Category Archives: development

Why the star to the north matters

Posted on December 9, 2010 by | 2 comments

Have you ever noticed that no one ever talks about how Birmingham, AL looks from the north?

Birmingham's skyline from it's highest point. acnatta/FlickrI went looking for photos online showing what the view would be like and I couldn’t find anything.

A few specific images seem etched in my mind from drives coming back into the city from trips north. I wasn’t sure if I was just imagining things or not, so I went for a drive on Thursday morning.

I took I-65 north to the Walkers Chapel Road exit, bought some gas and then got back on the interstate to see if my suspicion was correct.

It was. It was also an interesting reminder of how many should be looking at the city’s north side as development shifts to this side of Red Mountain in the relatively near future.

The first building you’ll see after getting off a completed Interstate 22 from Memphis and seeing the “Birmingham City Limits” sign will be Carver High School.

The first time you see the city’s skyline as it appears to rise from the treetops over Druid Hills to your left, you’ll also notice a blue star, not shining as brightly as it once did, sitting atop a complex of buildings.

Physicians Medical Center Carraway. dystopos/FlickrIt’s the former Carraway Hospital.

It’s also the first impression that we’ll get to make on folks driving in from Huntsville and Memphis and a complex at the middle of a heated debate that has the potential to impact how we view the heart of Jones Valley for some time to come.

This is something that should be considered as discussions about what to do with the former hospital complex continue to take place. There is currently one proposal to convert the property into the home for a re-entry program and other nonprofit organizations.

I’m thinking that very few people (if any) are thinking about the property’s location and significance as a visual landmark when crafting their arguments for or against the proposal.

There is a significantly large group of homeowners (and renters) living in Druid Hills, Fountain Heights and Norwood hoping that the site will be used for a purpose that brings significant additional reinvestment into the surrounding community who understandibly do not see a project like The Village fulfilling that role.

The thing is there aren’t that many other proposals out there, despite the site’s location.

There have been rumblings suggesting that perhaps our local VA hospital could benefit a move from a landlocked property surrounded by UAB to a place that provides a chance to grow and serve more people. It also wouldn’t hurt from better overall interstate access. There’s no doubt that there would be continued interest in providing new restaurants and retail to serve those working at and using such a facility.

That same highway access and proximity to new construction adjacent to the BJCC suggests that a mixed-use development with shops and condos would give residents one more area to explore and support without needing to drive south. It would also provide another form of revenue for the city as it would give folks a reason to shop within the city limits.

Why should it matter? Why should it not just be about the jobs but about the overall impact to the city and the surrounding community? Think about that first impression. When someone asks you what’s that blue star all about, think about what you want to tell someone is going on there. Think of the story that can be told and why something is located along a road that is bound to see increased traffic in the next few years.

It’s also where we’ll be going to do more shopping and living in metro Birmingham if we continue to ignore or put off the issues affecting traffic conditions along Highway 280 and I-65 southbound.

It suddenly makes you at least start to think about why what ends up there matters, doesn’t it?

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com. He is also lives in Birmingham’s Norwood neighborhood.

Photos: Birmingham’s skyline from it’s highest point. acnatta/Flickr; Physicians Medical Center Carraway. Dystopos/Flickr

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A Five Points South folly in progress

Posted on June 22, 2010 by | 7 comments

The Story Teller - Five Point South. stanroth/FlickrAccording to Glenny Brock’s tweet shortly after the Housing Board of Appeals voted unanimously to uphold the Design Review Committee’s decision to deny Chick-Fil-A’s proposal for a new local at the corner of Highland Avenue and 20th Street South, much cheering took place.

The battle’s been won (for now). The issue that we’ve got to worry about now is winning the war.

The war in this case is what will happen on the site where the Chick-Fil-A was proposed (that is assuming that a lawsuit doesn’t materialize). It’s been reported recently that a long awaited renovation of the 103-year old Terrace Court apartment building across 20th Street South from the site is set to begin, with as much as $4 million planned to be spent on the project. That should somehow influence what is considered for the site.

