Checking in (4)

Posted on July 24, 2012 | 10 comments

Grande Dame

The Thomas Jefferson Hotel (pictured above, corner of 17th Street North and 2nd Avenue) has yet another chance for salvation due to the formation of a non-profit dedicated to stabilizing and restoring the 1929 structure to its former glory.Thomas Jefferson Tower, Inc. plans to acquire the building, stabilize it–and then work hard to put a viable restoration plan together.

This hotel opened within months of the Great Depression, and is a symbol of the last days of heady 1920’s optimism that had engulfed Birmingham real estate. It’s height and adornment testify to the belief that the City’s growth would extend inexorably westward; the Depression put a stop to such growth, and the hotel suffered somewhat from its relative isolation (in comparison to the Tutwiler Hotel, for instance).

Needs some work

The mix of larger main levels (with retail, restaurant, and ballrooms) and smaller upper floor plates means a mixed-use development with hotel, meeting, living, and retail/restaurant spaces could work well. The location is much more desirable than even a few years ago: the Phoenix Building lofts is across the street, Innovation Depot a block away, Railroad Park a few blocks south, and planning for bike lanes/revitalized Civil Rights district/bike-pedestrian bridge all within a few minutes’ walk. This building is also very prominent on the near skyline from the new Baron’s baseball park under construction. Yes, it will be a lot of work (George Wallace Suite, above)—but  a lot of other cities would kill to have such a fine piece of architecture to restore. They don’t build them like this anymore.

A certain elegance

Please consider supporting this effort by signing up for the non-profit’s website, and following their twitter feed. The time is right to help make this project happen!

[thanks to dystopos for the exterior pic; istvan s. for the suite; naamanfletcher for the detail]

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Design review July 25

Posted on July 24, 2012 | Leave a comment

Here is this Wednesday’s agenda for the July  25 Design Review Committee meeting. Remember, the meetings are open to the public and take place at 7:30 AM at Auburn Urban Studio, 3rd Floor of Young and Vann Building, corner of 18th Street North and First Avenue downtown.

I.                   Call to Order:  Minutes of the July 25, 2012 meeting.

II.        Name: Ms. Teri Bates (ProSigns Inc.)

Site Address: 1927 1st Avenue, North (PNC Bank)

District: Birmingham Green

Requesting approval for:  Signage

III.       Name: Mr. Robert Emerick (ONB)

Site Address: 2nd Avenue, North Commercial Revitalization District

District: 2nd Avenue, North

Requesting approval for: Intersections banners; benches; bike racks

IV.       Name: Willie Oliver (Willie C. Oliver Architect)

Site Address:  116 Sheridan Road

District:  Pratt

Requesting approval for:  Door and window replacement

V.        Name:   Mr. David Rawson (Gonzalez- Strength & Associates)

Site Address:  2006 Avenue I, Ensley (Dollar General)

District:  Ensley

Requesting approval for: New Construction

VI.       Name: Mr. David Brandt (Fravert Services)

Site Address: 2924 3rd Avenue, South (HopCity)

District:  Lakeview

Requesting approval for: Signs

 VII.   Name:  Ms. Lara Watson (Reliable Signs Services)

     Site Address: 120 18th Street, South, Railroad Square

           District: Midtown

           Requesting approval for: Signage

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More options

Posted on July 23, 2012 | 6 comments

More foot traffic coming

The Paramount yogurt shop at the corner of 20th Street North and 2nd Avenue (above in an earlier incarnation) has started serving a full lunch menu in addition to their usual yogurt and sweets. Downtown needs more dining options across the spectrum, from lunch to dinner. We’re a lot better off than 10 years ago, but still have a long way to go.

A mix of high and low

A block down 2nd avenue at Richard Arrington Blvd. North, the former Tony’s Terrific hot dog stand (above) is being renovated into–according to the workmen–a new eating establishment, but we can’t confirm that. Many of us miss the hot dogs and chicken sandwiches that Tony Ippolito served here since 1980, following in a long tradition of (mainly Greek-American owned) hot dog stands that flourished around downtown. Today only a handful are left. Certainly the ornate Florentine Building deserves a new tenant so we’ll keep an eye out.

