Montgomery development news

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by Yankeebiscuitfan

Probably you don't mean these buildings. But IMO it would be a shame to tear down these kind of buildings. These are characteristic buildings for your city. Not everything has to be modern.

No, those buildings are not being torn down, it was an old decaying one-story building that was torn down on the corner of Bell and Goldthwaite streets. It was a definite eyesore and is no longer acceptable around that part of downtown. Watch for the junk car lots to go next...

[thoraudio]

Article in today's advertiser.

RSA builds vision for city's future

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


Downtown Montgomery's new hotel and convention center is the latest addition to a growing portfolio of high-end properties held by the state's retirement system.

After developing dozens of golf courses with the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, David Bronner, the CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, moved into the hotel and convention center business eight years ago with the purchase of his first hotel. Bronner reasoned that getting into the hotel and resort business is the most logical way to bring more decision makers to Alabama.

Bronner said he believes the Montgomery convention center will be a "slam dunk" success, but with more than a year until it opens and no events booked, the idea remains untested.

"(Montgomery) is strategically, absolutely, slap-dab in the middle of the state ... but (it's) never really had any facilities," Bronner said in a recent telephone interview.

Bronner's experience in the hotel business goes back to 1998 when he founded PCH Hotels and Resorts, the hotel management arm of the RSA. Since then he has acquired eight hotels in Alabama, and he touts the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa in Florence as a particular success. Since it opened in June 2005, the Florence convention center has multiplied its revenues and city's lodging tax is up by 38 percent, the RSA reports.

For the Montgomery project, PCH will focus its marketing efforts on state associations and other groups that need a central location in Alabama.

"You've got to remember that new hotels generally lose money the first three years, because what happens, especially (with) convention hotels, it takes about three years to get on the convention cycle," Bronner said, alluding to the fact many organizers plan two and three years in advance.

Still, Steven Hacker, the president of the Dallas-based International Association of Exhibitions and Events, believes Montgomery has a good chance at success. Medium-sized cities actually have an advantage in this business, he said, because big-city dwellers get tired of dealing with the traffic, pollution and noise.

"The opportunity to go to a smaller community for a few days and maybe enjoy a less stressful type of environment is pretty appealing, to say nothing of the lower costs," Hacker said.

The trade show and convention business generates $100 billion each year nationwide, Hacker said, and with 13,000 conferences annually, there is a lot of business up for grabs.

Dawn Hathcock, the vice president of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitor Bureau, has been going after some of that business. With a refurbished Hampton Inn and Suites directly across from the big project, the Embassy Suites and the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, there will be more than 600 rooms within a block of each other by 2008. That's a major selling point, Hathcock said.

"We have brought a lot of groups in for site visits, and as we get closer to completion that will really increase," Hathcock said. "It definitely changes the scope of what groups we are going after, and it is kind of a whole new ballgame for us."

Hathcock said she believes the Air Force Information Technology Conference held at Auburn University Montgomery this year will remain in town after the new convention center opens. The conference traditionally has been held in the Capital City, and each year it has an economic impact worth millions of dollars. So far, however, there are no definitive contracts to rent the convention center space.

"We have had great initial interest in the project. We are now beginning the formal booking process, and this will continue to accelerate as the project becomes complete," said Jim Buckalew, the chairman of the board for PCH, which ultimately will make the deals.

The city committed about $30 million to the project because it is seen as a potential economic boon for the downtown district, which is a major focus for Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright. Just blocks from the industrial district and the baseball stadium, the convention center has the potential of spawning restaurant, clubs and other developments downtown.

The city of Montgomery will continue to own the civic center, as well as the parking deck, the fine arts center and the land on which the project was built. The RSA will own the 12-story hotel and will lease the land from the city, RSA officials confirmed.

While not a significant amount of money for the multibillion-dollar pension fund, the $157 million up-front investment is critical to making the downtown revitalization possible.

"You're just not going to bring high-class people who spend a lot of money to hotels that aren't spectacular," Bronner said.

The Montgomery hotel will have a day spa, ballroom, swimming pool and about 70,000 square feet of meeting space. It is expected to open in January 2008.

[thoraudio]

and another

Work on Marriott Renaissance moves inside

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


One by one they rose into the sky -- huge slabs of concrete, metal piping and steel wire, the building blocks of Montgomery's newest downtown destination.

