Urban Planning Archives - DesignAlabama

South Montgomery Community Plan

Posted on November 28, 2017 by gina2

Now underway is the South Montgomery Community Plan whose purpose is to document South Montgomery’s vision for its future and identify ways to implement that vision.

A community meeting resulted in formulating goals that focus on economic development, youth programs, housing, public safety, land use and zoning, as well as creating a more positive appearance to encourage private investment.

The plan addresses the desire of South Montgomery residents to strengthen the area’s sense of community, conserve its natural areas, preserve its neighborhoods and promote reinvestment in its commercial areas. It also serves to guide the City of Montgomery when considering land use and zoning issues, along with investments in city services and capital improvement projects.

Because the plan is long-term and could take years to complete, it will require involvement by both public and private partners. KPS Group, Inc. is serving as planning consultant.

Says KPS Group Planning Studio Leader Jason Fondren: “The plan covers a lot of ground, and a big part of the first phase is getting the implementation plan together and putting together a communication team.”

Residents of South Montgomery and city officials view the plan not only as a means to making improvements, but also as a preventative measure to stave off any further decline.

The first phase is to make zoning changes to ensure that future decisions will not create an arbitrary development pattern.

Another goal is to provide adequate and diverse supply of housing for all income levels. Existing programs will be integrated into in the plan such as BONDS (Building Our Neighborhoods for Development and Success) to maintain stability in neighborhoods by attracting quality, affordable housing.

Additional principles of the plan are to minimize negative impacts between incompatible land uses and provide interconnectivity between developments. Objectives also include protecting and promoting historic and culturally significant areas, along with recognizing suitable areas for public uses to minimize the impact on residential areas.

Image 1- An aerial photo of the area encompassing the South Montgomery Community Plan, which will make improvements to this part of the city over the course of several years. The first phase will be zoning improvements.

Image 2-A vicinity map of the area to be improved under the South Montgomery Community Plan. Along with making necessary improvements, the plan will also initiate ways to help prevent any further decline to sections of South Montgomery.

Image 3- Depicted here is an overlay of the development/reinvestment concept and the future land-use map for the South Montgomery Community Plan. KPS Group, Inc. is working with the City of Montgomery in the development of this comprehensive and long-term plan.

* Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of KPS Group, Inc.

DesignAlabama Partners with Opelika for its first DesignPlace

Posted on October 21, 2017 by gina2

DesignAlabama has started a new program and the City of Opelika is its first participating city. Experts associated with DesignAlabama visit selected communities where they provide assistance with design, planning and community identity.

Design experts demonstrate how to enhance quality of life and community development when the design arts are applied. The program involves intensive meetings where design professionals meet with citizens and city leaders who share their ideas and concerns. Two meetings were held this summer in Opelika and a plan will be designed and implemented based on suggestions from the first meeting.

“We were very excited to work with DesignAlabama,” says Opelika City Planner Matt Mosley. “The City of Opelika was happy to see the early ideas and concepts from the charrette. I’m most interested to see the final concepts, especially in regard to the Pepperell Mill and Village and areas on the edges of downtown.”

On the National Register of Historic Places, the Pepperell Mill and Village is a site containing over 200 properties that were constructed between 1925 and 1940 by the Pepperell Manufacturing Company to provide housing for its Opelika textile mill workers. Downtown Opelika is also on the National Register.

The plan provided by DesignPlace will build on revitalization already in place in Opelika. Through the efforts of Opelika Main Street and other groups, much progress has been made to revitalize the city.

“The value of the DesignPlace program is immeasurable,” says Pam Powers-Smith, president of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, an agency that is partnering with DesignAlabama on the new program.

“It’s almost like a dream to have that many experts visit and work with you on solutions to problems,” she adds. “In no other setting would you have access to those people all at one time. I thoroughly enjoyed their visit and how we worked together to get through the particular projects that we felt were best to tackle. And I can’t wait to see our end product, because then we have a working product in our hand that can be used when ready.”

