Town of SaltAire

[Southron]

The Town of SaltAire will be a $50 million-plus 510 acre planned community on Mobile Bay off Salt Aire Road. The new town will include 526 single-family homes, 584 condominium units, 90 townhomes, a marina, two lakes, a shopping district, restaurants, and nature preserves.

Developers say SaltAire will be similar to Seaside, WaterColor and WaterSound in the Florida panhandle, but tailored for Mobile Bay. The development, which will be built out in six to eight years, will feature a coastal living architectural style and has about a half-mile of frontage on Mobile Bay. Homes are priced from $299,000 to $699,000, and construction could start by October.

SaltAire includes 187 acres of wetlands, less than 2 acres of which will be disturbed for a road crossing. There will be eight miles of boardwalk and a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified nature center building.

Looks like the upscale coastal development trend is making its way across to the western shore of Mobile Bay. Hopefully, this is a traditional neighborhood development, not a conventional subdivision.

Mobile Press-Register: SaltAire: new town in south Mobile

[elb401]

That area is just south of Mon Louis Island. A lot of people dont know this but that area had creole french speaking people living there all the way up to the 1940-1960. I think the last church to have its service in french stopped in the late 60s early 70s. That area should be developed in an creole style that honors that culture that used to be there. not some cheesy florida style development.

[Southron]

That area is just south of Mon Louis Island. A lot of people dont know this but that area had creole french speaking people living there all the way up to the 1940-1960. I think the last church to have its service in french stopped in the late 60s early 70s. That area should be developed in an creole style that honors that culture that used to be there. not some cheesy florida style development.

That's a great point about the architectural style, and I agree completely. The county needs to start regulating such things, but I doubt that will happen any time soon.

[Southron]

Per Kathy Jumper's column, construction in SaltAire will begin in November.

Mobile Press-Register

[The Dude]

This is actually quite big if you think about it. This is the first New Urbanism project in the Mobile metro region (excluding Bon Secour).

[elb401]

Yeah, it really is. I just hope there will be more. I hope that developers will build onto saltaire to continue that new urbansim feel. I'm so happy that all of the waterfront will be open to the public!!

[The Dude]

Yeah, it really is. I just hope there will be more. I hope that developers will build onto saltaire to continue that new urbansim feel. I'm so happy that all of the waterfront will be open to the public!!

That's some solid planning right there. Anyone know what firm designed this project?

[Southron]

New homes will start going up this year in the lake district, one of six districts at the town of SaltAire. SaltAire is expected to take seven to 10 years to build out.

Mobile Press-Register: SaltAire to begin building homes

[Southron]

According to a report by local economist Semoon Chang, the town of SaltAire could have a $1 billion economic impact over the next nine years and keep upscale home buyers from moving to Baldwin County. The development includes frontage on Mobile Bay and a nature center with kayak launch on Fowl River, a fitness center, jogging and walking trails, two fishing lakes, parks, shops and restaurants.

Economist: SaltAire could have $1 billion impact on area

[Southron]

Three liens totaling more than $471,000 have been filed against the SaltAire community project. Developers say they are working to settle the liens, and several homes are under construction. $12-15 million has been invested in the project so far.

SaltAire project hit with 3 liens

[Southron]

Troubles continue to stack up for the SaltAire community, largely because of the economic downturn and financial crisis. Liens filed against the project now total over $2.64 million. Regions bank loaned developers $6.5 million on the project, but will not loan any more. The developers say that it has probably become a 10-15 year project instead of seven to 10 years.

SaltAire developers seek money as liens stack up

[elb401]

The following is from the most current Real Estate article from Mobile Bay Times:

 

 

 

The bank-owned Saltaire property on Mobile Bay sold to Blake Southern Homes for more than $1.2 million. The investors see the project as a bay front alternative to driving across the bay-way to Eastern Shore subdivisions.

 

Blake Southern will use the original master plan for a 500-acre town with 1,250 homes, a fitness center, park, retail stores, two stocked lakes and restaurants.  Investors plan to build 100 houses in the community this year.

 

About nine homes were built in Saltaire before progress was stopped in 2008. About $19 million had already been invested in the lakes, a bridge and roads. A local developer kept more than 100 acres on the southern side of the property.

[Southron]

Thanks for posting this, elb401! Nice to see that this project will continue as originally planned.