The points (courtesy of Elizabeth Barbaree-Tasker’s comments at the meeting) highlighted by Jeremy Erdreich in this blog post recapping the meeting provide another set of criteria for what could potentially be considered on that site.

There are some saying that Panera Bread would be a proper alternative for the proposed Chick-Fil-A location. Any solution that looks at a chain placing a suburban solution on that site is missing what the major point of the battle should have been.

It’s been an issue of preserving the character of the surrounding neighborhood.

While I’m a huge fan of Panera Bread, I look at their suggested arrival in Five Points South on that site as simply providing a nicer visual but not necessarily dealing with the issue at hand.

You will still have a one-story suburban structure with surface parking taking up one quarter of a major intersection in the city’s greater downtown area. The drive-through will not be there, but the traffic from people picking up their take-out lunches will be.

I’ve long held the opinion that we live in a region that could serve as an example of what a New South metropolitan area could do in the first part of the 21st century. This intersection and the surrounding community provides a golden opportunity to demonstrate just what that could look like and how it would function.

Perhaps it would help if the property owner wanted a solution that was more befitting an intersection that sees an average of 38,000 vehicles a day. Despite the community’s desires, a lot will be determined by what he wants to deal with on that site. This currently means that it will most likely be something that’s one story, at least for now.

Joey Kennedy’s hosting a live chat at 1 p.m. on al.com to discuss the issue further, though I’m thinking that people will be willing to accept a wolf in sheep’s clothing rather than actually affect a change in mindset about what Alabama’s largest city truly lives like at its core.

Let me know what you think in the comments section.

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com.

Photo: The Story Teller – Five Point South. stanroth/Flickr

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Understanding the brain drain in Birmingham

Posted on May 14, 2009 by | 14 comments

NOTE: Don’t forget to share your thoughts on whether or not we have a brain drain in Birmingham over on MCQ.

So apparently when The J. Clyde owner Jerry Hartley and Birmingham mayor Larry Langford had their disagreement yesterday tat the end of the Five Points South Merchants Association meeting, they weren’t arguing about that album by The Ramones. They also weren’t approaching the comments from the same perspective based on the varying accounts of the story. Though based on what’s been going on around the region for the past few years, they should have been.

Perhaps if Hartley had used the term human capital flight instead of brain drain Mayor Langford would have understood his point more clearly. Funny thing is I’ve sat in several meetings both here in Birmingham and elsewhere where the term brain drain has been used with most people agreeing that it is the case. It’s not necessarily a knock on the city’s residents, but the causes for the drain are something to consider when you look at the tools needed to showcase the magic that Mayor Langford says is happening right now in town and needs to continue to happen.

This would be why organizations like the local chapter of the Harvard Club created a program called “Stop the Brain Drain” and several organizations, including  our Regional Chamber of Commerce (it’s on page 2) and Empower Alabama (under education) use the term to describe our community’s perception that we cannot retain our college-educated individuals.

People have been working for years to combat the issue; in 2002, then CEO of CTS Steve Atkins told the Birmingham Business Journal that “we strive to keep these kids here by getting them involved in challenging and interesting projects and actually help with the brain-drain problem.”

When revealing their Top 40 under 40 in 2008, the BBJ reported that according to available data, Birmingham was the only city in Alabama that didn’t show a brain drain.

Even with those efforts and results, we should not be content with just getting by on our efforts to make the region more welcoming and inviting for those young professionals looking for somewhere to call home at the beginning (and hopefully throughout) their careers or to those that want to advance in their career considering metro Birmingham as an option. I’ll aim my comments towards the young professional angle.

There are a lot of active young people in Birmingham, AL nowadays. They are finding a way to have their voices heard, however we are still hearing them say that they need to go somewhere else to advance their careers. They want to make an impact now and have their voices heard; they’re willing to sit on a junior board and wait their turn, though they hope that they are being used as effectively as possible. If they find that they aren’t, they are more willing to disconnect from the rest of the community, depriving us of that one person that could take us to the next level. Sometimes that disconnection doesn’t necessarily mean leaving town but just leaving the high society life that many feel is the only way to become a leader.

