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Does Mobile need a new mall?


PortofBama

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The area really doesn't need any more "major retail". We have just about every big box store imaginable. We have enough malls that are just the right size for our city. What we do need is what the community of Spring Hill is working on, more walkable villages that offer boutique and local stores. We need "town centers" mixed-use villages that bring a sense of community to each neighborhood.

The concept of the mall is dead anyway.

As a former Mobilian, I can say that I'm SO GLAD that we didn't get that bland, borring, lifeless sprawltopia they call the "Eastern Shore Center".

I'm still trying to find out what it's the center of.

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yes,i agree with mobileal1 that the proposed site of waterstreetlanding would be perfect ,something like bridgestreet here in huntsville,but with not as many high priced stores?i'am from mobile and it's almost twice as big as hunstville,but huntsville has more malls,townecenetrs etc.. sounds like the people of mobile meaning community leaders etc.,needs to step up to the plate and get some action going on down there?

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yes,i agree with mobileal1 that the proposed site of waterstreetlanding would be perfect ,something like bridgestreet here in huntsville,but with not as many high priced stores?i'am from mobile and it's almost twice as big as hunstville,but huntsville has more malls,townecenetrs etc.. sounds like the people of mobile meaning community leaders etc.,needs to step up to the plate and get some action going on down there?
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yes,i agree with mobileal1 that the proposed site of waterstreetlanding would be perfect ,something like bridgestreet here in huntsville,but with not as many high priced stores?i'am from mobile and it's almost twice as big as hunstville,but huntsville has more malls,townecenetrs etc.. sounds like the people of mobile meaning community leaders etc.,needs to step up to the plate and get some action going on down there?
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Huntsville and Baton Rouge generally have better demographics than Mobile, so the regional shopping developments in those cities will be of much higher quality. Come to think of it, most of the major cities surrounding Mobile have slightly better retail. Hopefully, that will change over the next couple of years as Mobile's various malls and lifestyle centers become more defined in their missions.

I would like to see substantial retail development in Downtown, between De Tonti Square and Dauphin Streets. Of course, lofts, studio apartments and condos would be placed above ground level retail in this conceptual plan.

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The town of SaltAire as well as the Alabama Motorsports Park and ThysennKrupp will bring in new retail counterparts. I for one don't want to see anything other than upscale retail except for the downtown area and along the Dauphin Island Parkway corridor. Mobile lacks upscale retail which is ridiculous.

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I'm just shocked we lack moderately upscale chains such as J. Crew, Harold's and even Banana Republic. The outlet versions of these stores don't really count.

Legacy Village at Dauphin/ I-65 will probably be Mobile County's best bet. It currently has a handful of premium national chains, has space for additional retailers, and has a possible second phase expansion in the works.

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I'm just shocked we lack moderately upscale chains such as J. Crew, Harold's and even Banana Republic. The outlet versions of these stores don't really count.

Legacy Village at Dauphin/ I-65 will probably be Mobile County's best bet. It currently has a handful of premium national chains, has space for additional retailers, and has a possible second phase expansion in the works.

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It would be nice to attract things like Bananna Republic, WhiteHouse/BlackMarket, Anthropologie, Williams Sonoma, Whole Foods, PF Changs, etc and more local boutique stuff. We would definitely be in contention based on our size, but our socioeconomic stats are keeping that from happening. Even adding Baldwin County's data, we would still be a little low. That is a good thing when you look at how much house you get for your money, cost of living, etc., but it keeps upscale companies from investing inthe area. I like all the big projects we have coming(Motorsports,TK, EADS) but we really need more white collar jobs for the area. Our unemployment is already absurdly low, so adding these type of jobs just bring in more middle/lower-middle class workers. We paid alot for International Shipwhatever from NO considering how few jobs it brought int, but it brought in a goodsized company headquarters and most of those jobs were very well paying. We have a real opportunity to increase white collar jobs in shipping/ports/trasportation. We need more stuff like that. It would help if BankTrust would really take off and become a big regional player(think Colonial Bank). Medicine/Medical research would also be a great place to bring in high paying jobs. All in all, we need more white collar jobs to bring in higher quality retail.

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It would be nice to attract things like Bananna Republic, WhiteHouse/BlackMarket, Anthropologie, Williams Sonoma, Whole Foods, PF Changs, etc and more local boutique stuff. We would definitely be in contention based on our size, but our socioeconomic stats are keeping that from happening. Even adding Baldwin County's data, we would still be a little low. That is a good thing when you look at how much house you get for your money, cost of living, etc., but it keeps upscale companies from investing inthe area. I like all the big projects we have coming(Motorsports,TK, EADS) but we really need more white collar jobs for the area. Our unemployment is already absurdly low, so adding these type of jobs just bring in more middle/lower-middle class workers. We paid alot for International Shipwhatever from NO considering how few jobs it brought int, but it brought in a goodsized company headquarters and most of those jobs were very well paying. We have a real opportunity to increase white collar jobs in shipping/ports/trasportation. We need more stuff like that. It would help if BankTrust would really take off and become a big regional player(think Colonial Bank). Medicine/Medical research would also be a great place to bring in high paying jobs. All in all, we need more white collar jobs to bring in higher quality retail.
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I have been wondering the same thing myself, when is the state going to recruit more white collar jobs? I think it becomes more of a local recrutment effort backed by the state, mostly for incentives purposes, whether than a joint effort of state and local leaders because white collar positions tend to yield less jobs than blue collar positions. However, I do not believe the number of white collar jobs is a factor for upscale retail in an area with over 13,000 millionaire families in just Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Also with Mobile becoming more and more of a tourist destination. I think it comes down to which developer is willing to take a risk to do so, which I guess is a BIG RISK to many. I always envisioned St. Louis St. being a great location with streelined upscale retail stores because it has the Dauphin St. entertainment district to the south and residential areas of Detonti Square to the north. Downtown could be a whole lot more appealing if the city spent more money on beautification efforts and improve infrastructure, which would, in the long run, increase developments and MAYBE bring upscale retail there. I don't like the fact that the city is settling for the pace of developments now rather than doing anything necessary to increase developments.
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Speaking of retail, my family just moved to Auburn, and in today's paper we have this article on a new huge development. If Opelika can pull this, I have no idea why Mobile can't. Mobile has 2-3 times(maybe more) the people the Auburn/Opelika Metro has. Maybe the competition from Eastern Shore Center/Motorsports development intimidates people, but this is being built across the street from a pretty large development called Tiger Town. Here's the article, pictures resembled Eastern Shore Center and othe lifestyle centers:

