12:13 AM**

That is scary!! Let all the Al.com forumers stay there!

SouthSky · #**1016** Posted **Nov 21, 2006, 9:16 PM**

Did anyone respond to 'jeffamy' on here? I am just wondering as I read the article...

BamaGrad04 · #**1017** Posted **Nov 21, 2006, 10:21 PM**

^ Apparently some did, as they were quoted in the article, but I don't think many did. I didn't get the PM from him until early Friday, and I didn't have time to get back to him. And I agree, let the al.com'ers stay there (although I do peruse the football boards often). The Mobile forum on there is just a tad

elb401 · #**1018** Posted **Nov 23, 2006, 6:48 AM**

Yeah, I like the positive and realistic ideas on this forum.

pkp · #**1019** Posted **Nov 24, 2006, 6:34 PM**

I emailed him and was going to call him last week but had to go out of town last minute and forgot about it...

Muskavon · #**1020** Posted **Nov 29, 2006, 8:08 AM**

So what's the progress on the "chrysler like" spire area? Still a bunch of scaffolding obscurring it? Any revelations? Can't wait to see how it turned out. Are they having trouble with it?