It’s either Subway, or Subway

Finally, over on Richard Arrington Blvd. North in the heart of the BJCC, the above scene was observed the other weekend: literally a line out the door of hungry lunch-goers dying to get into Subway sandwich shop. Why this overwhelming preference for Subway? It’s the only restaurant within easy walking distance of the convention halls (save those within the Sheraton Hotel itself, but none of those face the street or have a public presence whatsoever). This is part of the argument for the Entertainment District currently under construction, which would offer a variety of restaurants and other amenities adjacent to the convention area (although no leasing announcements have yet been made). As has been noted in these pages before, ideally the tenants would not just attract conventioneers, but also local residents and casual visitors: the mix needs to be right.

In the meantime, we hear rumors of more restaurateurs scouting for space downtown. We’re optimistic that the food (and foodie) landscape will expand considerably in the next few years, so hang tight.

[thanks to Birmingham Public Library for the Paramount photo]

 

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Beautiful solution

Posted on July 19, 2012 | 7 comments

Consuming knowledge, not detergent

The new McAllen, TX main public library has recently reopened, moving from more cramped quarters of 40,000 SF built in 1950 to a brand-new facility of 123,000 SF. Beyond all the extra space, what makes this special? It’s special because McAllen was faced with an all-to-familiar situation: a Walmart retail store had gone dark, leaving a massive empty shell. This former store is now the new library (above).  It is the largest single-floor library in the United States. The design team was Boultinghouse Simpson and MS&R.

Inviting

Walmart is seen as a neighborhood savior by some, and a small-business killer by others; it is a fact of modern life that municipalities fight with each other to offer the most incentives for Walmart to open a store. The appeal and enhanced traffic/revenue often fades as local merchants can’t compete and close down, and other neighborhoods or municipalities offer more attractive sites and incentives: suddenly that huge, hulking store is vacant, taking the rest of the surrounding development into a downward spiral of lower traffic, lower rents, and more vacancy. Birmingham City Councilor Stephen Hoyt falls into the category of Walmart opponent, and has been vocal about not wanting that retailer anywhere near the Fair Park redevelopment area.

Letting the light shine in

Lots of cities are stuck with empty big-box stores. Not all have the vision and wherewithal of McAllen, which had a population of about 8000 souls when Birmingham’s grand new main public library was built in 1927 (to serve a population of about 259,000 souls). McAllen has recently been one of the fastest growing metros in the country (city pop. is about 130,000 now with a metro of 775,000). The new library has met with great success as a community center, learning environment, and family programming hub. It has been packed daily with all ages, and all walks of life.

The colors of the future

It’s especially inspirational to see a project that recycles a vacant building for a great  public purpose. Our own main library building (designed in 1984 by KPS Group; the 1927 original became the research annex) is now fairly obsolete in terms of what libraries need to do today. If we could take that shell and completely reconfigure it, what would it look like? How would it better serve the neighborhood, and the greater City?

In the meantime, kudos to McAllen for taking a typical piece of urban blight–the abandoned Walmart–and turning it into a civic asset.

[thanks to Cesar Garza for the exterior pic; financeandcommerce for the others]

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The future of this city

Posted on July 15, 2012 | 11 comments

When a city embraces its potential

In a great piece written by Kyle Whitmire over in Weld, what happened in Oklahoma City–in part due to the voters’ approval of several MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects Strategy) initiatives starting in 1993–is contrasted with what hasn’t happened in Birmingham–in part due to the voters’ rejection of a MAPS initiative in 1998 which was closely modeled on the one in OKC. One of the many downtown improvements that have transformed OKC’s central core after that initial 1993 vote is the SkyDance Bridge (above), a new pedestrian bridge linking a soon-to-be-constructed downtown park with reclaimed riverfront development across I-40. The design by S-X-L collaborative out of Oklahoma City is at once practical and inspirational, a gorgeous new icon on the skyline. [We previously discussed the revitalization of OKC’s Bricktown neighborhood around their new baseball park here.]

Feasible?

Our firm is now working on the feasibility study for a new pedestrian/bike bridge that would connect 16th Street North downtown to Railroad Park and the Southside (projected northern terminus of the bridge, above at First Avenue North and 16th Street looking south). This is an extremely exciting and challenging project, and we are honored to be working on it with the City of Birmingham and MBA Engineers. Our goal is not just to design something practical and beautiful, but also to help link the Park into a network of greenways, bike lanes, and street improvements that will fan out around the adjacent neighborhoods. This bridge will be an important part, but only a part, of a greater plan.

Birmingham has struggled to overcome its troubled past to move forward decisively. Part of this struggle is evidenced by our lack of long-range planning: OKC first took the leap in 1993, and methodically built consensus around early successes to link subsequent initiatives together in a coherent, strategic fashion. Birmingham tends to create a project here, develop a pocket there–but there is no overall strategic plan to bind these together into something greater than its parts. It is our firm belief that Railroad Park, and the upcoming development surrounding it, will break this cycle. This bridge, if indeed proven feasible, will be part of a rejuvenated 16th Street, a revitalized mixed-use Civil Rights District, and a greenway and bike system stretching east, west, north, and south across the City.

So get ready to embrace a new era, Birmingham. A bridge is just the start.

[thanks to tylerokc for the SkyDance bridge pic]

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More drinking, more art

Posted on July 11, 2012 | 4 comments

Continuing to slake the thirst

At this morning’s Design Review Committee meeting, approval was given to two new projects in downtown Avondale: 41st Street Pub and Aircraft Sales (pictured ab0ve in a photo rendering at the corner of 41st Street South and 2nd Avenue), which will be located in the Avondale Bricks development (full disclosure: this office designed that project a few years back); and Incubate Gallery, which will locate next door. These new businesses join Avondale Brewing Company, Saw’s, Parkside, Bottletree, and a rejuvenated Avondale Park to continue the development momentum of this historic area just east of downtown.

More slaking

A few blocks west, Hop City (2900 block of 3rd Avenue South, photo rendering above) presented plans for signage for its new emporium of craft beers, wines, home brewing equipment, etc. Nothing short of a beer renaissance is occurring in this town. And that’s a welcome change after many generations of old-fashioned, Prohibition-era restrictions that have finally fallen away (mostly). Cheers.

[thanks to 41st Street Pub and Fravert Services for the images]

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Tale of two cities

Posted on July 10, 2012 | 12 comments

Rather a different scale

New York City and Birmingham do not, for many if not most people, share much in common. One is bursting at the seams with new arrivals and fantastic mass transit; the other struggles with slow growth and not much transit at all. But these two cities happen to be your author’s favorites in the US–and a new opportunity has arisen to take advantage of both (a little corner of a new residential development, above at 54th Street and 10th Avenue on Manhattan‘s west side, will be the new pied-a-terre). We will be looking for ways to enjoin projects and resources in the Big Apple with those we continue to work on in the ‘Ham. We will also be racking up some frequent flyer miles.

It can all fit, I promise

In the meantime, the hunt for apartments in that famously space-poor city makes the recent New York Times article about micro-units all the more relevant. The image above illustrates that City’s effort to revise the local building code–which currently stipulates a minimum of 450 SF for a studio–to allow micro-units of less than 300 SF (full disclosure: your author lived in a 3rd floor walk-up apartment in the East Village which measured a whopping 340 SF). A competition is now underway for designers to produce creative visions for a model micro-unit apartment building, which could then set the stage for more plentiful (and hopefully more affordable) housing in New York.

So, stay tuned for more regarding the new Birmingham-New York City axis. It’s bound to be exciting.

[images courtesy The New York Times]

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Design Review July 11

Posted on July 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

Here is this Wednesday’s agenda for the July  11 Design Review Committee meeting. Remember, the meetings are open to the public and take place at 7:30 AM at Auburn Urban Studio, 3rd Floor of Young and Vann Building, corner of 18th Street North and First Avenue downtown.