For 14 months crews have been working long hours to construct the Marriott Renaissance on Commerce Street, starting each day before sunrise when a hefty shipment of building supplies rolled onto the dusty lot.

Now the building has been capped off by a Christmas tree, the signal by developers that it will go no higher -- 12 stories is final.

The occasion also marks a turning point for the project, with work moving inside to prepare interiors and accommodations in time for guests to arrive in about a year.

"Once construction is complete, the hotel and convention center will employ more than 400 associates, making it one of the largest and preferred employers in downtown Montgomery," said Jim Buckalew, chairman of the board for PCH Hotels and Resorts, the division of the Retirement Systems of Alabama that will control the facility once it is completed.

Funded by the RSA and the city of Montgomery, the $157 million project is expected to transform the downtown area when it opens, injecting new jobs and money into the oldest part of town. According to Buckalew, it already has helped the downtown economy, with upward of 400 workers from across the region spending their wages here.

Since groundbreaking in September 2005, workers have been doing a variety of tasks -- swinging pre-fab cement blocks into place, running wire and managing the hard labor efforts of others. All of this work occurred in a tightly constrained area downtown, abutted on all sides by busy streets during the day.

"When you are bound by four city streets, it requires a lot of coordination to get all that to happen," said David Simpson, the director of special projects for Doster Construction, the company running the construction site.

Despite the scale and complexity of the work environment, PCH officials said no major accidents have led to losing work time, a standard used by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Earlier this year one of the large cranes used at the project broke in the middle and folded over, but no one was hurt, officials reported.

"Safety is very much in the forefront for this project. In more than 340,000 man-hours of construction work on this project by Doster and its 22 prime contractors, we have had no lost time accidents," said Buckalew.

But there have been other challenges, such as getting bids and building materials to the site while the massive rebuilding projects continue in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Responding to these challenges, PCH officials have pushed back by four months the opening date for the conference center and hotel -- from September of 2007 to January of 2008.

"With a project of this magnitude, we face challenges daily," Buckalew said.

And there is a lot to be done to get it finished, with interior accommodations, utilities and other amenities to install -- everything from a fancy day spa where you can get "caviar facials" to the smallest details of the individual hotel suites.

In preparation for that work, this week crews of men were loading drywall into the structure, getting ready for the big push to install walls and other interior elements into the 347-room hotel.

With some months to go, developers across the street are starting renovations to the 10-story Commerce Building. Anticipating a swell of potential clients once the conference center is complete, developers purchased the old building in February and began converting it into a Hampton Inn this fall.

"It makes it more of a meeting destination," said Bill Lang, the public relations director for PCH.

Officials with the city -- which has a $30 million stake in the project -- said they are happy about the progress and look forward to its completion.

"Mayor (Bobby) Bright is a cheerleader for downtown, and he wants to get positive things to happen as quickly as possible," said Jeff Downes, an assistant to the mayor.

[thoraudio]

the pictures from the above article.

[bystander1]

Thanks for posting those articles and pics, Thoraudio. I'm glad the Advertiser decided to finally give some type of update on downtown development. There are still a lot of things going on there that I need to know more info about though. Hopefully the updates will continue.

[kevinlpugh]

Yeah, maybe they'll stop using our pics for reference...

[kevinlpugh]

By Jamie Kizzire
Montgomery Advertiser




Montgomery faces losing more big money-making events like the governor's inaugural ball if Garrett Coliseum isn't renovated, Alabama's top agriculture official says.

State Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks used the decision to move the Jan. 15 inaugural ball as yet another opportunity to lobby for fixing up the coliseum, which is more than a half-century old.

Sparks is already leading an agriculture department effort to assess what's needed to renovate the coliseum and plans to present those findings to Gov. Bob Riley in January.

"The irony is that most other major cities in Alabama could accommodate the inaugural ball," he said in a statement issued after the decision this week. "It's my intention to see that our capital city will be capable of handling future inaugurations. Working with the governor, I know we can get this done."

Riley believes it's "definitely time" to look at options for renovating Garrett, said Tara Hutchison, the governor's spokeswoman.

Inauguration organizers announced earlier this week that Riley's second inaugural ball will be at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex because Montgomery doesn't have an acceptable venue to accommodate the estimated 4,000 ball attendees. The Montgomery Civic Center, site of Riley's first inaugural ball, is being renovated.

Organizers looked at Garrett but opted for Birmingham because the coliseum lacks a heating and cooling system, said Rep. Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, who heads the inauguration committee.

