Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

[Southron]

Thanks for posting that interesting news ExpatBaman Crazy that the mouse stopped te development; hey anything that works! You are right, the Fort Morgan peninsula must be preserved. The oasis is the crown jewel of the Alabama gulf coast!

Last Summer I stayed at the Gulf Shores Plantation resort about 12-13 miles west of Gulf Shores. It was as nice as any beach in Florida IMO. But very secluded, only a couple high-rise condo's nearby. Most of the land was undeveloped. It was cool from the 4th floor hallway you could see the Mobile Bay on one side, the Gulf on the other side.

How many acres is the Bon Secour NWR?? They need to acquire more land to preserve the peninsula. I love the Ft. Morgan peninsula.

[Southron]

The Foley city council adopted the 2006 International Building Code this week, requiring stronger construction in new homes and commercial structures. Baldwin County Commission is set to vote on adopting the code on July 3rd.

Mobile Press-Register: Foley updates building codes

[Southron]

The Baldwin County Commission voted to approve the St. Andrews Resort, a project that includes 749 condo units in 27 buildings and 9 single-family homes on 251 acres on the west end of the Fort Morgan peninsula. Nearly 66% of the property, which is adjacent to the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, is covered with wetlands. Commission Chairman Wayne Gruenloh voted against the request, and said the property was too sensitive for that kind of development. The Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission was unanimous in its opposition to the project.

Mobile Press-Register: Commission OKs Ft. Morgan resort project

Baldwin County commissioners should be ashamed.

[DruidCity]

Given the moribund state of the condo market down there, I wonder whether that "St. Andrews Resort" will actually happen,

even with the zoning approval ?

In general, I'd like to see the Ft. Morgan peninsula area mostly preserved. Even if one puts aside valid environmental

and aesthetic concerns, there's simply no way to build adequate infrastructure to handle major development out there.

There's basically one east-west road, and that's all there really can be.

The one area of Gulf Shores-Orange Beach where I would like to see more development/redevelopment

is at the "T" in Gulf Shores. Before the hurricanes, there were grand plans to create a walkable, mixed-use

"downtown" there. Buildings were demolished to make way for the planned projects. Then, when the market

went sour, the new stuff never got built. Getting that area rolling should be the city's top priority, and

Ft. Morgan should be left alone.

[Southron]

The one area of Gulf Shores-Orange Beach where I would like to see more development/redevelopment

is at the "T" in Gulf Shores. Before the hurricanes, there were grand plans to create a walkable, mixed-use "downtown" there. Buildings were demolished to make way for the planned projects. Then, when the market went sour, the new stuff never got built. Getting that area rolling should be the city's top priority, and Ft. Morgan should be left alone.

[elb401]

i think they are still going to do it.......just like everything else...it cost money.

[Southron]

i think they are still going to do it.......just like everything else...it cost money.

[elb401]

yeah i was.

[Southron]

Buyers are heading to court to avoid closing on waterfront condos at the 190-unit Levin's Bend tower at The Wharf in Orange Beach. Thirty-three buyers filed lawsuits to get out of deals to buy 37 condo units -- nearly 20 percent of the 11-story building's residential units, more than $20.7 million in sales.

If built as planned, The Wharf would include more than 1 million square feet of retail space and about 1,000 hotel rooms and condo units. Several boutique-style retailers and restaurants have opened within the last year. The property also has a marina, 15-screen movie theater, 112-foot-tall Ferris wheel and a 10,200-seat amphitheater that has hosted performances from artists such as Hank Williams Jr., Poison and Widespread Panic.

As successful as the concert venue and businesses have been, the lawsuits indicate that even the largest, most popular resort developments aren't immune to the effects of a softened real estate market and increasing insurance costs. In the last year, Gulf Shores' beachfront San Carlos and Lighthouse complexes have also faced litigation when it came time to close sales.

Mobile Press-Register: Wharf condo buyers try to back out of deals

[Southron]

The judge in the Fort Morgan annexation lawsuit granted Gulf Shores' motion calling for the 4-year-old case to be decided by a jury. The judge wants to hear the case himself, so that his discussions with lawyers don't inadvertently influence jurors. The trial was rescheduled to October 23rd.

