Mobile Development Thread - Page 101

elb401 · #**2001** Posted **May 29, 2008, 2:12 PM**

I heard an unexpected battle house rumor last night. The manager of the the hotel and the overall manager of the battlehouse and the riverview said that bronner (RSA) was looking into investing more in Mobile. The list included another hotel, 1 or 2 new class A office buildings (in the 20-25 floor range), and something for kids (I'm not sure what that was, but I think it was a restaurant). Right now the rumor is that he is looking into all that. Bronner loves Mobile and believes it can be something greater. And remember these are just rumors. I will ask margo the managers of the hotels when I see her.

so Amsouth.....you need to look out. All the other office buildings downtown are doing great with occupancy rates and rents. The amsouth's 50% rate is because the building is a piece that was never renovated. Hopefully the new part owner will give it a major facelift.

Bayside · #**2002** Posted **May 29, 2008, 5:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elb401

I don't want Chastang in there either. I don't think Riley would do that after the guy was crushed in the last election. But the state needed to fight it.... so if it happens again we all know it is the governor’s right to appoint. Right or wrong that is the way it is for now on.

But anyways, I heard (from the Mobile Bay Times) that the water street landing people are still pushing for it to happen. the city attorney Larry wettermark (SP) is helping with negotiating the air rights still and the quite zone updates to the CSX. Everytime I think this project is dead the developers seem to say there is some glimmer of hope. I just think Oliver wants this to happen so bad he is trying to keep this alive as long as possible. I mean how long did it take for the city to negotiate the rights for the convention center. If this project isn't dead yet, then it is going to be dead soon.

Why would you care unless you plan to purchase one? Just wondering.

SouthSky · #**2003** Posted **May 29, 2008, 5:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elb401

I heard an unexpected battle house rumor last night. The manager of the the hotel and the overall manager of the battlehouse and the riverview said that bronner (RSA) was looking into investing more in Mobile. The list included another hotel, 1 or 2 new class A office buildings (in the 20-25 floor range), and something for kids (I'm not sure what that was, but I think it was a restaurant). Right now the rumor is that he is looking into all that. Bronner loves Mobile and believes it can be something greater. And remember these are just rumors. I will ask margo the managers of the hotels when I see her.

That's what I like to hear! I knew your job could help keep our rumor mills churning.

Electrical Porpoise · #**2004** Posted **May 29, 2008, 11:13 PM**

Elb, thanks for the info. Hopefully both buildings will be built on top of the courthouse and the Amsouth building.

One can only hope.

pkp · #**2005** Posted **May 30, 2008, 1:10 AM**

Has anyone seen any visuals on the Bring Back Broad project? I think this is probably one of the most important projects going on right now, and I have not heard much about it. I have heard some complaints about taking away a traffic lane, but I think this is probably from people who never travel down the street. I bike down it nearly everyday, and while the traffic is steady, it is not even close to congested. I median will make it safer and less intimidating to cross Broad Street by bike/foot and make the area between Water St. and Elmira more attractive to investors looking to add retail (other than another gas station) and reinvest in residential. This IS downtown - and I think Broad Street has partially been holding back some of the development in the area. Especially Broad and Dauphin. The Baptist Church owns the vacant lot on one corner, so that it can be used for parking for 2 hours each Sunday morning, the Methodist Church is fine, there is a shitty grocery store- and while I am not opposed to cheap grocery stores, there are two other just down the street, and a CVS, which is set back from the street like a suburban store - not on the street like it should have been. this intersection really needs some TLC - as does Water and Government. Hopefully both of these areas will be dealt with in the coming months.

Del · #**2006** Posted **May 30, 2008, 3:01 AM**

Don't forget the attractive digital billboard/ emergency storage container that was parked out back of the Red Cross's beautiful building. That added a lot to the streetscape. Hopefully those things are not going to get a foothold here.

I agree about Broad & Dauphin, but unfortunately I think at least the first phase of the Bring Back project is just from Government south.

We went to one of those "public input" meetings years ago about this initiative, but I'm having trouble remembering anything except the median and the landscaping. It's strange that we haven't seen a rendering or anything in the paper or on the City website. Did you see this story on WKRG? There's a quick glimpse of a plan about a third of the way through.

BKOTH97 · #**2007** Posted **May 30, 2008, 1:33 PM**

Did anyone see this article?

This guy says that Mobile county has lost greater than 10% of its population since 2000. Did they do ANY real research? How could he possibly have gotten data that bad? You have to do the rollover on the map to see the population loss numbers.

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/stor...terstitialskip

He also labeled Corpus Christie as Brownsville.

elb401 · #**2008** Posted **May 30, 2008, 1:40 PM**

ha... that guy made a few mistakes in that article. I saw that several bits of his information seemed off. who cares though. we all know that he is wrong. that would mean that 40,500 people have left Mobile county. I think we would have noticed that if it happened. Since home sells and construction have been increasing or staying steady.

pkp · #**2009** Posted **May 30, 2008, 4:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Del

Don't forget the attractive digital billboard/ emergency storage container that was parked out back of the Red Cross's beautiful building. That added a lot to the streetscape. Hopefully those things are not going to get a foothold here.

