UPDATED: New and Upcoming Projects. (Birmingham, Mobile: leases, house, buying)

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

also kind of nice to see long-vacant retail spaces like the bottom of cityville / station 121 starting to fill up

Yeah, funny how that works. Timing is everything I suppose...

I wish these guys the best, even if one has a very unfortunate name right now. Maybe that will spurn some business in spite of...

http://impact.al.com/bhammag/print.h...7/post_24.html

Birmingham could be on its way to being a me..mecc... a haven of sorts for motorcycle riders...sportbikes in particular rather than a Sturgis for HD style bikes.

[Tourian]

Well, that was fast.

First 20 Midtown apartments to be ready by October - Birmingham Business Journal

The first 36 apartments in downtown's 20 Midtown mixed-use project will be ready to occupy by October.
Dick Schmalz, president of RGS Properties, who is developing 20 Midtown with Scott Bryant's Scott Bryant & Co., said the apartments will be move-in ready by the fall. The project is located on 20th Street and Third Avenue South.

J.H. Berry & Gilbert's multifamily division will be in charge of leasing the apartments and will run the leasing office in the ground floor of the building.


Schmalz also said the Starbucks on the ground floor will open in August, followed by Chipotle Mexican Grill in late fall.

[bhamoutlook]

Originally Posted by Tourian

Well, that was fast.

First 20 Midtown apartments to be ready by October - Birmingham Business Journal

Starbucks and Chipotle together in this development is going to be huge. It's going to increase foot traffic like crazy! Some people may think that's small but these are two of the most popular establishments in the nation. Have you ever been into a Chipotle that doesn't have a line most of the day? Very excited about this development. I'm hoping some retail shopping might be added to this.

[Tourian]

The commitment of Starbucks and Chipotle are quite reassuring. I do think it is still missing something though. A unique retail element would really knock it out of the park. I'm not sure what would work, or fit - or what would be the correct choice, but they've got some big pockets and big thinkers behind this thing, so who knows.

[280Tony]

Birmingham needs to find its next Railroad Park - Birmingham Business Journal

Great article, and I think a lot of it rings absolutely true. I know what I and I think most of you would want the next catalyst project to be (rhymes with gnome), but realistically, I would have to point to Pizitz. Hell, call it the entire 2nd Ave corridor. I think Pizitz and the Lyric will make the Theater District into an actual, viable city center district, that the TJ will precipitate ripple development that will bridge the gap between Parkside and Northside, that Highland Tower will kick Southside/Highlands into gear, that Cahaba Brewery will perpetuate the Avondale story, that the Empire will make 1st Ave the new 2nd Ave, and that the Rotary and 20 Midtown will turn Midtown into more than just a name.

But I think the Pizitz is particularly special and will really have a significant impact on the western portion of the CBD grid.

[Tourian]

Yes, I to think the obvious answer would be the Gnome. However, I guess by extention that just means a better BJCC and more Uptown so it is really just expanding on what is already there.

I agree that the Pizitz will be the next big thing. Particularly with this Pike Place style market Bayer talked about.

Pizitz project will feature open market like Seattle's Pike Place (Video) - Birmingham Business Journal

Bayer Properties is hoping that renovation of the Pizitz building will be a hot spot for food shoppers who enjoy local and fresh products.
Specifically, developers behind the long-awaited and much-discussed project say it will feature an open-style market like those often found in bigger cities.
David Silverstein, principal at Bayer Properties, unveiled a few more details about the planned retail section of the Pizitz building to the Birmingham CREW on Tuesday.


“We’re going to do a combination market/grocery,” Silverstein said.

So something that draws that kind of foot traffic from both casual tourists, foodies and residents looking for something to eat and cook, and you'll get a lot of people milling around with money to spend on other nearby attractions.

[bhamoutlook]

Originally Posted by Tourian

The commitment of Starbucks and Chipotle are quite reassuring. I do think it is still missing something though. A unique retail element would really knock it out of the park. I'm not sure what would work, or fit - or what would be the correct choice, but they've got some big pockets and big thinkers behind this thing, so who knows.

If Urban Outfitters were not already at the Summit, I would say that this development could use one. I think something like that would go really well here. It would definitely be testing the market downtown to see if it's ready for that kind of retail. I think a store with a mixture of products would do well. Maybe a large clothing retailer wouldn't do well downtown. Or maybe a large home decor place wouldn't work well downtown. But, at Urban Outfitters, you can find everything including furniture, clothes, books, decor, music, and even novelty items.

Another thing that downtown could use is a movie theater. Not sure that it would work in this development. But, anything you can do to keep people from "needing" to go the suburbs is worth it. Maybe an upscale movie theater with only a few screens and reclining seats? Just a thought.

[Tourian]

Yes, I couldn't think of a kitschy, hipster type clothing place that would fit, but Urban Outfitters is one. Don't know if we are ready for our second. Like...how big do you have to be to get a 2nd Apple Store? Or more than likely, one of the wireless carriers will put a store there, or a small form factor Best Buy or mobility store - but with five stores in the metro (seven if you count the mobility stores in Brookwood and RG) and their company being on the ropes, I doubt it would be them.

A movie house seems like an easy win, but I wonder if they would be better off putting that in the theatre district as a contrast to the Lyric and Alabama - or at Uptown to capitalize on the nearby restaurants.

[TimCity2000]

The fact that it's summer may also explain the number of out of town tags. But for what it's worth, our firm just hired a couple of employees, both who moved from out of state (Massachusetts and Georgia). So hopefully indicative of a larger trend metro-wide.

Is 20 Midtown going to beat LIV Parkside to market? I've always assumed LIV would be the first of the new crop of developments to open.

[mcalumni01]

since downtown/midtown/southside is a younger person paradise right now, i would say more bars/pub/grille. that area between the tj tower and i-65 on 1st and 2ve. is asking for something. if I was a major developer, putting a mini uptown type place there would transform that area 100%. a large scale movie theater and bowling alley, and what's the closest of them two to downtown. not only the residences of downtown but people from the north, west and east neighborhoods and burbs of birmingham also. sprinkle in a few rooftop bars/grille and there you have. or have that area deemed a large food court. have a two, three block plaza-style development with nothing but major/local food chain business (smaller size, not the normal full size ones. as much traffic downtown has from a.m. to p.m. (people that works/live/visit), you never know. or build a huge public recreational center that houses a large indoor pool/full regulation basketball court/rock climbing wall/bike ramps/racquetball court, just thinking outside the box here.