We should not just look to young people as prospective members of a junior board or as people who can offer opinions on suggestions but not the reccommendations themselves. There is still a level of disconnection among young professional organizations, despite significant efforts for that not to be the case. There are also young people that don’t necessarily know how they can contribute nor do they feel as though they are going to be allowed to. Communication should be strengthened – which means more than just sharing what’s going on but figuring out how folks can work together to effective move Birmingham forward faster than it’s currently happening and that we’re actually working together and not functioning on two different planets of reality.

Our region’s future is dependent upon everyone being on the same page about the issues. Let’s hope that the buzz surrounding this exchange that exists online already ensures we’ve gotten to that point and that we can move forward to effectively deal with the problem, instead of spending more time hoping that the overlap that needs to be happening for meaningful progress to be made does.

André Natta is the stationmaster of bhamterminal.com.

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The case for a statewide look at transit

Posted on February 2, 2009 by | 2 comments

With much attention focused on issues that mean nothing in this upcoming, lengthy campaign to select our state’s next Governor, luckily one issue that should be front and center in the coming weeks will receive some attention today because of presumptive Democratic candidate Artur Davis‘ appearance at a summit in downtown Birmingham as its keynote speaker.

The issue is transit.

As the State Legislature begins its new session on Tuesday with a potential first step plainly in front of them, the question is whether or not transit can become the issue that symbolically and physically begins to unite this state and take it into the 21st century. 

One point that has been raised again and again about the Inauguration was the ability for Washington’s Metro system to move more people than normal (4 ½ times more to be exact) and to demonstrate just what it would be like with limited access for cars. It’s also definitely been a question on some minds as my last post didn’t get any feedback except for one person wanting the discussion to look to transit.

A proposal being presented by Alabama State Representative Rod Scott (D) allows the state’s numerous transit systems (and there are several) to work together to collect funds to move all of them, large and small, forward. A task force would study whether or not a fully functioning commission would be necessary and identify how this commission would be able to work in the best interest of the entire state to include transit solutions in discussions about transportation in the years and decades ahead. For those wondering if even some of these transit providers could get along, I recently attended one of their first meetings and while there may still be a couple of questions, all agree that the issue of transit and securing adequate funding to provide the service that the people of Alabama need is a top priority.

There are monies that may be available if the President’s economic stimulus plan is passed that would provide a way for the state to take a good, hard look at transit and how it could also become a major tool in economic development, allowing not just those living in rural communities or our state’s inner cities but those living in our wealthiest neighborhoods to be able to have a relatively inexpensive, reliable and efficient method of travel to and from work. Even if those monies end up not being available, the collective bargaining power of this alliance among transit providers should allow for other funding sources to be identified.

The benefits in Birmingham are ones worth pointing out. A light rail system similar to our long departed streetcar system would provide an easy way for folks to get around town, perhaps going to work, a concert in Railroad Reservation Park, or maybe even give folks a much cheaper way to get to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Of course, being able to fully fund our bus system and seeing folks use it consistently will determine that future than anything else, particularly in light of Birmingham’s street paving project effectively halting any plans for it (unless the Regional Planning Commission has finally worn the mayor down on the concept of bus rapid transit, which could do many of the things a light rail system could do), though the paving needed to be done.

We could even get to the point where those in our tech community could enjoy WiFi during their commute, a service that the Bay Area’s BART system recently announced would be expanded to be systemwide within the next two years.

After speaking with some of the principals and attending the first meeting of the group supporting Scott’s measure in Montgomery (comprised in part of some of Alabama’s larger transit authorities) I believe that it’s something whose time has come. It is not a question of turning our backs on our cars as much as it is an chance to help jumpstart the future of the state and of gaining true support for it.

André Natta is the managing editor of The Terminal.

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A road to somewhere… soon

Posted on November 13, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Several things pop into my mind when thinking about our regional Chamber of Commerce’s plans to form a not-for-profit to push for moving forward with the Northern Beltline. When I boarded the airplane back from Denver, I was in agreement with John Archibald and the mayor about the timing of the renewed focus. As the last flight made its final approach however, I was reminded about my recent trip out west and just what a completed beltway would mean for Birmingham and the region. I may be late to the party (blame that stomach virus), but hear me out.

