Ensley on the Comeback?

[Blazer85]

Glad to see a former Ensley native stepping up to the plate and helping try to revitalize the Ensley area of Birmingham.

Spurling, a successful Birmingham attorney, has purchased at least 5 buildings in about a 1-block area.

He plans:

1) Playover Games & Movies (To open in May with movies, music, games, X-boxes, playstations, etc)

2) Recycled Furnishings (To sell home and office furniture, accesories, and antiques)

3) Corporate Office Flats & Suites (Business incubator as well as some space to be rented for wedding receptions, parties, etc)

4) Live Jazz Hall / Comedy Club (Planed to open in late May with live entertainment)

5) Sanctuary Accomodations (For people needing space to hold church services or other church events)

6) Ole Ensley Grill Food Court (To have food from other catering services and restaurants delivered daily)

[kayman]

Well, I know from my mother being originally from Ensley & Sherma Heights that this is the 2nd attempt that someone has made to revitalize the area. Back in the 1980's the 10+ storied-tower in "Downtown Ensley" was the part of the first attempt to turn the area around and horribly failed. I wish Spurling well and much success, but I know the background of the area and it will be a very tough uphill battle to change the dangerous & unsafe stigma associated with Ensley.

Also, I hope somebody will find some mixed used for the old Ensley Mill site because that is too large of a parcel to be left ignored to go undeveloped. It would be a major starting point for the reversal of the stagnation of area. It could be along the levels of the Atlantic Station development in Atlanta.

[Southron]

Ensley's downtown area would be a really attractive place if the money can be found for renovation and infill. It's great to see someone take some risk and try to get the ball rolling.

[kayman]

Ensley's downtown area would be a really attractive place if the money can be found for renovation and infill. It's great to see someone take some risk and try to get the ball rolling.

[dfwtiger]

The fears and stigma associated with the western precinct's murder rate and crime is what scares most developers that redevelop existing properties from Ensley. But there is a police substation in Downtown Ensley.

[kayman]

The attendance at "Function at the Junction" festival in Ensley has recorded their largest ever in the festival's 22-year history. The early numbers predicted that 4,000 people attended the 12-hour jazz music and cultural festival in Ensley. It shows that there seems to be a growth in civic pride in the Ensley community, and the numbers and the increase in corporate sponsorship has shown this to be true.

[woob]

The attendance at "Function at the Junction" festival in Ensley has recorded their largest ever in the festival's 22-year history. The early numbers predicted that 4,000 people attended the 12-hour jazz music and cultural festival in Ensley. It shows that there seems to be a growth in civic pride in the Ensley community, and the numbers and the increase in corporate sponsorship has shown this to be true.

[kayman]

Five Points West gets an Applebee's and now a Schaeffer Eye Center

Schaeffer Eye Center has just opened a new location in the Five Points West Shopping Center in the former Citizens Trust Bank outparcel. It will be stocked and selling the same designer brands as the locations elsewhere are, so it will be a full-service location.

It is good to see that in addition to the Applebee's that Five Points West now has a Schaeffer Eye Center.