Tag Archives: opening

Red Mountain Park opens Kaul Adventure Tower on Saturday

Posted on November 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

KaulAdventureTowerviewThis photo is from inside the top of Red Mountain Park‘s newest attraction — the Kaul Adventure Tower — just before a ride down via the Mega Zip. (NOTE: It was the author’s first ever trip on a zip line). The visit on November 4 was in advance of the attraction’s formal opening to the public on Saturday, November 8. The ride down from the top of the 80 foot tower means potentially reaching speeds of 30 miles per hour while gliding down 1,300 feet of cable, then returning 300 feet before being brought in to rest on one of the platforms (there are two lines available for use by visitors at this location). The tower also provides eight lanes of simultaneous climbing up or two options (36′ and 72′) of rappelling down its exterior. Climbers can either use traditional holds, mountain laurel, or easily identifiable (and large) leaves to gain footing or enjoy the view.

The project was funded by the Hugh Kaul Foundation, the organization’s most recent contribution to the newest of the facilities included in the Three Parks Initiative several years ago. The foundation is also the namesake for the park’s Hugh Kaul Beanstalk Forest, a ropes and cable course located a short hike from this new attraction. According to the park’s website, the tower can accommodate as many as 24 people at once. It was designed and constructed by Beanstalk Builders, a company based in Morganton, North Carolina. The company was also responsible for the Beanstalk Forest and the Red Ore Zip Tour.

The opening of the tower for use (and reservations) comes on the heels of the recent dedication of Remy’s Dog Park and additional pending announcements about long-planned improvements. Park visitors will pay $30 for 1 hour of climbing and rappelling on the tower and $20 to experience the Mega Zip. They can also partake in both experiences for $50.

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UPDATED: Trader Joe’s arrives in Birmingham in late 2015

Posted on September 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

UPDATE: 9/17/2014 – As suggested in the second paragraph below, this afternoon the Birmingham Business Journal has confirmed the space Trader Joe’s will occupy is the current Banana Republic location.

trader-joesMembers of the “Bring Trader Joe’s to Birmingham” fan page on Facebook, rejoice! Trader Joe’s has announced their intention to open at The Summit during the second half of 2015, according to reports from AL.com and ABC 33/40 this morning. Both cite a release from the Monrovia, California-based company, notoriously tight-lipped about proposed locations until absolutely necessary, saying the 12,600 square foot store will be at 209 Summit Boulevard – the development’s southern portion.

The address suggests there will be other announcements in the coming days about new construction or the relocation and/or closing of stores (though the AL.com version of the story has been updated with the exact address being removed) as there is no vacancy currently in that portion of the lifestyle center.

A search of the city’s permitting database in late February and early March suggested a new project was coming to the popular lifestyle center. The location is more central to the metro area than people realize (and still within Birmingham’s city limits — as are the Nordstrom Rack and Target locations in Shelby County). The announcement also does not contradict a statement made back in 2011 — and comments made by the store’s founder at that time. The store’s size and announced location follow a trend first examined in 2011 by the Los Angeles Times — one seen as a way to capture more revenue. It will be the first full-service grocer at The Summit since Bruno’s closed in May 2009 following its parent company’s bankruptcy filing.

A representative for the chain informed the Birmingham Business Journal as recently as March that the market was not on the radar. This was shortly after an anonymous tip sent to this website led to attempts to reach out to both Trader Joe’s and Bayer Properties this spring. No response was received.

Huntsville was optimistic about its chances of landing a Trader Joe’s (as evidenced by this Reddit thread), but today’s announcement came with a statement similar to that one about Birmingham in 2011. It may only be a matter of time then, Rocket City…

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VIPs get a sneak peek at Remy’s Dog Park before this Saturday’s official opening

Posted on September 2, 2014 | Leave a comment

IMG_20140830_102547-MOTIONThere was a lot of celebratory barking at Red Mountain Park on Saturday, August 30, as VIPs and volunteers got a sneak peek at Remy’s Dog Park. (It was the latest to be granted, though probably one of the largest; AL.com accompanied Pig to a sneak preview of the park in early August.) The space will open to the public this coming Saturday at  8 a.m., with an official ribbon cutting taking place at 11 a.m. featuring remarks from local auctioneer and philanthropist Ken Jackson (that’s the guy you see in the GIF accompanying this post talking to attendees) and Birmingham Mayor William Bell.

Last summer Jackson contributed $200,000 (via a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham) towards construction of the 6-acre dog park. It is named for his late Jack Russell-Shih Tzu mix and has designated areas for large, small, and special needs dogs. Park officials report more than 750 volunteer hours have been contributed towards getting the land cleared for the installation.

