Auburn/Opelika developments

[shiftyallstar]

I noticed yesterday that there is extensive work being done on the lot adjoining Dick's on the side closest to Interstate Drive. I don't know what it's for, but the site plan for TigerTown indicates that the space is for a larger store. I'll see if I can find out what's going on there.

[eastcentralalabamateen]

Auburn: Academy Sports & Outdoors Coming Soon

Auburn will soon get a new sports store, Academy Sports & Outdoors, which plans to locate next to the soon-to-open Sam's Club.

Construction on the 85,000-square-foot store is scheduled to start in mid-February. The store should be open by August.

Who are the developers for this and where is the exact location? I know that it's going to be near the I-85 entrance.

[ATLman1]

A/O One of America's Fastest Growing Metros

Auburn-Opelika has once again been named one of the nation's fastest-growing small metro areas. Forbes Magazine says the area's population should grow by 17 percent in the next five years thanks to new industries.

Forbes listed three Alabama cities at the top of the list. Mobile took the top spot, Huntsville ranked fourth and Auburn-Opelika is sixth. Another groundbreaking in Auburn Thursday morning proves many companies are choosing east Alabama.

The city's newest resident, toolCare US International, LLC, produces and modifies tools for many companies. It broke ground Thursday morning, creating 10 jobs and a $2.8 million capital investment. The reason it chose Auburn is shared by many other industries.

"We're going to get a lot of business by default, as is the Auburn area with the new Kia plant coming and the support of the Hyundai business in Montgomery. We're an equal distance between them, and I think everybody here will see the welling up of lots of opportunities," said John Chuplis, president of toolCare US.

That's why Forbes has chosen Auburn-Opelika as one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation. Forbes predicts the gross metropolitan product (GMP) will increase 24 percent by the year 2012. It says Auburn made a smart decision to focus on recruiting small to medium-sized technology-based companies.

Mayor Bill Ham, Jr. said this past year proves it.

"We have located over 500 jobs with almost $120 million in capital investment. They continue to come," said Ham.

Ham also said it helps that Auburn-Opelika has more to offer than just jobs.

"Quality of life. In our particular city, it's being the cornerstone for education, anchored by Auburn University, our great public school systems and our location on I-85," Ham said.

Both Auburn and Opelika leaders say they're blessed to prosper while many areas of the nation are struggling. They also say more economic announcements are on the way for both cities in the near future.

[ATLman1]

Grand Opening for Kia Supplier

It was a big day for a Kia supplier in Opelika. Wednesday marked the grand opening for the Daewon America plant.

The facility has been in production for a while now but the official opening was held this afternoon.

Daewon is a supplier of suspension coil springs and stabilizer bars.

Right now there are about 60 employees but once the plant is in full production, it will have 170 employees.

[ATLman1]

Auburn Possible Home for the New Alabama Aquarium

A fish tale it

[ATLman1]

Opelika's Sportsplex and Aquatic Center Breaks Ground

Opelika broke ground on their brand new Parks and Recreation building. The Sportsplex and Aquatic Center is being built on 76 acres of donated land.

To date, the public has four million dollars in financial commitments for the building and that number is still growing.

The more than 75,000-square-foot facility will include an adult activities center, swimming pool, two racquetball courts, two gyms, weight room, meeting rooms, mulitmedia room and walking track

[ATLman1]

Kohl

[shiftyallstar]

Kohl

[mitchella81]

GERMAN AUTO SUPPLIER TO LOCATE IN AUBURN

Alabama Governor Bob Riley will be in Auburn tonight to make an announcement about an automotive supplier that will locate in Auburn. The company is German based. Riley is also receiving an award for recruiting a German steel company to the state. All of this will happen during a dinner for the Alabama-Germany Partnership, which was founded to support relationships between organizations and individuals in Alabama and Germany. That dinner is tonight in Huntsville

Quote from WRBL.com

Will post any new info I learn of this

[ATLman1]

Auburn Lands German Manufacturer

Selzer Automotive, LP announced plans to locate its first North American-based facility in Auburn. The new facility will be located in Auburn Technology Park West. Initially, the company will bring a $22 million capital investment to the Auburn economy and create 80 new jobs. Selzer is the first US venture for Germany-based Selzer Fertigungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG, parent company of Selzer Automotive, LP.

Construction of Selzer's new facility will begin in summer 2008.

[ATLman1]

TigerTown Expanding

A Bed Bath & Beyond store is slated to open in TigerTown in Opelika before the holiday shopping season.

TigerTown developer Newton Oldacre McDonald, LLC, announced Monday that the 23,000-square-foot superstore will begin construction immediately.

[ATLman1]

Two hotels and a gasoline station will soon be added to the list of businesses opening near Exit 58 on Interstate 85 in Opelika.

A Holiday Inn Express is currently under construction at the Capps Landing development on Gateway Drive and is slated to open in about six months.

A Country Inn & Suites has recently begun construction at Capps Landing and is also slated to open in about six months.

In addition, property has been sold to The Pantry to build a gasoline and convenience store.

The developer is also currently talking to a couple of restaurants about locating at Capps Landing.

[ATLman1]

Opelika Auto Supplier To Build New Plant

Mando America is expanding it operation by building an additional facility and adding 200 new jobs. Mando has been running its North American headquarters out of Opelika since 2004 after it moved from Detroit. The company is expanding the building by 400,000 sq. ft.

[eastcentralalabamateen]

since there's nobody replying on this post lately, I'll be the one to do it today.