I.          Call to Order:  Minutes of the June 27, 2012 meeting.

II.        Name:  Mr. Jason Robb (Standard Creative LLC Architecture)

Site Address: 4334 Clairmont Avenue

District: Forest Park Local Historic

 Requesting approval for:  Demolition of Existing Garage and Construction of New Garage

III.       Name:   Mr. Dayne Nelson (Signs & Graphics, Inc.)

Site Address:  401 37th Street South

District:  AvondalePark Local Historic

Requesting approval for:  Signage

IV.       Name:   Mr. Ryan Meon

Site Address:  3901 10th Avenue South

District:  Forest Park Local Historic

Requesting approval for:  Addition (partially screened deck) to Existing House

V.        Name: Mr. Robert Emerick (ONB)

Site Address: 2nd Avenue, North Commercial Revitalization District

District: 2nd Avenue, North

Requesting approval for: Intersections banners; benches; bike racks

VI.       Name: Mr. Ralph Sitz (Barber Companies)

Site Address: 500 28th Street South

District: Lakeview

Requesting approval for:  Paint

VII.     Name:   Mr. David Rawson (Gonzalez- Strength & Associates)

Site Address:  2006 Avenue I, Ensley (Dollar General)

District:  Ensley

Requesting approval for: New Construction

VIII.    Name: Mr. Cliff Atkins

Site Address: Avondale Bricks

District:  41st Street

Requesting approval for: Signage           

IX.       Name: Mr. Willie Oliver (Willie C. Oliver Architect)

Site Address: 116 Sheridan Road

District: Pratt

Requesting approval for: Door and window replacement

X.        Name:  Mr. Lance Black (Black Architecture)

Site Address: 725 29th Street South (Slice Pizza)

District:  Lakeview

Requesting approval for: Deck and railing alteration

XI.       Name:  Ms. Elise Youngblood and Mr. Cowgill

Site Address: 2011 Highland Avenue (Black Market Grill)

District:  5 Points South

Requesting approval for:  Awnings and sign

XII.     Name:  Mr. Robert Juneau

Site Address:  1318 20th Street South (Mad Doctor Game Shop)

District:  5 Points South

Requesting approval for: Signage 

XIII.    Name: Mr. Frank Taylor (ThePrinting Place)

Site Address: 130 41st Street South (Incubate Gallery)

District:  41st Street

Requesting approval for: Signage

XIV.    Name:  Mr. James Boozer (St. Vincent’s Hospital)

Site Address: 28th Street and 10th Avenue, South

District: Lakeview

Requesting approval for:  Demolition

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A clue

Posted on June 28, 2012 | 2 comments

Intriguing

Last week we reported on demolition work that’s started at the former First Federal Savings and Loan property in the 2000 block of First Avenue North downtown, and the need for better site signage generally in this City to alert the public to what’s in store. Two of our readers have had conversations this week with the contractor doing demolition work here, and so based on that information we are tentatively piecing together a mixed-use project–with offices in the upper floors and future retail/commercial on the ground floor. Part of the property is a small one-story building (above) whose corrugated metal facade has been stripped away to reveal the original brick–although it appears the face brick was ripped off at some point.

The word from the contractor on this space? It will house a wine shop. If true, this could be a great new amenity to this part of town (and a complement to Mamanoes convenience store a few blocks east which stocks a small but good selection). If anyone knows anything more–about the use, or new designs for the facade–let us know!

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Baseball fever

Posted on June 27, 2012 | 13 comments

Wall of dreams

As excitement continues to build around the new Birmingham Barons park under construction just south of Railroad Park, the Design Review Committee added its own contribution to this upbeat mood by unanimously approving the above mural, to be painted on the side of an historic building on Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. just north of 5th Avenue North. The mural depicts New York Yankee greats in the old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. In a moment of lightheartedness, the applicant (Wininger Law Firm, which owns the building) invited the Committee to guess the names of the famous Yankee players depicted. All members threw themselves into this exercise with gusto, eventually figuring out every one.

This intersection deserves better

For years, the historic Redmont Hotel has faced the gloomy existing condition (above), where an ugly surface parking lot allows the view to the blank side wall. This mural–besides increasing everyone’s anticipation of the Barons returning to the central city–will be a welcome improvement to this downtown corner. And a more pleasant introduction to the urban environment to anyone exiting the hotel lobby.

[thanks to Wininger Law Firm for the images]

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