Tag Archives: 35233

A nice week for Motus Motorcycles

3 words... via Motus Motorcycles. The folks at Motus Motorcycles probably weren’t worried for a moment yesterday, though it could have been a crazier day if the outcome at Monday afternoon’s Budget and Finance committee meeting at Birmingham City Hall had been different.

The business has spent the last 3 ½ years at Innovation Depot and is preparing to “graduate” from the nationally recognized business incubator. They enjoyed a pretty nice morning at the city’s Design Review Committee at the Auburn Urban Studio. (NOTE: Magic City Post has a full rundown of yesterday’s meeting.) That’s where a proposal by Barber Properties to make improvements to property located at 500 28th Street South – the former home to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum – to facilitate serving as the company’s new home was unanimously approved.

This scene could have been a little awkward if the City Council committee hadn’t voted to recommend approval of $75,000 in financial incentives for the motorcycle manufacturer by the full council as reported by Joseph Bryant that evening on al.com. The vote was unanimous, though there was apparently an exchange between councilor Lashunda Scales and Jarvis Patton from the mayor’s office.  They’ll be looking to grow their staff by as much as six times as a result of this week’s events.

Photo: 3 words…Blue Ridge Parkway. Courtesy Motus Motorcycles brand page on Facebook.

Witherspoon to share state of city schools, tax increase proposal

Craig Witherspoon speaking at TechFridayBirmingham City Schools superintendent Craig Witherspoon‘s been answering a lot of questions about the current state of the school system in recent weeks.

This photo was taken on Friday morning, May 11, during his remarks at the monthly TechFriday event at Innovation Depot downtown. Earlier in the week he’d appeared with Mayor William Bell at the first of three community meetings where he’s updating parents and concerned citizens about the state of the school system and plans for its future. It’s also been an opportunity for him to explain his proposal for raising property taxes in the city by 3 mills (generating approximately $9 million/year).

Witherspoon will be holding two more of those informational meetings this week. Monday evening, May 14, will take place at the Davis Center, 417 29th St. S. (between Pepper Place and the Lakeview commercial district). Tuesday evening, May 15, will take place at the Don Hawkins Recreation Center, 8920 Roebuck Blvd. with Mayor Bell once again participating and talking about his bond proposal. Both meetings start at 6 p.m.

Building a more livable Birmingham with the AARP

Image from Complete Streets FlyerNo, this event is not just open to those current members of the AARP here in Alabama but to those who’ll eventually be among its ranks here in metro Birmingham.

Next week, Dan Burden, a Florida-based, internationally recognized voice on the issue of walkable, livable communities, will be leading sessions in downtown Birmingham (close to Railroad Park) and in Fairfield (where the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham is spearheading a revitalization of the Bessemer Superhighway) for all residents – young and old alike – to look at how these areas can be made more livable.

The sessions will include letting residents do walking audits of the areas in question and opportunities to influence those responsible for making the necessary changes. The organizers of the event have provided a flyer to share with you (one that suggests that the proposals developed in these sessions will be considered as next steps). It contains information about how to RSVP for the limited spaces available during these full day sessions.

UPDATE: Brew B-Q at the “14th St. Entertainment District” tomorrow

UPDATE: We’ve been informed that this is a beer tasting event hosted by Piggly Wiggly in the parking next to Good People Brewing Co. Check out this flyer for more information. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Magic City Harvest and Alabama Tornado Relief.

Good People Brewing logoYou figured with all of the excitement among craft brewers in Alabama about the passage and signing of the Brewery Modernization Act into law that it wouldn’t take long for one of them to announce take part in a their post BMA event.

Well, wait no more – Good People Brewing Co. will be the answer (sort of) to that trivia question here in Birmingham, AL and it’s this Thursday.

It’s already shaping up to be a fairly busy day in the Magic City with the YP Street Fair taking place along 2nd Ave. N. between 23rd and 24th Streets and the Birmingham Museum of Art holding a VIP party for the opening of their Who Shot Rock & Roll exhibit. Craft beer fans can now add a visit to the parking lot next to Good People’s home on 14th Street South to the list for Brew B-Q, an event being hosted by Piggly Wiggly. Tickets are currently available for $25 at all area Piggly Wiggly locations. A beer tasting as well as Full Moon BBQ is included. There will apparently also be a chance to win a private beer dinner for 10 people.

WorkPlay foreclosure sale postponed, deal in works

It’s an early holiday gift for fans of WorkPlay. We received word via an email earlier this afternoon from WorkPlay‘s Alan Hunter that the foreclosure sale of the entertainment venue scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) has been postponed by the bank due to to a pending deal. The announcement was also relayed via Alan’s Facebook profile shortly thereafter.

More than 14,000 people joined the Save WorkPlay Facebook fan page after Dana Jaffe reported on The Second Front that the popular Southside venue was being threatened with foreclosure back on October 21, with pieces by The Birmingham News‘ Mary Carluso helping to raise the awareness level.

The support has not gone unnoticed by those at WorkPlay.

Photo: Overview of WorkPlay’s bar from 2006. André Natta/bhamterminal.com.

Bare Hands to go out with a BANG!

Bare Hands Gallery logo Bare Hands Gallery announced Monday morning via its website, emails and its Facebook fan page that it will cease operations effective Thursday, December 30, 2010. The gallery has operated on Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. for the last 14 ½ years.

The gallery’s final exhibition will be SHINE 2010 – Going Out with a BANG!, taking place from Friday, December 3 until the 30th.

It had been enjoying a busy year, including its 14th anniversary celebration in June and continued support from the community.  The gallery’s board however that the non-profit organization was not sustainable given the present economic climate.

The annual Day of the Dead event will continue as its own separate non-profit organization, Day of the Dead Alabama, according to the posted statement. The Birmingham News has already posted a story about this morning’s announcement.

Dia De Los Muertos, Birmingham style

Dia de los Muertos - Bob Farley/f8photo.org

Photo: Bob Farley/f8Photo

Last night the property behind Bare Hands Gallery on Birmingham’s Southside was transformed for the annual Dia De Los Muertos festival. Click on the image (or here) to get a taste of last night’s festivities courtesy of our own Bob Farley.