New RSA Headquarters

[Southron]

The Retirement Systems of Alabama is building a new $100 million+, 8-story headquarters downtown. The structure topped out on March 5th, and is scheduled for completion in spring 2008.

The 280,000-square-foot complex will consolidate RSA employees and open up more first-class office space downtown. The lower four floors will be leased initially, and the former RSA headquarters building across the street will be available for lease after RSA moves into the new building.

The current HQ:

[Southron]

Construction photos:

March 2007

May 2007

[convulso]

okay, i really like what DB and the RSA have done for this state. but now that we have the building frenzy down, isn't it time mr. B began focusing on what his buildings could be doing better at street level?

aside from the fact that fortress-style design is never good for the life of the block on which the offending building sits, there's also the matter of government buildings (especially federal ones) following a trend of shutting out its constituency (i.e., the public). the fearful will say that's a blessing and provides security; i'm on the other side of that one. a democratic republic needs a visible culture of openness to match its ideology of freedom. this ain't doin' it.

then again, it is just a retirement building.

[EXBubba]

I like the med rise theme for MGM but definately believe they they should have used the street levels for retail of govt services so they get more walk in traffic. They buildings do have sterile look and are not inviting, but as long as more people work in downtown they won't be spread out all of MGM maybe some of that money saved from soon-to-be four dollar gas will stay downtown!

[Southron]

I like the med rise theme for MGM but definately believe they they should have used the street levels for retail of govt services so they get more walk in traffic. They buildings do have sterile look and are not inviting, but as long as more people work in downtown they won't be spread out all of MGM maybe some of that money saved from soon-to-be four dollar gas will stay downtown!

[EXBubba]

I agree that the RSA buildings should have been designed with street-level uses, and employees encouraged to participate in downtown street life. I think their buildings have cafeterias inside (I know some of them do), so there are all these office workers who park in the nearby deck each morning, go straight to work, eat lunch in the cafeteria, finish work and then go straight to their cars for the drive home. Too many of these workers don't spend any money or do anything at all downtown.

I hope they hire someone with a clue about urban design for their next project.

[Southron]

Hope the lunch trolley does something to change that attitude but often a younger generation used to continuous climate control may not choose to venture into the vaguaries of MGM weather, especially in summer!

[convulso]

lunch trolley? is that a transit trolley that runs at lunch time? or a carry-out food kiosk inside a stationary (or mobile) trolley they're planning to set up somewhere?

come to think of it, a 'lunch trolley' that moves around town like an ice cream truck and sells food from 11-2 wouldn't be a bad idea. kinda a dignified version of all these sketchy taco trailers you see running around tucson and every other town out west.

[EXBubba]

lunch trolley? is that a transit trolley that runs at lunch time? or a carry-out food kiosk inside a stationary (or mobile) trolley they're planning to set up somewhere?

come to think of it, a 'lunch trolley' that moves around town like an ice cream truck and sells food from 11-2 wouldn't be a bad idea. kinda a dignified version of all these sketchy taco trailers you see running around tucson and every other town out west.

[Southron]

lunch trolley? is that a transit trolley that runs at lunch time? or a carry-out food kiosk inside a stationary (or mobile) trolley they're planning to set up somewhere?

come to think of it, a 'lunch trolley' that moves around town like an ice cream truck and sells food from 11-2 wouldn't be a bad idea. kinda a dignified version of all these sketchy taco trailers you see running around tucson and every other town out west.

[Southron]

East side construction, late May:

[Southron]

Late June construction update:

[EXBubba]

Is this the whole new HQ for RSA or is some kind of new executive office building? Seems no bigger than the one before, just a bit more ....muscular?

[Southron]

Is this the whole new HQ for RSA or is some kind of new executive office building? Seems no bigger than the one before, just a bit more ....muscular?

[EXBubba]

This is a new HQ for RSA, replacing the old one across the street. It looks bigger (definitely taller), but I'm not sure about the difference in square feet of office space.

[Southron]

I am getting somewhat tired of his architectural styles. They're beginng to look like fancy jails - all too much the same. Why does he continue to build RSA buildings if he doesn't keep RSA presence in them? Maybe he's the one that should be putting buildings down on lower Dexter, Commerce, Montgomery or Court streets!

[EXBubba]

Concur, but unfortunatley, I don't see RSA support small business much with their usual construction methods. Do they own the Dexter deck? The owner should do as you suggest in a nice modern style fitting in with the climate and MGMs archtectural style.

[Southron]

^ Yes, that is the parking deck for the RSA Tower. There's a good rendering of a suggested mixed-use liner building for it in the downtown master plan. Each of the RSA buildings in MGM has its own parking deck, except for two that share a deck.

[Southron]

Late July 2007 construction update:

Looks like a plaza similar to the one on the north side of the Montgomery RSA Tower.

Crown details are taking shape

Green roof on the crown

RSA row (cell phone camera quality, unfortunately)

[Southron]

Still under construction - May 31, 2008

[Southron]

Photo update 10/5/08: