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  #81  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2005, 1:32 PM
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Proposed water park. Mixed feelings about this one. That side of town definately needs development, but I'm afraid this will fail and just be a rotting shell in less than 5 years....

Quote:
Proposed water park could lift west Montgomery

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


Negotiations to bring a water park to the city could create a stream of opportunities for west Montgomery.

Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright, Councilman C.C. Calhoun and other city officials met Tuesday with private developers about building a water park on city land in Gateway Park. The project would be established through a partnership between the city and a Pennsylvania-based developer.

"Both Councilor Calhoun and the mayor are interested in hearing what the developer has to say because the project could be a huge attraction for west Montgomery and lead to increased economic development in that area. But there are a lot of questions that still have to be answered," said Michael Briddell, executive assistant to Bright.

Gateway Park is a city-owned park under construction just east of Interstate 65 and north of South Boulevard.

Briddell said there is a possibility the city could talk to other developers about building a water park on the site. Calhoun said the council might hear presentations from others about the park at future meetings. He said the council would need to vote on the issue.

Calhoun said his primary interest is bringing more family entertainment to the city, especially in the high visibility area along the interstate.

"The city of Montgomery has very little for family entertainment other than baseball," he said. "When you look at it, families really travel to water parks."

The park would include a lazy river, water slides and other amenities typical of water parks, Calhoun said. It would be open about six months of the year and could draw 150,000 to 200,000 patrons, officials said.

Gateway Park is under construction and will include a nine-hole golf course, a driving range, sporting fields and courts, a clubhouse and a community lodge. There already is a 23-acre lake at the site.

Calhoun said the park would be great for family reunions and other events in the area, with golf and family recreation at the same site.

He also is optimistic a water park would draw other development, including hotels, into the area and help clean up that portion of the city. He said they have been working on the water park for about three months.

Calhoun said negotiations on the park are getting closer, but there is no reason to celebrate until an agreement is reached in writing.

Since the proposed project would be a partnership with the city, Briddell said it has to meet quite a few standards.
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  #82  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2005, 10:32 PM
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^^Like many other businesses, with proper management, it will do well no matter where it's located in town (ala Visionland in Bessemer).

I believe this will help revitalize that area and will look great along I-65.



Speaking of I-65, it needs to be "revitalized" itself. It's like riding down a flight of stairs. It's a shame that the widening and resurfacing project has been delayed for the last 3 years...
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  #83  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2005, 2:52 AM
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Raise your hand if you remember Montgomery's last water park


:wave:
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  #84  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2005, 3:31 AM
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:wave: I do. Back in the 70's. Didn't live far from it...
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  #85  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2005, 3:46 AM
neilson neilson is offline
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well, where was it;
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  #86  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2005, 1:11 PM
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Originally Posted by neilson
well, where was it;
On the bypass, close to Atlanta Crossing. There's probably a used car lot there now.

'Water Park' may be too generous a term for the 2 (IIRC) slides.

Ahhh, the 70's.... a trip to the TG&Y and Pasquale's Pizza....



Bystander, my family moved to Dalraida in 74 (I was 2), my parents still live in the same house :nuts:
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  #87  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2005, 1:36 PM
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TG&Y and Pasquale's ? Man, now you're speaking my language.

Are there still any Pasquale's locations anywhere ?
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  #88  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2005, 2:40 PM
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Hmmm, this is a development thread.... Imma start a new one.
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  #89  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2005, 1:26 PM
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mmmm, sprawl. Montgomery covers a huge land area, so while these are in the 'city' they are miles and miles from the core.

Quote:
Rapid-fire retail openings cash in on eastside boom

By Deborah Willoughby
Montgomery Advertiser


If traffic ever slowed long enough for you to stand in the middle of the intersection of Taylor and Vaughn roads, you could look out over enough retail outlets to satisfy a small city.

Hungry? There's Flip's, Backyard Burgers, Steak-Out, Applebee's, Sommer's Place, Taco Bell, Buffalo Wild Wings, Marble Slab Creamery, Atlanta Bread Co., Mellow Mushroom, McDonald's, Sinclair's Restaurant and a Pizza Hut takeout store. Not to mention the deli counters at Publix and Winn Dixie or the Subway at the Chevron station.

Want more options? Wait until Kabuki Japanese Steakhouse, Quiznos and Doc Green's open at Cornerstone.

If you drip ketchup on your suit jacket, you can drop it at the cleaners or shop for a replacement. The four corners of Taylor and Vaughn are home to banks, hair and nail salons, jewelry stores, a chiropractor, pharmacies, a movie theater and a paint-your-own pottery place.

As stores continue to open at Cornerstone, the shopping centers and neighboring businesses at Taylor and Vaughn offer an array of goods and services for the booming east side of town.

"Everything is moving to this side of Montgomery," said Mike Henby. "It's a boom, that's for sure. Everywhere you look, there's something popping up."

Henby, who lives in Millbrook, sells wine for MBC United. Retail growth across Montgomery creates more potential customers. "It's great for me," he said.

Amanda Reed, who works at Spirits at Sturbridge, said, "Look at the parking lot. Look at the traffic. Business is just cropping up left and right. It has a lot to do with the people who live in the neighborhood, and there are a lot of exclusive shops in this part of town. Plus this is the newest part of town, and we've already seen the older part of Montgomery."

Traffic is heavy along Vaughn and Taylor roads. As the city's maintenance department prepared to begin resurfacing work on Vaughn Road from East Boulevard to Taylor, a traffic engineer estimated that 40,000 people use Vaughn Road every day.

Some merchants said the road work comes at a bad time, just before Christmas shopping begins, but several said shoppers will find them just fine, coming in on Taylor Road from Interstate 85 or the Troy Highway.

The road work won't deter people who live in the area. Housing is cropping up along Taylor and Vaughn, creating a steady increase in the customer base for east side businesses.

John Bemis, senior vice president of the shopping center group for Aronov Realty Management Inc., the developer of Cornerstone, said more retailers in east Montgomery mean a better quality of life for the people who live there.

"The growth in east Montgomery has, for the past five years, been the most substantial growth corridor in the River Region," Bemis said. "Given the amount of rooftops that are under construction and are planned for development, that growth will continue for the foreseeable future. Retail follows rooftops."

Construction is continuing at Cornerstone, and several stores already are open.

"We're very excited about the performance of Stein Mart and Publix following their grand openings last month, and we have several specialty tenants which will be opening over the next 60 days," Bemis said.

What else is coming to Cornerstone? Starbucks, Hibbett Sports and Marquirette's Jewelry.

"Doc Green's is new to Montgomery. It's a very exciting salad and fresh food concept that the people in Montgomery are going to love," Bemis said.

Brenda Reid, public relations manager for Publix, said the Cornerstone grocery store, the company's third in Montgomery, has been well-received.

"It is our largest store in Montgomery to date," Reid said. "We're delighted to be there at the beginning of a growth phase for Montgomery. With all of the retail as well as the housing development that is going on around there, we feel we are positioned to become an anchored part of that community."

More established businesses are doing well, too, as anyone who has stood in line to see a popular movie at the Rave on a Friday night can attest.

"Festival Plaza has had tremendous success since its opening in December of 2000 with the national debut of Rave Motion Pictures. Rave generates a dominant market share in the theater business," said David McClinton, senior vice president of McClinton & Co. Inc., the developer of Festival Plaza. "We are now under way with another expansion that will add approximately 75,000 square feet of office space and retail shops. We look for the growth in east Montgomery to continue and are excited to have a top-notch location in such a great area of the city."

Across the street at Sturbridge Village, Mary Marshall was enjoying her new role as owner of Lasting Impressions, a gift boutique that features home accents. Marshall is happy to see the retail growth at Taylor and Vaughn. To her, more businesses mean more shoppers.

"This is a great area to be," she said. "I don't consider more retail growth to be a threat. I consider it a great draw to the area that will benefit my business. I'm from Atlanta, so I am familiar with the excitement that comes with growth. It means new offerings and new choices."

The fast-growing housing developments in the area provide many shoppers for retailers in east Montgomery. But some of stores attract shoppers from around the region, looking for products and services they can't find elsewhere.

On Monday, Ann Bowie, drove to Cornerstone from her home near White Hall in Lowndes County.

"I love Publix," Bowie said. "I come to Montgomery just to shop.
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  #90  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2005, 1:31 PM
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Intermodal.... still delayed....

Quote:
Bus riders still waiting for transfer facility

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


Work was expected to be complete by now on the city's intermodal bus transfer facility, but construction has not started and riders continue to wait in the elements along Dexter Avenue.

"I was hoping we would be done now, but we haven't started," Mayor Bobby Bright said.

While the city has worked through a variety of issues, riders such as Kathy McNally have continued to wait in all kinds of weather.

McNally, who said she is a staunch supporter of the bus system, has experienced seizures waiting for buses. She rides five or six days a week.

"Getting that building built is going to help me," McNally said.

Bright is hopeful physical work will begin at the downtown site in the next 40 days, although he has been hopeful several times in the past.

"If we can get through these legal issues, we can move forward," he said.

Legal issues, high bids and coordinating the project with the federal government have delayed construction, Bright said.

The expected cost of the first phase is $4.5 million, but the bids twice have come back more than $2 million over that budget.

"That's a big difference," Bright said. "Something has got to be trimmed."

He said alternative materials can be used in the project to reduce costs and he wants to reduce some administrative and management fees.

"We are value engineering the project so we get the project back in budget and get it started," Bright said.

He said they are in discussions with the project manager attempting to find ways to lower the cost.

Bright said the project was discussed before he was mayor. The city started entering into contracts and agreements on the project two years ago. He said some contractors are trying to work their way out of those agreements.

"The cost of construction and materials have significantly increased," Bright said.

The costs are expected to continue to increase in the wake of Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita.
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  #91  
Old Posted Nov 2, 2005, 3:26 PM
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It is a large undeveloped piece of property.... but it's also in a bad/industrial area.... we'll see.

Quote:
Land bought by city has historic site

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


The city of Montgomery purchased 42 acres of downtown property Tuesday for possible use as a future municipal complex with a jail, municipal court and police headquarters. The property includes the historic Western Railways of Alabama yards, an area that has structures dating to 1906.

"It is the largest nondeveloped piece of property close to downtown and the riverfront that exists all in one piece," said Mayor Bobby Bright.

Bright said the city has outgrown the current municipal court, jail and police station, but he had no time frame for moving forward with developing the site and that it is not a priority.

The city agreed to purchase the property from the CSX Corporation for $420,000. They closed on the property Tuesday.

"Whether or not we use it for a municipal complex, it is a good deal at this time, being the largest piece of undeveloped property," Bright said.

Bright said his predecessor, Emory Folmar, tried to negotiate the purchase of the land and paid a down payment of $25,000. He said the city has been trying for years, but it has been difficult negotiating with a corporation the size of CSX.

Along with buying the property, Bright said the city would clear some of the abandoned railroad strips.

Bright said the city will continue to look at other properties and the CSX property might not ultimately be the home of the new municipal complex.

He said the city is willing to talk to Old Alabama Rails and other organizations interested in developing the site as a museum or historic site. With the size of the property, Bright said there is enough space for a museum and municipal site.

Old Alabama Rails was founded to save the site and restore it for use as a museum. Six major railroad companies used the yard to build, repair and maintain engines and cars, and at one time hundreds of people were employed at the rail yard.

Mark Waldo, president of Old Alabama Rails, said he did not have a comment about the purchase, but said the city had not consulted with them in more than a year.

"We had hoped we could develop that," he said. "The city never consulted us at all about acknowledging we wanted to turn it into a railroad museum."

If organizations, corporations or philanthropists are interested in preserving the site, Bright said he is interested in hearing their proposals.

"I would love to have another historic attraction for the city," he said.

Without millions in aid, he does not believe the historic buildings are salvageable.

"They're in such deteriorated shape it is almost cost prohibitive to revitalize them," Bright said
BTW, here's the website of the guys whose pipe dream it was to turn it into a museum/entertainment development-Old Alabama Rails .

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  #92  
Old Posted Nov 2, 2005, 3:34 PM
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renovations at the Davis theater downtown almost complete.

Quote:
Davis Theatre lights up town

By Deitrich Curry
Montgomery Advertiser


The new Davis Theatre marquee is part of ongoing renovations being completed.
-- Karen S. Doerr


Colorful lights surrounding a marquee in downtown Montgomery are evidence that the renovations to Troy University Montgomery's Davis Theatre are almost completed. The marquee went up Saturday and the first letters surrounded by the bright lights honored civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.

"I'm hoping it gets people excited about coming to the theater again," said Kristen Koehler, director of the theater.

The improvements to the outside of the theater are the third phase of renovations that begin in 1983 when Troy University purchased and reopened the theater as a live performance theater after it closed as the Paramount Theatre in 1976.

"It looks a lot different," Koehler said.

The first phase comprised interior renovations that began when the theater reopened. Those renovations included chandeliers being restored, new carpeting and new air conditioners, Koehler said.

The second phase was more technical renovations that included redoing the sound and lighting system, replacing all theater seats and enlarging the backstage," she said.

The final phase began at the end of the summer of 2004 and has included a vertical "Davis" blade, a new outside ticket booth and brass doors.

Koehler said that renovations should be completed by the end of December.

"Hopefully, it will attract more people to downtown," she said.
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  #93  
Old Posted Nov 3, 2005, 12:00 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thoraudio
It is a large undeveloped piece of property.... but it's also in a bad/industrial area.... we'll see.



BTW, here's the website of the guys whose pipe dream it was to turn it into a museum/entertainment development-Old Alabama Rails .


