Tag Archives: construction

Building our way out of traffic

US 31/280 sign The proposal to build metro Birmingham out of the traffic congestion that is Highway 280 has been seeing a lot of attention recently.

This morning’s Birmingham News talked about the idea of flex tolls on the elevated portion. The plan being presented by ALDOT officials continues to do the rounds, with varying results. The Birmingham Business Alliance issued a press release last week strongly supporting the project while members of the Birmingham City Council have strongly voiced concerns about the project.

Groups are still organizing both for and against this project (including this memo from Homewood written last month) that will undoubtedly change the face of the metropolitan area’s Southernmost regions and they’re still trying to get a better understanding about just how the road will operate once constructed.

We were wondering if you’d share your opinions over on Magic City Question

Detours abound at Children’s Hospital

Children’s Hospital has just announced that there will be traffic detours as a result of construction on their new facility through January 2, 2010.

Motorists will want to avoid 5th Avenue South between 16th and 17th Streets. We’re assuming that you’ll want to definitely avoid it around evening rush hour – though it is the holidays so traffic may be reduced just enough where it may not affect things that much.

What are we building in Birmingham?

One of the people who spoke at last week’s launch event for the Birmingham Business Alliance was Birmingham’s mayor, Larry Langford. Among other things, he announced plans for tomorrow’s groundbreaking for the BJCC’s multipurpose facility (a.k.a. dome) and other progress on projects throughout The Magic City.

As people begin to talk about the feasibility of the dome and other projects, they may want to take a look at this story published by The Next American City about whether or not a city should take the leap into convention center expansion.

Random Shots: Progress at CiTYViLLE

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Construction workers drag metal reinforcements to be used in the foundation of the CiTYViLLE BLOCK 121 mixed-use development on Birmingham’s Southside Tuesday morning. As we’ve previously reported, the development is slated to include 255 apartments and more than 21,000 square feet of retail space.

Photo: Bob Farley/f8Photo

Ruffner Mountain to close (but only temporarily)

You’ve got one more weekend before Ruffner Mountain Nature Center closes its facilities temporarily to complete construction of their new Tree Top Visitors Center. They made the announcement via a press release earlier today that it will be closed beginning next week Monday, May 4, through June 15 so that the existing structure can be demolished and so that the parking lot can be resurfaced. According to reports, the trails will be reopened after June 15, though the new building will open late summer/early fall, the first of the three Parknership projects to be completed. However, construction has been well underway for some time.

I actually serve as the vice president for the center’s board of directors and was photographed in front of the new building on the day that windows were being installed for Birmingham Magazine‘s March edition. You may want to head over there this weekend and see how much has already been completed – albeit from a distance…

Random shots: Linn Park’s a construction zone

"Fireball" under construction in Linn Park 

Photo: acnatta/Flickr.

Alabama sculptor Christopher Fennell is the installation artist for  for this weekend’s ONB Magic City Art Connection in downtown Birmingham. Here you see the artist as he works on completing his piece, called “Artist’s Fire”, in Linn Park in time for the start of the annual arts festival on Friday.

Check out Josh’s head’s up on an online contest for tickets to the festival’s Corks & Chefs component over on Timetable.