I agree about Broad & Dauphin, but unfortunately I think at least the first phase of the Bring Back project is just from Government south.

We went to one of those "public input" meetings years ago about this initiative, but I'm having trouble remembering anything except the median and the landscaping. It's strange that we haven't seen a rendering or anything in the paper or on the City website. Did you see this story on WKRG? There's a quick glimpse of a plan about a third of the way through.

I just live 2 blocks away, so I know what they have done so far. I guess we are really looking at just a median with trees and a bike path, which I think will be just fine.

buckett5425 · #**2010** Posted **May 30, 2008, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKOTH97

Did anyone see this article?

This guy says that Mobile county has lost greater than 10% of its population since 2000. Did they do ANY real research? How could he possibly have gotten data that bad? You have to do the rollover on the map to see the population loss numbers.

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/stor...terstitialskip

He also labeled Corpus Christie as Brownsville.

That article is so full of spin. How Mobile County lost 10% of it's population, I have no clue. But, what i dont think this writer understands, is that maybe the counties and parishes directly on the coast lost some population, but all they did was move a parish or two inland, so for the most part, the population has stayed the same along the gulf coast, just that some people are shifting around, but are still in harms way.

BTW, I drove through Mobile memorial day weekend, and the new crown on the Renaissance looks great.

Port_of_Bama · #**2011** Posted **May 30, 2008, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKOTH97

Did anyone see this article?

This guy says that Mobile county has lost greater than 10% of its population since 2000. Did they do ANY real research? How could he possibly have gotten data that bad? You have to do the rollover on the map to see the population loss numbers.

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/stor...terstitialskip

He also labeled Corpus Christie as Brownsville.

Last I read in the 2007 county census it says Mobile county was over 404,000 and the 2006 county census listed Mobile county around 399,000.

I do believe that Mobile county has experinced a slight increas in the last year or two especialy with home sales rising in Mobile city and county.The city may have lost a little less than 5 % of it population around 2004 which pulled us from 198,000 to 192,000 with the latest annexation and the few people I have met since I have been back down here for the summer who are transplants. Mobile will be over the 200,000 mark by the end of the decade if not sooner.

Port_of_Bama · #**2012** Posted **May 30, 2008, 6:29 PM**

Hey Buckett when they work this bankruptcy thing out with the Amsouth tower will you please, please send your rendering of the Amsouth tomb that you sketched and posted on this site a while back. That was a pretty good sketch and it seemed it would breath life and charecter into that building.

elb401 · #**2013** Posted **May 31, 2008, 5:04 AM**

Hey they are going to put a restaurant on the 36 floor of the RSA tower. And... Joe Cain is opening up in the battlehouse next week. Ya'll should stop by and give it a try.

sahara727 · #**2014** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 4:24 AM**

hey elb, do you have an article or a link for that RSA tower restaurant?

Del · #**2015** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 3:24 PM**

And the answer is...a parking lot.

(third paragraph from the end)

Scottybo · #**2016** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 6:08 PM**

At least for now it looks like it. Maybe it won't take too long to develop it into something useful.

elb401 · #**2017** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 8:05 PM**

Sahara727, My managers at the battlehouse told me about the restaurant. I don't know much about it but The Hotel has plans for it. I don't know when its going to open up. I don't think its going to open with in the next year. they have to Open joe cain (this week) and finish the spa and fitness area above the parking garage. Its all in the long term plans though.

So the guy helped get rid of one parking lot......then he created another parking lot. I hate that.

Alxx611 · #**2018** Posted **Jun 2, 2008, 7:37 PM**

A little eye candy for now:

Almost a good picture

Before and After with the Hampton:

Feb 2007

June 2008

Verve · #**2019** Posted **Jun 2, 2008, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elb401

So the guy helped get rid of one parking lot......then he created another parking lot. I hate that.

I do too. I was down there the other day and saw the building being cleared & was excited to see it getting ready for something new. Lo and behold, a parking lot. As others have said, maybe it won't be that for long.

nimsjus · #**2020** Posted **Jun 3, 2008, 12:07 AM**

A couple of cool sites with photos of historic Mobile. The first is the USA archives. There are hundreds of pictures. I got addicted one day and scanned them all.
http://www.southalabama.edu/archives/
The second is a site showing what might have been. It is a little frustrating. It shows buildings, streets and areas in a then and now comparison. It gives a little history of the buildings/owners and then what became of them. Sadly many great buildings turned into parking lots, burger kings, etc.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN
Maybe our photos will end up in the archives one day...Enjoy!