A couple of years ago, I thought these guys had a pretty good concept and couldn't understand why the city didn't jump on it. Then I realized that the city was not against the plan, just the planners. City officials knew that they were full of crap from the beginning and hoped that someone serious would take on the railroad/museum project.

The planners claim that the city hasn't contacted them in a year about the site. But they haven't updated their own website in over a year and yet they are upset with the city because they wouldn't give the planners one million dollars to secure the property for them.
I can imagine what would have happened if the city would have given it to them...

Hopefully someone else will take on the Railroad/Museum project.
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  #94  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2005, 6:20 AM
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Here's a small rendering of what will become RSA's new HQ along with a rendering of the new convention center hotel from the RSA's Advisor.


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  #95  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2005, 2:09 PM
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$237 million between now and late 2007 ? Wow

Great for y'all !
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  #96  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2005, 2:24 PM
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Montgomery is the county seat as well as the capitol. County govt. growing a little.

Quote:
County buys more downtown

By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser


Montgomery County continues to purchase property throughout the historic downtown area to meet future space needs.

"I don't think the property is going to be any cheaper in the future," Commissioner Reed Ingram said. "Land is valuable down in that area and we would like to keep everything centrally located around the buildings we have now so we will not be scattered all throughout Montgomery County."

Ingram said it is wise to purchase the land as it becomes available.

"We are just taking advantage of the opportunities that have come up," he said.

Commissioners are expected to approve another purchase Monday. The property is located at 250 and 260 Washington Ave. and, if passed, the county will own the entire corner.

The county purchased the old Montgomery Advertiser building, 200 Washington Ave., for more than $1 million in 2003 for additional office space. The purchase included the former Associated Press building at 116 S. McDonough St.

Commissioners have been looking for more than a short-term fix to the county's space needs. They have approved the purchase of more than $2 million in downtown property this year for office space and expansion of the detention facility.

Ingram said they will likely use the latest properties for a future administration building.

"Land is so hard to come by in the general area," he said. "With our hub area of downtown, we're just trying to finish out pieces we own on those blocks so we can start on our administration building."

Ingram said the county likely will renovate the old Advertiser building.

A study by PH&J Architects shows the county needs 137,000 additional square feet, or about 32 percent more space.

The architects said most county departments are in need of space, including the sheriff's office, probate judge, district attorney, revenue commissioner, records and community corrections.

County Administrator Donnie Mims said the long-term plan for the likely acquisitions is to use the land for the courthouse building expansion, but it can be used for various county offices in the immediate future.

Mims said some of the acquired property would be needed for parking after the detention center is completed in two years.

Commissioners are looking at a long-term master plan before moving forward with millions in expansion and renovations. They approved about $50 million earlier this year to expand the detention center and are waiting for options to increase office space and county departments. Those options and the price tag will help the commissioners determine their route and the final cost, which will be funded by bonds or a funding authority.
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  #97  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2005, 2:27 PM
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Is there any talk of merging Montgomery city and county governments ?
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  #98  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2005, 2:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DruidCity
Is there any talk of merging Montgomery city and county governments ?
There has been, but I don't know at what level they are now.
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  #99  
Old Posted Nov 5, 2005, 2:57 AM
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^^ They all talk about how it is a great idea, but never move forward on it. Mayor Bright was all for it and the county commission was also, about four years ago. But then they started bikering about it because some elected officials didn't want to lose power, and because of the expansion of the town of Pike Road.

The city and county should be working together again to find land to build a metro government facility, instead, each one is working individually to find their own land to build new facilities.
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  #100  
Old Posted Nov 5, 2005, 6:29 AM
neilson neilson is offline
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I'm all for a merged Montgomery, IF the Bright/Clardy/Kennedy/Wallace Dixie Mafia is kicked out of power in '06.

Look at South and East Blvd. over the past 5 years; LOOK at the crime rate and the complete failure of Montgomery Public Schools.

Bright and his crew are useing the black man as pawns in a game of corruption and power; and the poorest and least fortunate members of Montgomery pay the highest price.

I'm not saying I want Emory Fulmar back as Mayor, THOUGH HE DID keep a tight lid on crime. (Anything east of Norman Bridge Road was shoot to kill territory to stop the crime, and the Police used to stay undercover at the highest profile robbery stores, and when someone would try holding up the store, the cops would come running out of the back room to take the scum down.).

So in closing, kick Bright out of Montgomery, cut the racial manipulation and curve the crime, make South Blvd. a viable place to operate business again, and revert to Neighborhood schools that actually foster education instead of hostile, crime-filled hallways.
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