Category Archives: News

The Tutwiler, reborn

Posted on April 27, 2007 | 1 comment

Tutwiler Hotel ribbon cutting

The Tutwiler Hotel celebrated the completion of the majority of its $9 million renovation with the citizens of Birmingham during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday evening. The event marked the completion of upgrades to the interior and exterior public areas and the guest room.s and served as the beginning of a weekend aimed at introducing longtime visitors and the curious to the changes to the former Ridgely Apartments building. The Birmingham Heritage Band will be performing on the Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. side of the property this morning beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the property will hold an open house on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (convenient for those attending the Magic City Art Connection in nearby Linn Park). Continue reading →

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Posted in 35203, Alabama, Birmingham, Business, News

DRC member apologizes for News building vote

Posted on April 25, 2007 | 17 comments

During this morning’s Design Review Committee meeting, committee member Cheryl Morgan read a statement into the record of the minutes voicing her regret and concerns about the vote that allows for the demolition of the Birmingham News building. Morgan serves as the director of the Auburn University’s Urban Studio in Birmingham.

The statement asks for all to take part in protecting the assets of the city and suggests that there is some irony with regard to the News’ reporting and its actions with regard to the 1917 structure.

Click through to view a copy of Morgan’s statement in its entirety: Continue reading →

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Posted in 35203, Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham News, Business, Design Review Committee, News

Mayor, Council agree on new bond deal

Posted on April 24, 2007 | Leave a comment

The mayor and city council (or most of them) appear to have agreed on a new bond deal to pay for several city projects, including fund for the Railroad Reservation Park and the new Wal-Mart on the former Eastwood Mall site. The Birmingham News reports that after more than three hours of negotiations, a proposed $143 million bond deal has been agreed upon, including $79 million in new borrowing. A Digital50.com report states that Fitch Ratings gives the city a AA bond rating, providing a stable outlook. The deal now gets read to the public at this morning’s weekly meeting (probably even as this is being posted). There are still concerns, most notably from Councilor Steven Hoyt, about… minority participation in the deal. Time will tell how the public reacts to the latest list, which includes several items fought for by Councilor Maxine Parker (great news for residents of District 4) that several councilors said must be included in order for the deal to move forward.

Ex-President Clinton talks to Dems tonight

Posted on April 20, 2007 | Leave a comment

Bill Clinton image If people think the Friday evening commute along Highway 280 is already too long as they approach I-459, they may just want to leave a little earlier this afternoon. Former President Bill Clinton is giving the keynote address at this evening’s Jefferson-Jackson celebration of the Alabama Democratic Party at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center. According to the Associated Press, the party expects to net $250,000 for use in preparing for the 2008 election season.

The event is named for former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson and is commonly used by local offices of the Democratic Party as the title of their annual fundraising event. Don’t try to get tickets; it’s already sold out. It may just be the excuse you need to find something to do that keeps you from venturing down the road for a little while this evening. If you really wanted to go, they’re saying that they’ll hold a similar event this fall. (Read: advanced warning of additional traffic problems).

So what does Memphis think of Birmingham’s planned entertainment district?

Posted on April 20, 2007 | Leave a comment

The Memphis Flyer earlier this afternoon posted a blurb in their Business Buzz section that linked to our own Birmingham News. The brief discusses an article by News reporter Stan Diel filed earlier this month about Performa Entertainment Real Estate, Inc., the firm that the BJCC is planning to hire to develop an entertainment district with retail adjacent to the existing facility.

Rendering of BJCC entertainment district

The fact that no one has commented on the expose so far can be interpreted a number of ways, but for now it just says that it may just be a non-issue for those in The River City. According to the announcement released by the BJCC in February trumpeting the agreement, both sides are aiming for completion of the project within the next 18-24 months.

If the Flyer had waited for two more days, they could have included a link to the feature story in the current issue of Black & White, discussing some of the local perspectives on the issue. Christina Crowe’s piece assumes that the approval of the project is imminent. We’ll see if we can’t figure out if that’s the case and let you know later today.

Reconciler’s plan to provide housing stalls at neighborhood level

Posted on April 12, 2007 | 2 comments

Kathy at Birmingham Blues points out an interesting story in today’s Birmingham News. Her post from earlier today discusses the recent decision by the Ensley Highlands neighborhood association to not support a proposal by Reconciler Development, Inc., an affiliate of the Church of the Reconciler, to renovate several abandoned homes in the neighborhood. This article previously posted on the News’ site but available on Knowledgeplex.org provides a little more background on the issue.

The non-profit development corporation would have had potential occupants assist in renovating the properties as permanent residences for mentally and physically healthy people that are trying to get their lives back on track to secure a permanent residence. Neighborhood residents appear to fear that allowing the project to move forward would cause a decrease in property value and a potential increase in drug activity, both denied by representatives of the non-profit.

The earlier article points out that city officials have made all aware that Reconciler Development does not need neighborhood approval for the project to move forward; however it appears that Rev. Higgs has decided to look elsewhere to implement his plan.

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Posted in 35218, Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham News, News

News building demolition approved

Posted on April 11, 2007 | 4 comments

This morning the owners of the Birmingham News building cleared their last hurdle, allowing for the demolition of the 1917 building to move forward. Birmingham, Alabama’s Design Review Committee voted 5-2-1 to approve changes to the landscaping plan, treatments to the daily newspaper’s production facility facade and reviewed plans to attempt to salvage terra cotta elements of the building prior to demolition.

Architects from Williams Blackstock presented plans to erect a 10 foot screening wall built of brick along the north side of what will become a parking lot for Birmingham News employees. Foster hollies and Boston ivy will be planted along the screen to help serve as a buffer between the new surface lot and the production facility. Plans also call for bronze paint to be used on certain elements of the production facility. The old home for the city’s daily newspaper will be taken down, with the basement level being filled in and the foundation walls being taken down an additional 3 feet to accommodate the installation of the surface lot. Based on statements made during their presentation to the committee in early March, the demolition process should take approximately eleven months.

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Posted in 35203, Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham News, Design Review Committee, News