Alabama communities that participated in the DesignAlabama Mayors Design Summit are eligible to apply. A committee of design professionals who direct the program make the final selections.

Image 1: One of the most important aspects of DesignPlace is community input, here the design team is participating in one of two community gatherings during their time in Opelika.

Images 2 and 3: Design professionals from many design fields spend time working together with each other and community leaders to create the best ideas for the community.

Image 4: A rendering produced during DesignPlace of the possible re-use of the Coors Building in downtown Opelika

Image 5: A rendering produced during DesignPlace of the possible re-use of the historic Pepperell Mill site.

Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of DesignAlabama and Robert Smith (FlipFlopFoto)

Creating an Arts & Cultural District in Historic Montgomery

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Gina Clifford

Plans are under way to revitalize a Montgomery historic district that played a critical role in the Civil Rights movement. The Five Points Cultural Commission is redeveloping the commercial corridor of the Five Points area into an Arts and Cultural District.

The goal is to turn Five Points into a vibrant community setting with art galleries, retail, restaurants and performing arts venues. The plan also includes streetscape and façade enhancement and business development.

“We fundamentally believe that low-income neighborhoods have the capacity to support small businesses in those neighborhoods,” says Chase Fisher, president of Five Points Cultural Commission, a nonprofit real estate development organization working to transform commercial corridors in low-income neighborhoods through resident-led creative place-making projects.

“We are working to demonstrate to the development community and to city leaders that developing commercial property in these areas is feasible, beneficial and sustainable.”

Architect Mike Snows of Chambliss King Architects of Montgomery is on the plan’s design team, along with Chambliss King’s intern architect Nicholas Henninger, who is leading the design.

“From a design perceptive, it is very contextual,” Snows explains. “We want to respect the district’s history and draw comparisons between the old and the new.”

He says the project consists of “a lot of little pieces and each have their own schedule.” Currently under renovation are three buildings that have been acquired by the Five Points Cultural Commission.

“Our goal is to create a place that unifies one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Montgomery through creating inclusive and inviting spaces,” Fisher adds. “Folks can follow our progress on instagram @fivepointsmgm.”

-Article By Jessica Armstrong

-Images Courtesy of The Five Points Cultural Commission and show the area as it is now and also proposed development.

Cordova Plans for a New City Park

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Gina Clifford

The city of Cordova was hard hit by the series of tornadoes that tore through parts of Alabama in 2011. Among the latest efforts to revitalize the old mill town is the creation of a park on the 18-acre site of the former Indian Head Cotton Mills.

Kelly Landscape Architects in Birmingham has partnered with the city to create the Mill Site Park Master Plan. The plan calls for developing green space with pavilions and a bandstand created from the mill’s loading docks.

The proposed park will also provide a variety of recreational opportunities – fishing, walking trails with fitness stations, a ball field and a multi-use court. A special park for dogs is also planned, along with an amphitheater and an interactive fountain designed for play and splashing. A senior center is also part of the master plan.

“The town wanted to create a park that offers something for everybody,” notes Chuck Kelly, owner of Kelly Landscape Architects in Birmingham.

Because of its proximity to the central business district, the park will connect with the downtown through a tunnel under the historic spur rail line that runs adjacent to the park.

“This year the plan is to stabilize the site and grass it for regular mowing,” Kelly explains. “It’s a great historic site where the old mill sat. So why not create a park and celebrate what the mill meant to the town?”

-Article By Jessica Armstrong

-Image Courtesy of Kelly Landscape Architects and is an overview of the park master plan.

Prattville’s Historic “gin shop” to Become Apartment Complex

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Gina Clifford

Plans are under way to turn the historic Continental Eagle Corporation’s five cotton gin buildings in downtown Prattville into a 150-unit apartment complex called The Mill, designed by Chambliss King Architects of Montgomery. The collection of masonry buildings date from 1848 to 1899. In addition to apartments, the $20 million development will also include parking, public meeting space and a venue for special events. The project is under review for an historic tax credit by the National Park Service.

