Trinity Steel Site - New Development?

[Blazer85]

Langford and the majority of the other commissioners seem poised to grant their blessing on the Walmart proposal. I think many of them recognize this might be the best use AT THIS TIME. And the capital that this project brings in can help the revival of other brownfield areas as well as spur further growth in and around Titusville (both commercial and residential). Who knows? Maybe Titusville will feed off of some of the great things happening on the Southside around Avondale, Forest Park, and Glen Iris.

[convulso]

Maybe Titusville will feed off of some of the great things happening on the Southside around Avondale, Forest Park, and Glen Iris.

[kayman]

I've already said my piece. Unless, Wal-Mart plans on building an "urban" store with a parking deck (reminscent of their North DeKalb store in Georgia) instead of a sea of parking lot then I don't want any part of this. They shouldn't have any excuses here for them not to build one here other than the government officials lack of foresight.

[highlandtodd]

Langford and the majority of the other commissioners seem poised to grant their blessing on the Walmart proposal. I think many of them recognize this might be the best use AT THIS TIME. And the capital that this project brings in can help the revival of other brownfield areas as well as spur further growth in and around Titusville (both commercial and residential). Who knows? Maybe Titusville will feed off of some of the great things happening on the Southside around Avondale, Forest Park, and Glen Iris.

[bhamsly]

Wow!!! I have never thought of this. A research park in Ensley...it could happen. Since Birmingham and Memphis are similar cities, it would work...to disregard what I said about it "could." I also agree with the quote about the hospitals pulling together. What can we do to get some of these ideas out there because I know that our pitiful leaders haven't thought of this stuff. I really want these things to happen, but there isn't much that I can do since I am just a student. There is a particular sight that seems like development is destined to be taking place there...I am talking about an area of open land near or in Norwood, but now that I think about it, I think I-22 will come through that area.

Speaking of I-22, when it cuts through North Birmingham passing through I-65 and connecting to I-20/59, a portion of that area between them all should be destined for and extension of downtown with the BJCC at the center. I hope you all understand what I am talking about, because it is kinda difficult to explain.

[kayman]

Wow!!! I have never thought of this. A research park in Ensley...it could happen. Since Birmingham and Memphis are similar cities, it would work...to disregard what I said about it "could." I also agree with the quote about the hospitals pulling together. What can we do to get some of these ideas out there because I know that our pitiful leaders haven't thought of this stuff. I really want these things to happen, but there isn't much that I can do since I am just a student. There is a particular sight that seems like development is destined to be taking place there...I am talking about an area of open land near or in Norwood, but now that I think about it, I think I-22 will come through that area.

Speaking of I-22, when it cuts through North Birmingham passing through I-65 and connecting to I-20/59, a portion of that area between them all should be destined for and extension of downtown with the BJCC at the center. I hope you all understand what I am talking about, because it is kinda difficult to explain.

[kayman]

Agreed. I live in Avondale half a block from Mazer, and I think Wal-Mart may be the best use of this site AT THIS TIME as well. Many students get their furnishings from Wal-Mart, and Titusville is adjacent to UAB, near Miles, and very near Lawson State. Also- and I don't mean this in any way as a slight- many folks in Titusville don't have the education or transportation neccessary to get "better" jobs. Think of Titusville as a rural village landlocked within a Blade Runner landscape. Wal-Mart has helped many rural communities typically overlooked by other retail entities. My neighborhood is remarkably similar demographically to Titusville, and neighbors LOVE LOVE LOVE those stores. While we're getting one at Eastwood, this could spur interest on the western fringe of Southside. Leonard23 & Convulso make some really salient points about this, too.

My wish/hope/desire is for Bruno's, Piggly Wiggly or Western especially to locate a grocery downtown. There is SO MUCH VACANT LAND near the Railroad Park site. Synergy is what this city needs, and a Wal-Mart might entice the grocers to get with the program. Alas, it may take an outsider entity like Publix to make it so.

Finally, I'm with all of you suggesting the vast, sprawling Ensley Mill site as a research park. Memphis has a biomedical research park, and is beginning to attract corporations, plants, and developers from other major cities. It would be really nice if the local hospitals would get together to put up seed money to jump-start a biomedical park at that site. Why not? What could possibly be a real reason against this??

