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Phenix City Projects and Developments


ATLman1

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The Phenix City Riverwalk will soon grow northward, a three-mile extension made possible with a $1,551,118.25 million state grant. The Riverwalk, which stretches from the Dillingham Street Bridge north to the 14th Street Bridge on the Chattahoochee River, will be extended north to near 30th Street. The extension will run along the river between its west bank and the Riverview Courts Apartments, before veering northwest. Current plans are for the Riverwalk to eventually end at Idle Hour Park, tying in with the Nature Trail.

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A coffee shop with a patio and covered seating will be part of a retail/dining development near the Phenix City Riverwalk, the 13th Street Bridge and the Chattahoochee River.

The coffee shop, on a parcel of the property close to 13th Street, will include the patio, covered seating and a gazebo. Landscaping will separate the coffee shop from the traffic, with large trees throughout the property.

The development is part of the city's Downtown/Riverfront District Plan. This plan, which involves the transformation of Phenix City's Broad Street and Riverfront commercial district into a pedestrian friendly mix of government, commercial and residential properties, is expected to cost nearly $275 million.

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Phenix City lands industry to employ 200:

McLendon Trailers, a new company with local roots, will soon begin operations in the former Pillowtex 1 building on Fontaine Road, it was announced Wednesday. The company, which will manufacture a variety of trailers for the trucking and shipping industry, is expected to have more than 200 employees and a payroll of $5.68 million within three years -- an average salary of about $27,000.

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Major Development Planned for South Phenix City:

Phenix City is gaining a new housing area with a public golf course, giving its southside a developmental shot in the arm. Ronnie Gilley Properties LLC, the Enterprise, Ala., firm that recently announced it will build the $25 million Phenixian condominium/retail development on 14th Street in Phenix City, is building a mixed-use, planned residential development and a public golf course on 801 acres in the Phenix Industrial Park off U.S. Highway 431 South.

The golf course will comprise of 200 acres. The housing development, which will surround the course, could have as many as a couple thousand homes. An apartment community will also be built in the development.

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Anything new going on with the Phenix City waterfront? When I was there in December there was a lot of open space, but no cranes, dozers or other signs of any developement going on.

Other than the expansion of the riverwalk, I am not sure. The Phenixian will start rising this summer. Also, I believe there is another small retail/restaurant/condo building going in along the riverfront. I believe it is 2 or 3 stories. This summer is the expected start of the revitalization project for downtown. In a few years downtown Phenix City will be a totally different place.

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Ala Trade plans 500 jobs for Phenix City:

Phenix City officials made the big announcement Tuesday morning, that 500 new jobs are on the way. Ala Trade foods plans to build a new plant in the Phenix Industrial Park. Ala Trade hopes to begin site preparations before April. They are expecting to begin production around the last of November, the first of December.

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Phenix City has landed another company today blaze recycling is opening a Phenix City plant along State Docks Road in South Phenix City initially bringing in about 20 jobs but that should soon go up to 100. The Company is an auto salvage company. Also a couple of weeks ago it was announced that Ashley Furniture is opening a distribution center in Phenix City along Lakewood Drive & Railroad Street. It will supply the new Columbus Park Crossing store(opening soon) and a store to be opening in Tiger town in Opelika

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Well a new Columbus based steakhouse is opening up its first location in Phenix City. Char-Broil steakhouse is opening up along U.S. 280/431 north near the Bruster's Ice Cream in Phenix City It is owned by two former executives of Columbus based W.C. Bradley which owns Char-broil bar b que grills. It is expected to open before fathers day and there are hopes of opening more resturants in the future which serve not only steaks, but also seafood. I believe this is one worth checking out.

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Well a new Columbus based steakhouse is opening up its first location in Phenix City. Char-Broil steakhouse is opening up along U.S. 280/431 north near the Bruster's Ice Cream in Phenix City It is owned by two former executives of Columbus based W.C. Bradley which owns Char-broil bar b que grills. It is expected to open before fathers day and there are hopes of opening more resturants in the future which serve not only steaks, but also seafood. I believe this is one worth checking out.

I read that too. It sounds really interesting. I hope this is a start to a major chain!

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Well the Columbus Metro area hotel boom continues this time it's on the other side of the Muddy Chattahochee. Hampton Inn is building it's 3rd Columbus area hotel at the intersection of US 280 & US 431 in south Phenix City. Not sure on how many rooms it will be yet, but the location is great its on a hill that overlooks the skyline of downtown Columbus located one mile from the civic center and south commons then on the main route that most travlers use to go to the Flordia panhandle. It's set to open in Summer 2008 the land has been cleared and there is also plans to put a resturant on the site, but no names have been released as of yet.

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Well the Columbus Metro area hotel boom continues this time it's on the other side of the Muddy Chattahochee. Hampton Inn is building it's 3rd Columbus area hotel at the intersection of US 280 & US 431 in south Phenix City. Not sure on how many rooms it will be yet, but the location is great its on a hill that overlooks the skyline of downtown Columbus located one mile from the civic center and south commons then on the main route that most travlers use to go to the Flordia panhandle. It's set to open in Summer 2008 the land has been cleared and there is also plans to put a resturant on the site, but no names have been released as of yet.

Is it on the other side of the highway from where that other hotel and gas station are?

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Riverchase to reopen by end of the month

Riverchase Drive, which has been closed since early August near Summit Hospital due to construction of the new North Bypass interchange, is expected to reopen by the middle of the month.

Phenix City Engineer Larry Kite said the contractors in charge of the project have targeted Oct. 16 as the day the corridor formerly known as the Fifth Avenue Extension will be opened to through traffic into downtown Phenix City.

The road was closed on Aug. 6 for the construction of bridge supports, as the North Bypass Bridge over Riverchase was widened. The closure was also necessary for additional work on the on/off ramps, which will connect the north-south corridor with the North Bypass and provide another access point for southeast Lee County and north Phenix City residents to Columbus.

The contractor for the project is Tomlin Construction LLC of Gordo, Ala. The project will cover 1.55 miles of road at a cost of $9.62 million.

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Phenix City: 2nd fastest growing school system in the state of Alabama

Phenix City schools is the second fastest growing city system in the state of Alabama. The past two years along they have seen an influx of more than 500 students.

Right now, the students at Ridgecrest Elementary are enjoying a new two story wing at their school.

Meadowlane Elementary School just moved into a new wing that includes some classrooms and a new library the principals says was much needed.

Phenix City School Superintendent Larry DiChiara says the new additions cost about 24 million dollars.

4.9 million came from a state bond and the other 19 million came from restructuring bonds and re-financing debt. Last year, voters turned down a property tax increase, but Dichara says he is looking at other options to fund more construction projects. "We've gone to our city adn we've talked to city about some things to be done from their stand point. We just don't know right now, I'm just trying to get what I do have going finished and then we'll tackle the other stuff as it comes," said DiChiara.

The final project right now is the Freshman Academy at Central High. It will feature a 2-story building with 23 classrooms, a cafeteria and a gymnasium. However the youngsters at Ridgecrest are really enjoying one thing. "I like the multimedia downstairs. We have 30 computers and we can do experiments down there," said Ridgecrest Student Deontaye Caple.

DiChiara says they are expecting the new freshman academy to be ready for students by January of next year. Right now, construction of a new cafeteria is underway at Meadowlane and should be ready to use next school year.

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County seeks aid on two BRAC-related projects

Plans for recreation park, Benning entrance shown to senator's staff

Russell County's plans for projects with BRAC implications gained the ear of two members of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions' staff Tuesday.

Military liaison Pete Landrum and field representative Cecilia Meeks listened to presentations on the proposed Alabama entrance to Fort Benning and the new Russell County Recreation & Sports Complex in Seale.

"We know that there are BRAC impacts on the Russell County and Phenix City areas. I'm here to make sure we're doing all we can," Landrum said. "The first thing is to manage expectations. Will we get everything we ask for? No, but if we don't ask we won't get anything. I intend to find out very soon where we are and what's available."

The county is seeking federal and state help on two of its most ambitious projects.

The Alabama entrance to Fort Benning gives soldiers and civilian workers an alternative route to work from the heavily traveled main gate and Lindsey Creek Parkway entrances to the post.

A new gate and corridor to access Fort Benning via the Eddy Bridge would include building a new road from the bridge to the intersection of Alabama 165 and Russell County 24 through federal land. The intersection is about 1 1/2 miles south of where 101st Airborne Division Road currently intersects 165.

The county would also improve and straighten Russell County 24, an east-west route which would connect the post with U.S. 431 and Ala. 169 in Seale. The road would make possible a direct route connecting Fort Benning with Opelika. The total cost of the project is estimated to be about $18 million, with the new entrance road to Fort Benning costing $5 million. That includes a new bridge over Uchee Creek.

James McGill, the Phenix City-Russell County Chamber of Commerce's special projects director, said the county has seen plans for about two dozen subdivisions in the Fort Mitchell area since the BRAC announcement two years, developments where soldiers and civilian employees of the post could live. He said those numbers surpassed any such period he could remember.

"The new entrance would shorten the trip soldiers would make if they had to travel to any of the other entrances," McGill said.

The county also discussed the development of the recreation park, on Old Seale Highway near the Russell County Middle School. County Administrator LeAnn Horne told Sessions' staff that the two questions constantly asked the commission by newcomers looking to settle in the area are "how are the schools and what about the recreation."

The county recreation park has two youth baseball fields completed and a concessions building under construction. McGill said the county would like help in building two more fields to complete that phase of the project.

The county has been turned down for grants by the Alabama Department of Community Affairs in each of the last three years for use on the recreation park. The park will cost an estimated $3 million to complete.

Landrum didn't make any promises, only a pledge to stay in contact and work with the county. He and Meeks met with the Fort Benning garrison commander later Tuesday.

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There is land being cleared and a structure of some sort going up on US 280 in front of the Phenix City Home Depot. It does not say what it will be only financing provided by CB&T of East Alabama anyone know anything about what this is?

Well it looks like the US 280/431 North area is seeing some new growth. The project I mentioned in January in front of Home Depot is a new Gas Station. Not sure which one yet. But in that same area in front of the Phenix City Super Wal-mart a new office is being built for the stevens insurance agency next to the sparkle car wash. The big news is that a huge field has been cleared at the Phenix City-Smiths Station line on the Northeast side of US 280-431. From what I can see its about 30-40 acres that has been cleared nothing up to say whats going there yet, but alot of construction equipment in the area. That area has been a hot area for subdivisions and residential growth.

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Riverchase Drive, U.S. 80 interchange months ahead of schedule

The long wait for the U.S. 80/Riverchase Drive interchange won't be as long as first thought.

The recent drought that has caused as much woe in other areas allowed contractors to work practically non-stop on the project, which should bring it to completion months ahead of schedule.

"This summer," said Vance Beck, the engineer for District 6 of Alabama Department of Transportation's Division 4. "I think time-wise it was set up to finish in January, but we should be finished this summer." The recent rainy weather has slowed the progress somewhat, but not enough to overtake the progress made during the dry weather.

Tomlin Construction LLC of Gordo, Ala., is the general contractor for the project, which began 10 months ago, covers 1.55 miles and will cost an estimated $9.6 million.

The interchange connecting busy U.S. 80 with Riverchase Drive, formerly the Fifth Avenue Extension, has been one of the more anticipated infrastructure developments in Phenix City for the last 20 years.

City fathers envisioned a new north-south artery to take some of the north Phenix City/Smiths Station traffic off U.S. 280/431 and Summerville Road. The interchange makes Riverchase a new connector from those regions to Columbus with the new ramps.

They also saw the connection as the door to further development of Riverchase. The street bisects some of the priciest real estate in the city, with riverfront developments to its east such as Rock Island and McIntosh Estates, a small cluster of offices and the Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital on its west side, and a small shopping center anchored by Publix Supermarkets on its north.

And more is coming, interest spurred by the new accessibility the interchange brings.

Victor Cross, president of the Phenix City-Russell County Chamber of Commerce, said his organization has received numerous inquiries about Riverchase in recent months.

"It's going to make that area explode, I think," said Cross of the opening of the ramps. "We've already got a bunch of people looking up there. And it's all keying on when they open those on-off ramps. It's going to be really, really good for that area."

The current development on Riverchase has been office-residential, but Cross said most of the recent interest has been commercial.

"Hotel, motel, restaurants -- those kind of folks," he said. "The mayor (Jeff Hardin) and I are about to go to the International Convention of Shopping Centers in May. We've looked at the Buxton study and we've narrowed it down to 20 potential retail-commercial entities we want to go after.

"The idea is to get with them while we're out there, meet them at the Buxton booth, and try to get some information about our area in their hands. The main site that we're pushing is where Regions Bank sits right now downtown. If we can get them in town, we'll show them everything. That area (Riverchase) is prime for development."

The Buxton Company is a Fort Worth, Texas-based firm that specializes in customer analytics. The company originally selected the intersection of Riverchase, Summerville and Pierce Road -- the Publix area -- as the prime site for development of three originally submitted by the city. The Broad Street site, with superior traffic numbers, was submitted later and got the approval of the firm and the city council.

The opening of the ramps, sometime this summer, would likely have an effect on such a study if it were held post-completion.

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