I’m cruising back in on the Interstate to Denver International Airport after a peaceful weekend in Fort Collins, complete with hiking and microbrews that we can’t enjoy here because of the stupid alcohol content amendment (but that’s for another post) to pick up one of the other resource team members so we can start the 5-hour drive to our next assignment on Monday morning and I drove past, with some trepidation, the exit for E-470, the toll-based portion of Denver’s yet to be completed beltline (BTW – it may never be). This is where I remind folks that the Chamber’s BIG Trip in 2007 was to Denver.

About 5 miles later, I had to turn back around and give in to the need for speed (I was driving a Pontiac G6 after all) as I’d hit the wall of rush hour traffic with what would be estimated later to be another 45 minutes of driving – and I only had 20 minutes. Four dollars, 15 minutes, a stop at the gas station and three rounds of “Which level do you really pick up passengers on?” later, we were on our way – and ended up using a non-toll portion of the road for part of our trip to Southwest Colorado. There was steady traffic both ways, and there were also several other things that would be interesting to point out.

Park and ride locations were plentiful on this journey (and filled with cars) – meaning that folks were using the bus and had plans to use the light rail service being funded by the region’s FasTracks program when its supposed to be completed in 2012. There were also newly built shopping centers and renovated historic properties along the way as well, meaning there was some level of smart growth being observed, especially taking into account some of the surroundings.

Fast forward – as my plane made its final approach into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport last week from the north (Nashville), I was able to immediately pick out Corridor X/Interstate 22 from the air – it was the one with the last bit of road unfinished and a couple of the exits closed. Our current road to somewhere has been planned and due to be for completed for years with the best of intentions – and we’ve still got some time before we can truly say it’s done. Despite the length of time it would take to complete the beltline, I’m hoping that if I must see it, that it happen in my lifetime.

My involvement with two organizations (see below) would (and should) lead folks to believe that I’m not necessarily thrilled with the current plans for the location of the Northern Beltline, or I-959.

I will admit however that as Birmingham’s metropolitan area continues to expand (despite warnings from all corners that our recent dip in oil prices is temporary), the development of a road to ease traffic congestion for those choosing to move farther out must be considered as part of a comprehensive transportaion plan.

The disagreements over where this new portion of road will be constructed must be dealt with now and not later when some of that same green space that is attracting them to the region is torn up for the sake of more lanes for cars.

It would be nice to see a compromise reaches with those parties that are currently against the plan as proposed. That’s the trick behind the chamber’s efforts. One of the other Chamber initiatives, an expanded transit system, would still require a few more roads to be built. The historic structures, environmentalists and families that may one day be driving our sales tax based economy here in Jefferson County and Birmingham proper would be most appreciative if a bully in the china shop didn’t just blow in and demolish the very things that make us unique, environmental or otherwise. We’d just regret the mistakes we made… again.

André Natta is the managing editor of The Terminal. He also serves as the vice president of Ruffner Mountain Nature Center‘s board and as a city appointment to the Jefferson County Historical Commission.

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Why the rush?

Posted on April 10, 2008 by | 1 comment

It does feel a little rushed when you take a look at just how quickly the majority of the Birmingham City Council moved to authorize Mayor Langford to use $48 million originally earmarked for construction of a domed stadium for improvements to the Fair Park Arena property. The problem is not the proposal itself (they are welcome news to residents and existing merchants – for now) not the fact that the business community that Langford turned to for an independent analysis of locations for that facility is due back with a report soon (that may not provide the support for his preferred location). It’s the long term implications of shifting focus.

Most of the 2+ years I spent working in Birmingham’s nonprofit realm was spent making sure that people didn’t sell the city’s west side short. The term City of Perpetual Promise seemed to be created for the side of town that boasts some of its most beautiful gems of architecture and its most realistic chance of truly realizing a civic renaissance. It is the sleeping giant waiting to be awakened from its slumber.

While most people would drive down I-20 to get across town, I’d get on 8th Avenue North and just keep on driving west; getting a chance to paint pictures in my head of what a reenergized Western commercial corridor would look like as cars drove through Smithfield and by a renovated Legion Field and thinking of what it would look like with renovated buildings along Tuscaloosa and Lomb Avenues (if you made that left turn on Arkadelphia) and throughout Ensley’s historic downtown area. Along the way, I met and worked with merchants and residents who saw and believed in that same vision.