[kayman]

It's seems that the recent decision by Wal-Mart Corp. to scale back the number of new supercenter openings has the retailer mum on the future of the Trinity Steel site. Regardless of this the folk in Jeffco are going full steam ahead with signing over the Pate Realty.

Titusville plan gains steam

Also, might I add, that Jeffco made environmental recommendations, but it seems that Wal-Mart hasn't even responded to those either.

I'm still against this project because Wal-Mart has made no efforts to disclosure whether or not it is going to build an urban store in this location. I'm personally glad that actual grocers are now interested in the City Center area with the population establish beyond the sustainable point to open a store.

[kayman]

A harbinger of things to come?

Wal-Mart recently cancelled plans for a Pinson store due to company nationwide expansion cutbacks. I am seriously wondering the future of plans of this proposed location on the former Trinity Steel site. Wal-Mart has been mighty quiet lately, although the County to have A'OKed this land for the development. Hmmm...................

[kayman]

Now the City of Birmingham is wondering the same thing as I am wondering? What are Wal-Mart's plans for the site, and if they still plan on coming?

Titusville Wal-Mart status up in the air

[bhamsly]

Ok, let's say that the Wal Mart deal is totally put off, what is going to happen to this large piece of property? I say create a "beach oasis" in the middle of the city/region. I have talked to some friends and others about what they would like to do in Birmingham, and we all came up with an idea to escape the heat...a Birmingham beach. We are always going to Oak Mountain State Park to swim, but since I live near the city center, I really don't want to drive that far to go swimming. We came up with Birmingham Tropics- a new neighborhood at the Trinity Steel site where people can come and lie on the sand to enjoy or to get their tan on. A place where tourists could come eat, entertain, and stay the night in the city center; or locals can call Birmingham Tropics their home in addition to work, or marriage.

Plans could be to have a large lake surrounded by sand, an all purpose building, a few nice restaurants(chains and locals), a condo tower(or a few townhomes like Seaboard Yard), 2 hotels, an office building, a bar/nightclub, a 10 screen movie theater, putt-putt golf or a go-cart track(or both), and a small shopping district with at least a clothing store, a spa/massage, a swim/hat/sunglass shop, etc...everything on a palm tree lined boulevard.

All Purpose Building

- Place for weddings, business meetings, formals, etc.

Perhaps instead of a huge lake in the middle of the neighborhood with everything around it, there could just be a strip with everything on either side of it and the actual beach could take one side, along with the other fun things all one side. If this is the case, something similar to the beach part of the man-made beach dome in Japan would work. I would love it if we could get a beach dome, but I think that is too much for us at this point, but I think Birmingham Tropics could be successful especially in the summer.

http://www.joe-ks.com/archives_sep2005/Man...Japan_Beach.htm

[Alabadrock]

It's a great idea. But, such a great idea would be thrown out because, obviously there isn't any use for it.

That's some sarcasm ^^^^^ of course, but, lord, I'd support it, sound like something that Birmingham could benefit greatly with.

[kayman]

It seems by all means and purposes that the proposed location of a Wal-Mart Supercenter for the former Trinity Steel facility is dead. Word is now floating around that the City of Birmingham and Mayor Langford wants to construct a new city jail along with police training academy on the parcel of land. So I'm assuming that this another ambitious plan by the Mayor to find a use for this large parcel of land that has been vacate for nearly a decade in the middle of the city.

[TRoberts]

It seems by all means and purposes that the proposed location of a Wal-Mart Supercenter for the former Trinity Steel facility is dead. Word is now floating around that the City of Birmingham and Mayor Langford wants to construct a new city jail along with police training academy on the parcel of land. So I'm assuming that this another ambitious plan by the Mayor to find a use for this large parcel of land that has been vacate for nearly a decade in the middle of the city.

[bhamsly]

Isn't this the location he wanted to build his new "Pentagon" at?

[kayman]

Isn't this the location he wanted to build his new "Pentagon" at?

[bhamsly]

What do you guy's think of this? Daniel Corp seems to be all over the place, and working quite nicely with the mayor. It should be interesting to see outcome of this one.

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/i....xml&coll=2

[kayman]

Interesting, I think this would be a good thing for the area considering I've been hearing that one of the stigmas of the site is its proximately to Titusville. Cousins Properties were one of the developers of the Park Place redevelopment, so I imagine that this will be a mixed-income development. Hopefully, I can elaborate further when I see some draft renderings of the proposed development itself.