In April 2003, Gulf Shores annexed the 19.3-mile Alabama 180 right of way that bisects the Fort Morgan peninsula. Since then, Gulf Shores has annexed more than 80 parcels along the peninsula.

Mobile Press-Register: Judge to hear annex battle

[Southron]

Looks like Orange Beach will be the location for the first Publix store in lower Alabama. Two developments are competing to land the store, and the location is expected to be announced in early fall.

Press-Register

[Southron]

The redesigned Gulf-front Mandolay Beach resort, formerly known as Mandalay Beach, was approved by the Orange Beach city council. The project will include 28 and 23 story towers, with a 40,000-square-foot convention center, restaurants, 412 hotel rooms and 208 condotel units (individually owned hotel suites). In the fall of 2004, the $100 million project was approved as a pair of 36-story towers with 500 luxury condominiums.

Gov. Bob Riley's office agreed to allow the developers to use $100 million in GO Zone bonds to complete the project.

Mobile Press-Register: Recast resort gains approval

[Southron]

Almost two years of slow condominium sales led developers to cancel some new projects and put others on hold. Almost 3,000 condo units, about 1,350 Gulf-front, are on the market, and another 398 units are expected to come on line by the end of the year.

Mobile Press-Register: Gulf condo projects

[Southron]

The city of Orange Beach and developers are negotiating a revenue-sharing deal that will allow the developers to finance a 68,000 sq ft convention center and a hotel at Bama Bayou, an entertainment district being built at the northern landing of the Foley Beach Express toll bridge. Development plans include condos, a Gulf World Marine Park, restaurants, shops, and a marina.

Mobile Press-Register: Council OKs Bama Bayou negotiations

[Southron]

Due to sluggish condo demand, developer Shaul Zislin plans to wait on building a mixed-use 32-story tower at Gulf Shores' main public beach and put a restaurant there until the real estate market improves. Zislin still wants to build the tower that is part of the city's Envision Gulf Shores plan, but it may be up to five years before the real estate market will support it. Envision Gulf Shores is a plan to redevelop the city's central Gulf-front into a pedestrian-friendly downtown with open spaces, hidden parking decks and ground-floor shops and restaurants in condo and hotel towers.

Mobile Press-Register: Developer planning restaurant

[DruidCity]

Zislin still wants to build the tower that is part of the city's Envision Gulf Shores plan, but it may be up to five years before the real estate market will support it. Envision Gulf Shores is a plan to redevelop the city's central Gulf-front into a pedestrian-friendly downtown with open spaces, hidden parking decks and ground-floor shops and restaurants in condo and hotel towers.

[Southron]

A proposed settlement that would end the nearly five-year battle for control over Fort Morgan development and create special zoning for the peninsula was unanimously approved by the Gulf Shores City Council in December.

The main elements of the agreement:

• Both sides must agree on a consultant to draft a land use plan for the peninsula.

• A "Fort Morgan Peninsular Preservation District" will forbid construction of buildings taller or more dense than those currently allowed under city rules.

• Push for a state law recognizing the preservation district, prohibiting future city governments from changing zoning rules on the peninsula without the consent of state lawmakers.

Mobile Press-Register: Shores OKs deal for Fort Morgan

[Southron]

The 3rd and 4th proposed towers of Turquoise Place in Orange Beach have been cancelled due to the sluggish real estate market. According to the developer, the first 24-story tower should be complete in April or May, and will be featured in the next issue of US Architecture Magazine. The second and taller tower (370 feet tall) should be finished within 18 months.

Beach towers will stop at two

[Southron]

The Fort Morgan Civic Association voted to refuse a proposed settlement with Gulf Shores that would have ended the long-running dispute over annexation and development along the peninsula. Looks like this will be settled in court.

Fort Morgan Civic Association votes down settlement

[Southron]

Update in today's Mobile newspaper on the $500-million, 1,000-acre "new urban" project Bon Secour Village on the Intracoastal Waterway in Gulf Shores:

http://www.al.com/news/press-register/bald....xml&coll=3

http://www.bonsecourvillage.com/Explore.aspx