Montgomery Chamber of Commerce vice president Dawn Hathcock called Garrett's lack of a heating and cooling system as a "huge issue."

Garrett also needs to be renovated to complement existing venues, Sparks said Thursday.

An upgraded coliseum combined with the newly renovated civic center would give more options to event organizers, Hathcock said.

[bystander1]

^ Glad to see that the state actually realizes the need to clean up and upgrade its own stuff...after over fifty years...

...inexcusible...

[Capital Heights]

Did you guys leave town for the holidays?

[jatrippe]

Does anyone know what new stores are going in the two small shopping centers across from the Walmart on Atlanta Highway? I know Bruster's is one of them. Also, does anyone know the groundbreaking dates for the new additions to East Chase, Festival Plaza, Sturbridge Center or Cornerstone? Thanks.

[kevinlpugh]

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser




The owner of Montgomery Mall has been mum about prospects for the center's sale but promised an update in January.

Ohio-based Glimcher Realty Trust put the mall and four others up for sale in May.

"Next month, we plan to provide an update on the status of the sales process for all of our held-for-sale mall properties," Michael Glimcher, president and CEO of Ohio-based Glimcher Realty Trust, said in a statement.

Faced with tough competition from new retail developments on Montgomery's east side and in Prattville, the mall has lost a number of large stores this year, stores that produced a lot of foot traffic.

In March, the mall received a blow when its major anchor -- Parisian -- moved out. Several national retailers, including American Eagle Outfitters and Victoria's Secret, left in the following months.

This week, Atlanta-based Cinnabon closed up shop due to lax sales.

"This mall itself is real slow. There's hardly anybody in here," said Lela Webster, the local manager of the Montgomery Mall.

A Cinnabon location in Eastdale Mall run by a different franchisee will remain open.

Glimcher Realty Trust is taking steps to sell at least one of the company's other malls.

On Tuesday, Glimcher announced it had paid off its mortgage on the University Mall in Tampa, Fla., relieving any potential buyers of a debt payment that was to last through 2013.

[Brown Duckz]

Somebody needs to buy that thing!

[Brown Duckz]

Saw a huge billboard for a new building to be built on the Baptist East medical complex... looks as if it will be on the road frontage from the main entrance traffic light [heading towards Eastchase] to about the AUM water tower.

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by jatrippe

Does anyone know what new stores are going in the two small shopping centers across from the Walmart on Atlanta Highway? I know Bruster's is one of them.

Yes, Bruster's is one. E&S Suits, Perfect Nail, and Eyemart Express are the only ones we know of so far.

At one time the center was going to be named Brown Springs Center, but now it seems like it will be known as Springs Promenade.

This link should help.

[kevinlpugh]

Judy and W. Donald Letford enjoy lunch at Lunde's in the Bell Building downtown. The new restaurant at 201 Montgomery St. is open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each weekday. -- Karen S. Doerr



January 4, 2007
Lunch bistro opens downtown

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


A new lunch bistro opened for business Wednesday on Montgomery Street, taking over a space in the Bell Building previously occupied by Felder's Cafe Riverwalk.

The owners of Lunde's had been planning a restaurant for a year, but they didn't see the space they wanted until November, just days after Felder's closed.

"We love what is going on downtown," said Karen Lunde, who owns the restaurant with her husband. "This is where our future is. This is where our past is. We want to be right in the middle of it."

Featuring the culinary artistry of Loren Lunde -- a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America -- and the festive colors of Karen Lunde's imagination, the restaurant will stay open until 6 p.m. each night to serve Troy University students and others.

"It's kind of a Mardi Gras feel," said Karen Lunde. "I love the bright colors and I really think downtown needs something with a little bit of a pickup in it."

The bistro features an express lunch menu of meat-and-threes and a whole list of a la carte items such as salmon and pasta, muffulettas, ribeye steak sandwiches and "Norwegian Apple Pie." Lunches go for $7.50 each and many of the a la carte items sell for $8 to $11.

The idea rubs Terrance Sullivan just right. He works at a law firm on South Perry Street. When more services are available at night, he believes, more people will move downtown, where he lives.

"If people stay the course, it is going to be a great thing," Sullivan said.

Several shop owners in the district complained last week that work on a plaza project around the Court Square fountain was driving away customers. One of the owners at Flames Grill -- located directly across the intersection from Lunde's -- said he was seeking to sell his business because of the lax sales.