-Photos Courtesy of Chambliss King Architects

DesignAlabama Executive Director Talks about ConnectLivity as Part of the Alabama Arts Radio Series

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Gina Clifford

In this program DesignAlabama Executive Director Gina Clifford talks to Cathy Gerachis DesignAlabama board member, Cheryl Morgan retired professor of architecture at Auburn University, and Jay Lamar Director of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, about ConnectLivity.

ConnectLivity is a series of six regional design charrettes to take place across Alabama in 2016 in association with Southern Makers’ events. Southern Makers is a curated group of artisans working in various fields such as fiber arts, food, wood crafts, fashion and other focus areas.

This special radio series will air every Tuesday at 9:00 to 9:30 P.M., on the Troy University Public Radio Network at:

89.9 (Montgomery and Troy)
WRWA 88.7 (Dothan)
WTJB 91.7 (Columbus and Phenix City)

This radio series may not be broadcast in your area, but it can be accessed via the Internet at: http://www.arts.alabama.gov/actc/radioserieslist.aspx

If you have been listening to, and enjoying this radio series, please send your comments to: barbara.reed@arts.alabama.gov

North Perry Street Sites Development Opportunity Study

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Gina Clifford

The City of Montgomery recently hired the firm of Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood to assist as the city begins to explore the potential for redevelopment over the next years on – and around – North Perry Street in downtown Montgomery. The city owns a number of parcels around 401 North Perry Street (collectively the “North Perry Street Sites”) in the warehouse district of north downtown. While the overall pace of downtown revitalization has accelerated over the last 10 years the area North of Madison and Jefferson Streets has not gotten the same level of change and private investment that others have seen. The partnership resulted in the creation of the North Perry Street Sites Development Opportunity Study. The city hopes the creation of this plan will help to jumpstart change and revitilization in this part of their downtown.

Taking the Long View: Mayor Joe Riley and Charleston’s Revitalization

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Gina Clifford

Mayor Joseph P. Riley of Charleston, South Carolina, and the National Endowment for the Arts have had a long and fruitful history. Mayor since 1975, Riley’s visionary leadership has been instrumental in Charleston’s remarkable revitalization: Riley developed attractive and practical affordable housing; he led the charge to rebuild Charleston’s waterfront and recreate it as a park—just one of the many parks built under his watch; he took a dying downtown district and restored it to a vibrant, bustling, and architecturally significant center; and he was instrumental in bringing Spoleto Festival USA to Charleston. Significantly, the National Endowment for the Arts provided necessary funding and vital support for the majority of these projects, including—or perhaps especially—the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD). Founded by Riley—who is still an ardent and active supporter—MICD is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with the American Architectural Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. After 40 years, Riley leaves office in December, and he took this opportunity to reflect upon the pivotal role the National Endowment for the Arts played in the transformation of Charleston during his tenure. The National Endowment for the Arts recently spent some time with Mayor Riley as he reflected on his time in his, to read more, visit NEA Arts Magazine.

– Above is an excerpt from a story written by Josephne Reed for the NEA Arts Magazine

Twickenham Square, Huntsville

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Gina Clifford

Three development teams have begun joint work on a $100 million mixed-use development just south of downtown Huntsville. Located on the former Councill Courts public housing site, Twickenham Square will include 246 loft-style apartments, a Publix supermarket, a hotel and a five-story office building all designed as a pedestrian-friendly urban ensemble.

Bristol Development Group, based in the Nashville area, will develop the apartments, Publix, retail shops and a parking deck in a joint venture with PGM Properties, also of Nashville. The master plan and architectural design for the apartments and one retail building are by Smith Gee Studio of Nashville, while the Publix and two retail buildings are by Max Design Group of Atlanta. Lead contractor is Brasfield & Gorrie with Hudson Construction Co. of Atlanta building the Publix and two retail buildings.

PHD Hotels of Opelika is developing the 101-room Hilton Garden Inn, while Triad Properties of Huntsville will be developing the office building in conjunction with the adjacent Huntsville Hospital. The City of Huntsville also is building a parking deck designed by Chapman Sisson Architects of Huntsville to serve the development.