Category Archives: 35203

UPDATED: End may be near for former Social Grill location

socialfenceUPDATE: There’s a new sign in front of the former Social Grill building. Click here for the update.

If you drive by 23rd St. and 3rd Ave. N. in recent days, you’ve probably noticed a fence around the former home of The Social Grill and two smaller structures located to its south. A quick jaunt to the back of the building shows a pretty big piece of heavy machinery waiting to do some serious work.

It probably wouldn’t be a  big deal, until you remember the information Jeremy Erdreich shared over on his site back in September 2011.  As he states in the post, approval of demolition for that building and the ones already owned by Crook would normally need to be granted by the city’s Design Review Committee. A quick look through recent meeting agendas doesn’t readily show that approval was granted or if the plan for demolition has gone before them, but it doesn’t mean it hasn’t already been approved.

3.28.2013, 8:30 p.m. – This afternoon there was a new addition to the scene, a sign announcing a new Cadence Bank location on the corner. There hasn’t been an opportunity to reach out for any additional information, but we’ll share more after following up with the bank.

The need for parking adjacent to the ever burgeoning 2nd Ave. N. is interesting to watch, especially considering the close proximity to 723 parking spaces contained in the Birmingham Parking Authority‘s Lot “A” on Morris Avenue.

See Jane Write panel looks at blogging and community journalism this Thursday

See Jane Write logoThere are very few slots left for this Thursday’s See Jane Write Birmingham panel on blogging and community journalism at Innovation Depot. It’s a topic of particular interest to us as 2013 begins.

The panel will look talk about whether or not community news will flourish as we move forward and how bloggers can use their sites to cover issues that may not be getting the exposure they deserve. It will include Staci Brown BrooksAlabama Media Group/The Birmingham News; Emily Lowrey, Magic City PostErin Shaw Street, Southern Living magazine; and André Natta, The TerminalEdward T. Bowser, community engagement specialist for the Birmingham Hub of Alabama Media Group,will moderate.

For those not familiar with See Jane Write Birmingham, Javacia Harris Bowser started the “organization for women writers and bloggers in the Birmingham area” in March 2011. It now boasts an email list of at least 200. Additional plans for this year include Tweets & Sweets, a tweet-up and birthday party for Bowser that will serve as a fundraiser for the organization next month.

Those looking for help to jumpstart their blogging in 2013 may also be interested intaking part in the 31 Days to a Better Blog initiative she’s organized on her blog, The Writeous Babe.

Filming of “42” set to close some downtown streets next week

Jackie Robinson's 42 at Citi Field June 10, 2009. David Berkowitz/Flickr.The filming of the Jackie Robinson biopic “42” will be taking over some of downtown Birmingham’s streets next week. The closures will serve as bookends for the crew’s stay – it’s been previously reported that they’ll be filming next week at historic Rickwood Field. Incidentally, there’s still a chance to sign up to watch filming at the ballpark as well as a chance to be an extra.

We’ve been trying to make some sense of the maps that we’ve been forwarded to us. Birmingham Police will be on hand to direct both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. You never know what could happen if fans of Chadwick Boseman (portraying Robinson) and Harrison Ford (portraying Dodgers GM Branch Rickey) even think they’ve caught a glimpse of them…

The closures will begin this coming Sunday, May 13 (PDF of closure map) in the area surrounding the Tutwiler Hotel. Park Place will be closed between Short 20th St. N. (the portion that runs directly in front of City Hall) and Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. N. It will also be closed on Monday, May 14 – along with one parking lane and one traffic lane along Arrington between Park Place and 6th Ave. N. Their goal is to reopen the area to traffic by 9 p.m. on May 15.

Next Friday, May 18, 3rd Ave. N. (PDF of closure map) will be closed from 17th Street N to Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. N. will reopen to traffic early Saturday morning (May 19). There may also be a section of 17th St. N. closed between 3rd & 4th Ave. N. at sometime on May 18 reopening the following morning. They’ll be towing cars too, so don’t park where you’re not supposed to be.

Photo: Jackie Robinson’s 42 at Citi Field June 10, 2009. David Berkowitz/Flickr.

Next steps to save Powell School underway

Powell School debris cleanupFolks driving into downtown Birmingham, AL the morning of February 1 may have noticed a dumpster sitting out in front of the historic Powell School Building along 6th Avenue North. It’s OK if the rain might have kept you from noticing…

It appears that workers from One Stop Environmental have begun to remove debris from the city’s oldest school a little more than a year after a devastating fire did significant damage to it. The property was donated to the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation along with $500,000 back in October. The building had been named to the organization’s 2011 list of Places in Peril in May. The city’s requested that $150,000 be reserved to cover the cost of demolition in the event that a developer is not located that views the project as feasible.

According to the request for proposals retrieved from Operation New Birmingham’s website, submissions were due on January 9. A story published in The Birmingham News during the holidays suggests that the stabilization project is on schedule enabling potential developers to access the property for review in March. It was also reported that work was underway to design a roof to protect the remaining structure from any more damage due to weather.

The tree’s almost ready in Linn Park

2011 Holiday tree gets trimmed in BirminghamThose venturing through Birmingham’s city center saw a couple of city crews on the southern edge of Linn Park working hard to get the 2011 Christmas tree decorated in time for its official lighting on Tuesday, December 6 (pdf).

The 40-foot Norway spruce arrived from Newland, NC on November 28. It’ll be strung with more than 5,000 lights in time for next week’s activities – these include the 4th Avenue Christmas Parade and an appearance by Santa & Mrs. Claus. It’s scheduled to take place between 5-7 p.m.

The city (and the region) is beginning to look a lot like Christmas (if it wasn’t already doing so back in late October). For example, if you were surfing through terrestrial radio stations in the car and you’re wondering if that was actually hearing Christmas music on Halloween, you weren’t imagining things.

Magic 96.5 decided it’s never too early to get into the spirit of the holiday season. They’ve been playing Christmas music since 7:15 Halloween morning – and they’re not stopping until Christmas Day. The ClearChannel-owned station’s press release stated that listeners had been requesting the annual format change for weeks via Facebook.

Bell to hold open meeting for young professionals

Birmingham, Alabama logoBirmingham mayor William Bell has announced – via the city’s Twitter account – that he will be holding a meeting with young professionals at Urban Standard on Thursday at 12 p.m. According to the follow-up tweet posted by the city’s public information office, the hope is that those in attendance will be willing to “share your ideas, concerns and vision for the future for Birmingham.”

We’re just happy for the folks at the popular lunchtime spot as they’ll be packed on Thursday with both young professionals interested in sharing what they want for the city showing up and the regular crowd. It will be the second public meeting held by the mayor announced via Twitter since being sworn in last Tuesday.

Logo: City of Birmingham

UPDATE: We figured we’d ask you to share what you’d suggest or talk to Mayor Bell about over on Magic City Question.

Random Shots: Federal Reserve renovations continue

FedX - Bob Farley/f8Photo

Bob Farley/f8Photo

Renovations and continue on the old Federal Reserve Building at the corner of 5th Avenue and 18th Street North by Melaver, Inc. of Savannah, GA. According to the developer’s, website,

“…the Federal Reserve Building’s historic façade will be restored, and Melaver has committed to seeking LEED-NC Silver certification, assuring tenants of the most modern, efficient, technologically advanced and productive workspace available in the Birmingham MSA.”

The building will house a hotel, restaurant, convention, retail and office space.