Destination: OpelikaSilver Companies to build vacation destination in cityTamiko Lowery / Staff WriterNovember 21, 2007

adx_U_24301="";adx_D_24301="";adx_I_24301="";adx_D_24301="http://ads.mgnetwork.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/oanow.com/news/1173353576034.htm/493383259/Left3/OasDefault/oan_GoreesFurniture_2007_10_22/RE_Goree's_Furniture_.htm/34323964393837353437343437633830?";adx_U_24301="http://media.mgnetwork.com/creativeservices/oanow/goree/";setTimeout('document.getElementById("adl_S_24301").src="http://mi.adinterax.com/customer/mediageneral/goree_exp_300x250.js?adxq=1192567898"',1)empty.gif What locals have long known about the area, those outside its realm are now discovering.

That was evident Tuesday when Silver Companies announced it would build a vacation destination that would draw people to Opelika to "Celebrate Alabama."No longer will locals have to clamor to convention centers in Georgia since Silver Companies intends to build an expo center along Interstate 85 as part of the project that will stretch from Exits 64 to 66. The development will be surrounded by luxury hotels, restaurants and retail. The project will be anchored by a hotel with an indoor water park, theatre space for live entertainment, a multi-screen drive-in theatre, upscale RV park, apartments, bus tours and pedestrian-friendly trails. Celebrate Alabama, dubbed a major retail, entertainment and attractions destination, is expected to span more than 535 acres and when complete will create approximately 5,000 jobs with a capital investment approaching $1 billion, according to Silver Companies and city officials. Based in Metro Washington, D.C., and Boca Raton, Fla., Silver Companies has already taken Fredericksburg, Va., out of its frame and onto the map with its Celebrate Virginia concept that will serve as a blueprint for Celebrate Alabama. Silver Companies CEO Larry D. Silver said wheels were turning toward Opelika a year ago. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller met with Silver at the Boca Raton, Fla., headquarters. "Larry said to me,

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Speaking of retail, my family just moved to Auburn, and in today's paper we have this article on a new huge development. If Opelika can pull this, I have no idea why Mobile can't. Mobile has 2-3 times(maybe more) the people the Auburn/Opelika Metro has. Maybe the competition from Eastern Shore Center/Motorsports development intimidates people, but this is being built across the street from a pretty large development called Tiger Town. Here's the article, pictures resembled Eastern Shore Center and othe lifestyle centers:

Destination: OpelikaSilver Companies to build vacation destination in cityTamiko Lowery / Staff WriterNovember 21, 2007

adx_U_24301="";adx_D_24301="";adx_I_24301="";adx_D_24301="http://ads.mgnetwork.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/oanow.com/news/1173353576034.htm/493383259/Left3/OasDefault/oan_GoreesFurniture_2007_10_22/RE_Goree's_Furniture_.htm/34323964393837353437343437633830?";adx_U_24301="http://media.mgnetwork.com/creativeservices/oanow/goree/";setTimeout('document.getElementById("adl_S_24301").src="http://mi.adinterax.com/customer/mediageneral/goree_exp_300x250.js?adxq=1192567898"',1)empty.gif What locals have long known about the area, those outside its realm are now discovering.

That was evident Tuesday when Silver Companies announced it would build a vacation destination that would draw people to Opelika to "Celebrate Alabama."No longer will locals have to clamor to convention centers in Georgia since Silver Companies intends to build an expo center along Interstate 85 as part of the project that will stretch from Exits 64 to 66. The development will be surrounded by luxury hotels, restaurants and retail. The project will be anchored by a hotel with an indoor water park, theatre space for live entertainment, a multi-screen drive-in theatre, upscale RV park, apartments, bus tours and pedestrian-friendly trails. Celebrate Alabama, dubbed a major retail, entertainment and attractions destination, is expected to span more than 535 acres and when complete will create approximately 5,000 jobs with a capital investment approaching $1 billion, according to Silver Companies and city officials. Based in Metro Washington, D.C., and Boca Raton, Fla., Silver Companies has already taken Fredericksburg, Va., out of its frame and onto the map with its Celebrate Virginia concept that will serve as a blueprint for Celebrate Alabama. Silver Companies CEO Larry D. Silver said wheels were turning toward Opelika a year ago. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller met with Silver at the Boca Raton, Fla., headquarters. "Larry said to me,

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