This is from what I've seen or heard recently in the Auburn-Opelika Metro. Area:

1. The Lynch Toyota/Scion groundbreaking at West Pace Village
   
2. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Kohl's, and Bed Bath & Beyond at TigerTown are opening soon
   
3. Academy Sports and Outdoors' grand opening in Auburn
   
4. The web cams in Downtown Auburn and at Auburn University
   

Does anybody know what's going on in the area? I haven't heard much from Celebrate Alabama, The Shoppes at Capps Farm, the future shopping center that's going to be @ the intersection of Shug Jordan Parkway and North College Street, or any other projects. Let me know what's happening

[Columbus1984]

since there's nobody replying on this post lately, I'll be the one to do it today.

This is from what I've seen or heard recently in the Auburn-Opelika Metro. Area:

1. The Lynch Toyota/Scion groundbreaking at West Pace Village
   
2. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Kohl's, and Bed Bath & Beyond at TigerTown are opening soon
   
3. Academy Sports and Outdoors' grand opening in Auburn
   
4. The web cams in Downtown Auburn and at Auburn University
   

Does anybody know what's going on in the area? I haven't heard much from Celebrate Alabama, The Shoppes at Capps Farm, the future shopping center that's going to be @ the intersection of Shug Jordan Parkway and North College Street, or any other projects. Let me know what's happening

Celebrate Alabama wanted Opelika to pass a bond, but I don't think it passed. I believe grading has started or is about to start. I saw the site plan for the Shug Jordan deal and talked with one of the owners because I was interested in purchasing the apartment piece. As of now, they are looking for funding. I doubt it will happen right now.

[mitchella81]

The new Opelika Kohls is holding their grand opening this week. Another big boost for tigertown

[Columbus1984]

Auburn Publix Set to Open 2010

Construction on the grocery store and its surrounding shopping center at the corner of Moores Mill Road and Hamilton Road is scheduled to start in the early part of April.

Once built, the 54,000 square foot grocery store will be the largest in Auburn.

The grocery will be the anchor store for the shopping center, Hamilton Place.

No stores for the outlying parcels in the planned shopping center have been confirmed.

[aboutmetro]

Auburn Publix Set to Open 2010

Construction on the grocery store and its surrounding shopping center at the corner of Moores Mill Road and Hamilton Road is scheduled to start in the early part of April.

Once built, the 54,000 square foot grocery store will be the largest in Auburn.

The grocery will be the anchor store for the shopping center, Hamilton Place.

No stores for the outlying parcels in the planned shopping center have been confirmed.

This has to mean it will be the largest Publix store. Isn't the Kroger at Tiger Town 83,000 square feet? Kroger's largest foot print is larger than Publix largest. Kroger considers the Super Walmart's their competition and look at a 20-mile market for their large stores. It's very interesting, too, that this Publix is going so far on the east side of I-85. Opelika-Auburn will begin to grow more east along 280 in the next few years, I predict.

[mitchella81]

Another hotel is about to be built near the Tiger Town area. Microtel is going to build a hotel behind the Lowes off US. Hwy 280 North facing the southbound side of Interstate 85. Near that same intersection a fairfield inn has recently opened and along the northbound side a Holiday Inn Express is under construction.

On a separate note does anyone know what is being built on Auburn University near the Basketball arena. Is that the new basketball arena with all the cranes there? Or something else?

[mitchella81]

Another hotel is about to be built near the Tiger Town area. Microtel is going to build a hotel behind the Lowes off US. Hwy 280 North facing the southbound side of Interstate 85. Near that same intersection a fairfield inn has recently opened and along the northbound side a Holiday Inn Express is under construction.

On a separate note does anyone know what is being built on Auburn University near the Basketball arena. Is that the new basketball arena with all the cranes there? Or something else?

[j.midtown]

On a separate note does anyone know what is being built on Auburn University near the Basketball arena. Is that the new basketball arena with all the cranes there? Or something else?

Yes, two projects are in progress on that side of the campus including the new $92.5M arena. The other is the $178.84M Village Dorms project which includes a new dining facility and will house around 1600 (various numbers have been published) students in suite-style living quarters beginning in Fall 2009. More info here.

[aboutmetro]

I don't know where they are on Capps Landing, but the O-A News reported over a year ago that the city of Opelika would contribute $1.5 million toward a Carmike Cinema by sharing two-thirds of it's sales tax revenue for up to 15 years. The cineplex would be 12 screens. Th then just about 6 months ago, WTVM reported that Revolution Theaters would build a 14-screen complex... So does anyone know where Capps Landing and the cinemas stand?

[aboutmetro]

Celebrate Alabama wanted Opelika to pass a bond, but I don't think it passed. I believe grading has started or is about to start. I saw the site plan for the Shug Jordan deal and talked with one of the owners because I was interested in purchasing the apartment piece. As of now, they are looking for funding. I doubt it will happen right now.

Any idea if Celebrate Alabama is still in the plans? It's still on Silver Company's website. A nice little promo video about the area there.

[Columbus1984]

Any idea if Celebrate Alabama is still in the plans? It's still on Silver Company's website. A nice little promo video about the area there.

As far as I know these projects are dead for now. The market is just too bad to move forward at this time.

[aboutmetro]

As far as I know these projects are dead for now. The market is just too bad to move forward at this time.

The Carmike cinema deal had a public subsidy through sales taxes, similar to the TAD development that was just announced in LaGrange. I guess I say that to say that subsidized development projects are moving forward around the region.