Whether we always agree with our elected officials or not, when they take office, there is normally some level of genuine interest in doing right by their city and their constituents. Many of these same constituents are probably tired of waiting for their moment to come where someone will come in and save their community. Despite believing that it can happen, they will look at an investment that is city-led as another example of why no one wants to help.

There are currently several organizations throughout the city that have been working on improving the quality of life for its residents for many years. Many of these organizations are operating with far less financial support than necessary. While it is great that the mayor has taken the initiative to push for projects to be completed that would inject new life into portions of the city, perhaps spreading the wealth through organizations like Urban Impact, Operation New Birmingham and Main Street Birmingham would bring about a balanced approach throughout The Magic City. There are many who believe these organizations have taken too long and that a quick fix would solve the problem of urban decay quickly. But it will be that, a quick fix and (unless the public is engaged) one that will lead to other issues that we may not be ready to deal with yet.

Revitalization of Fair Park is not insane at all. New businesses have recently invested in the area, including Serra Honda, an expanded Schaeffer Eye Center and the newest Applebee’s restaurant in the area. There is also movement beginning on the site of the HOPE VI development near downtown Ensley. There is a captive audience that would benefit from this renewed effort to energize the community. The question is how will it benefit those long-time businesses and individuals that have invested in the future of their neighborhoods, for the long term?

André Natta is the publisher and managing editor of The Terminal.

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Let's dream those dreams

Posted on April 7, 2008 by | 3 comments

Today’s Birmingham News sings the praises of the Railroad Reservation Park’s pending construction (interesting how the name keeps getting shorter depending on where you look). I would go one step further than they did in their description. It is in fact an example not just of what the city center can and will become, but what can happen throughout the city and the region if people show faith in the potential success in a project. Three parks, one currently operating and two beginning to see the light of day, benefited in part thanks to the efforts of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and their belief that projects like these needed to be done and supported.

The organization announced a new initiative during its annual meeting on Thursday evening that would enable more projects like “Birmingham’s Central Park”, Ruffner Mountain Nature Center‘s expansion and Red Mountain Park‘s creation to become reality. The Community Catalyst Fund serves as an opportunity for Birmingham to dream bigger than it ever has before and achieve those dreams for ourselves and future generations.

The possibilities for these unrestricted funds are only as limited as your mind allows it to be. Many projects seem to die a slow death here only because you cannot see past the naysayers. What if we had the ability to seed an arts funding source that could encourage murals, ecoscapes and galleries throughout the region?

What if the money existed to help jump start a facade improvement program that could augment existing dollars for building rehabilitation, enabling a community to put its best face forward to those that did not believe the rumors of its pending rebirth?

What if the money were used to encourage alternative transportation methods in the region, while allowing Birmingham to become more viable for the large manufacturing plants that many seem to think is needed?

What if the money were available to bring even bigger exhibits to an expanded Museum of Art, encouraging a truer sense of collaboration among our existing cultural facilities? Or if resources were made available for more of the metropolitan area’s growing arts community to create and display their work, no matter what it is?

Is it not time to stop pointing the finger at what is wrong and instead roll up our sleeves and ask what needs to be done to make it better?

The News said that much more fund raising lies ahead for the Railroad Reservation Park. A city that once mined for ore should also be mining for ideas as it reaches forward into the 21st century and carves a space out as a leader – one that it has always had among some, but now also in the hearts of those that call it home. City, county, state and federal officials should (and have) been willing to support projects with their access to general funds, but we cannot ask them to lead the way by themselves anymore.

Hopefully when we’re asked to answer the bell, we are ready to provide the energy and the monies necessary to power the engine for the future of The Magic City. The new Community Catalyst Fund is one way to do just that. Check it out and see what you can do to help some more of that magic make some dreams come true.

NOTE: Let us know what your big dream for Birmingham is over on Magic City Question…

André Natta is the publisher and managing editor of The Terminal.

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