The park will open at 9 a.m. on September 6, with the ribbon cutting taking place at 11 a.m. Click here to view an image of the sign that goes over the park’s rules. The park will be closed to the public on Wednesday mornings in order to perform maintenance and repairs. There are several naming opportunities still available throughout the space, including pet waste stations (20 @ $2,500 each) and one of the three unclaimed for a pavilion (@ $25,000 each).

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UAB’s The Edge of Chaos officially opens

Posted on October 22, 2012 | 1 comment

Johnson at The Edge of Chaos. acnatta/bhamterminal.comThis evening folks from across the city gathered for the official opening of The Edge of Chaos, a new collaborative multidisciplinary space at UAB on Birmingham’s Southside.

It wasn’t the first event held in the space, located on the fourth floor of the university’s Lister Hill Library and under construction since late last year. Since its soft opening during the summer, it’s hosted the most recent edition of Ignite Birmingham in addition to one of three Design for Good initiative–inspired workshops held across the country by AIGA. They’ve also given an opportunity for interested companies, thought-leaders and academics a taste of how the space could function not only during construction last October, but online as October 22 approached via video.

The reception was an opportunity for Steven Johnson (pictured above, standing), whose book “Where Good Ideas Come From”  inspired the space, see what his words led to in advance of his Samuelson lecture tomorrow at UAB’s Alumni House. It starts at 12 p.m. at is open to the public.

This video courtesy of the RSA Animates series may help some understand where the space is coming from, though you may also want to consider following its progress via Twitter or its blog.

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Bettola’s Lewis involved in new Aspen concept restaurant

Posted on June 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

chefs-club interior. courtesy of their websiteLast week the St. Regis Aspen opened a new concept restaurant. Why should this culinary event in Colorado mean something to Birmingham residents? It matters because James Lewis, the chef at Bettola in Pepper Place, will be among the first of the chefs to be involved in the project.

The 2011 winner of Food & Wine magazine’s New Chef award is one of four past recipients chosen to collaborate on the initial menu offerings for the new Chefs Club by Food & Wine. Lewis will join George Mendes of ALDEA in New York City; Alex Seidel of Fruition in Denver, CO; and Susan Zemanick of Gautreau’s Restaurant in New Orleans, LA. Plans call for the chefs to make appearances at the restaurant during their involvement and work with Food & Wine editors to determine and/or create the restaurant’s wine and cocktail offerings. Plans also call for the venue’s artwork to be changed out twice a year to showcase local artists.

Photo: Interior of the restaurant. Courtesy of its website.

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Saw’s opens second location in Avondale

Posted on March 22, 2012 | 2 comments

Inside Saws AvondaleSaw’s BBQ, the popular restaurant in Homewood’s Edgewood neighborhood, opened its second location on 41st Street South in the heart of the Avondale commercial revitalization effort on Wednesday, March 21.

It’s just down the block from Avondale Brewing Company‘s (ABC)  home – they’re excited about their arrival (and the fact they’ll run food down to hungry customers in their taproom). We’re assuming the folks over at Spring Street Fire House are too.) The menu board is currently made up of mostly BBQ sandwiches, burgers and bakers. The space, at 215 41st St. S., was the home to Split & Quick BBQ until recently.

Someone else that may be excited about the new restaurant on 41st Street? Whoever the folks at ABC chose as the winner of the space directly across the street from them – complete with free rent for six months. The announcement’s scheduled for next week Thursday, March 29, at the brewery’s taproom.

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Bogue’s moves into new fire station location on Clairmont

Posted on February 20, 2012 | 5 comments

part of Bogue's new interiorFolks driving along Clairmont Avenue near 32nd St. South this Saturday may have noticed some cars sitting in the parking lot adjacent to the renovated Fire Station No. 22.

Bogue’s was getting a chance to kick the tires on their new space in the building – its front door marked by an orange awning – and are continuing to do so today. They are not as of yet able to accept credit cards (read: cash only), but if you’re in the mood to see what the new space is like before everyone starts to swarm on the building, you may still have some time. The most notable of the new features for the space is the patio that looks out onto 32nd St. and the site of the first ever Alabama vs. Auburn football game (it’s important to note there’s currently no furniture on the patio).

Workers were almost finished putting the fence up around the old location (first inhabited by the restaurant in 1946) as we left this morning, suggesting that demolition of that structure is imminent to allow for construction of a new Walgreens location seen as the centerpiece of this redevelopment project.

Who knows? Maybe we’ll see some of the perks of the new Walgreens flagship store up in Chicago that opened last month when it opens this summer…

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