But the Lundes are confident the area will continue to prosper.

Loren Lunde cites work being done a few blocks to the west to convert an old apartment building to a "high-rise" condo building and the convention center project as good reasons to stay downtown.

Located at 201 Montgomery St., Lunde's is open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each weekday. Currently they are only serving food in the dining room, but they hope to start take-out service in the near future.
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Great new place to eat! Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:47 am
I had a chance to stop in for lunch on Wednesday and I'm really glad I did. The food was excellent and the waitstaff was very attentive and friendly. And the atmosphere and decor was beautiful. A really nice place to have a quick lunch in the middle of a busy work day. I can't wait to go again. Very Happy

[thoraudio]

what tha? Havent' heard a thing about this, and it's tonite?!?

Bystander, you in?

Last downtown redevelopment meeting tonight

By David Irvin
Montgomery Advertiser


The Florida-based urban design firm hired to kick-start downtown development will hold its final presentation tonight at Troy University Montgomery's Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts to demonstrate a new way forward for the Capital City.

Downtown revitalization came to the fore in 2006 when Dover Kohl and Partners, a nationally renowned town planner, solicited ideas from Montgomery residents about the best way to redevelop the urban center.

A weeklong session in September culminated in a public presentation that offered a glimpse into a future that includes more trees, narrower roads and vibrant avenues with retail and residential development.

At 6:30 p.m. tonight, Dover Kohl returns to show the local stakeholders -- residents, business leaders, the mayor and the city council -- just what needs to be done to make this reurbanization a reality.

The final plan recommends five avenues for success:

# preserving and restoring historic buildings;

# improving the environment for private investment and development;

# expanding downtown green and civic spaces;

# incorporating land uses with building types and housing options; and

# promoting a better balance of transportation options and designs.

It also shows that the implementation of several specific projects, including the restoration of historic facades downtown, increasing the availability of "shared" parking and converting one-way streets to two-way streets, will be necessary to revitalization.

One of the early suggestions made by the urban designers was to build a walkable -- and drivable -- cobblestone plaza around the fountain at Court Square. The mayor seized on the idea and began work on the project mid-September. It is expected to be done by early April.

Long-term plans include reclaiming industrial areas north of downtown and improving civic spaces, Dover Kohl said.

Davis Theatre is located on the Troy University campus downtown.

[cmixon001]

I was in Montgomery from Bham a couple of days ago and it looks like a lot is going on downtown.

Question: What is going on with the building on Commerce that used to be the Waller Bros. office?

Also, my only negative comment is that I really don't like the hulking parking structure on the corner of Commerce and Bibb. Was there no other way to sdesign the huge parking deck so it didn't stick out so much? I know having the RSA development at the Civic Center is great news for Montgomery, but that huge parking deck seems so out of place and clunky to me.

[thoraudio]

I agree on the parking deck, not my favorite....

The Waller Bros. building is supposed to be a Children's Museum a'la the McWane Center.... details are non-existant though.

[Brown Duckz]

Originally Posted by cmixon001

I was in Montgomery from Bham a couple of days ago and it looks like a lot is going on downtown.

Question: What is going on with the building on Commerce that used to be the Waller Bros. office?

Also, my only negative comment is that I really don't like the hulking parking structure on the corner of Commerce and Bibb. Was there no other way to sdesign the huge parking deck so it didn't stick out so much? I know having the RSA development at the Civic Center is great news for Montgomery, but that huge parking deck seems so out of place and clunky to me.

A lot is going on! IMO there was not another alternative as to where it could be placed on the available property because of how much there will be on that one block after it's done. Also there is another 1,000+ spaces under construction at the end of Water St at the Intermodal facility.

[bystander1]

Originally Posted by thoraudio

what tha? Havent' heard a thing about this, and it's tonite?!?

Bystander, you in?

I tried to move some things around to make it there tonight, but it looks like I won't make it though. Why the lack of publicity for "the big sha-bang" meeting is a mystery to me...

I agree cmixon001. There really is a lot going on downtown. And I'm not very crazy about the huge, plain-looking parking deck either. I know it had to be built, and I'm glad it was, but the design could have been a little more 'appealing'.

BTW, there seems to be some more excavation work going on at the corner of Bell and Goldthwaite streets...which was cleared off a couple of months ago.