Mobile-Bay area Development and Projects (Prichard, Opp: income, authority, low income housing)

[Surge0001]

Originally Posted by Southsky

What was the development at CH/Hillcrest?

I recall the Hive development on Moffett being withdrawn as well due to opposition.

Yea, that's the one I was recalling to, but there was suppose to be a big development in neighborhoods from Girby road to cottage hill on Hillcrest, its been in the making for like a 2 years but then the virus happened and now there's been opposition for like the past 6 months because it would connect to some little neighborhood on cottage hill (which they knew would eventually connect up to the bigger neighborhood connection that exists) its obvious when you look at the road layout of the neighborhood. They didn't want people to go through it. So the City Council has just kept laying over every 2 weeks for the past 6 months as the developer needed the zoning in that little area to be changed from B1 to R1 so they can either get the PUD or actually start construction. It was very chaotic frankly as the council suggested just making the closest street the small neighbor was close to as just a bike road/ pedestrian rather than an actual road, it seems that the small neighborhood was okay with that but I don't think they actually communicated that to the developers, they just seemed to say it and hope that maybe the developer was listening to the council meeting. It shouldn't have been as drawn out as it should


I truly hope that there was a misinterpretation from Gregory (council member representing the area) as she didn't explicitly say they withdrawn from the entire project but instead had withdrawn from changing the zoning along cottage hill. Judging from her expressions, it seemed like they pulled entirely. I hope I am wrong. I genuinely hope that they will proceed with construction for the rest if the neighborhood and just worry about the cottage hill portion later as Mobile desperately needs the housing stock. I wish had more information for confirmation or not but I don't

[ITGuyAL]

Originally Posted by PortCity

Gayfers should be turned into a European style shopping arcade but I think it will be apartments

This is set to be "low incoming public housing units".

AL.com Article

Seems odd for such a sought-after high profile location.

[Southsky]

Originally Posted by ITGuyAL

This is set to be "low incoming public housing units".

AL.com Article

Seems odd for such a sought-after high profile location.

Those plans were contingent on specific federal funding/tax credits and the actual plan was mixed income. I am not sure the project is going to advance as such.

[P_Mac]

Originally Posted by Southsky

Those plans were contingent on specific federal funding/tax credits and the actual plan was mixed income. I am not sure the project is going to advance as such.

I really hope it doesn't. It might sound cold, and maybe someone could enlighten me, but why put those in the middle of a happening spot downtown. I'm all for helping people out that need it, but seems like shooting yourself in the foot to have such an up and coming section and then to put low income housing right in the middle of it.

[Southsky]

Originally Posted by P_Mac

I really hope it doesn't. It might sound cold, and maybe someone could enlighten me, but why put those in the middle of a happening spot downtown. I'm all for helping people out that need it, but seems like shooting yourself in the foot to have such an up and coming section and then to put low income housing right in the middle of it.

The developer that bought it, a mixed income housing developer out of New Orleans, was the one who determined the course of action. Chances are it won't "come to market" as such...

[natedoggbry]

I was disgusted when I saw the wasted potential there for that building. The housing guy from Mobile said something like “I mean how many cities can say they have low income housing in their downtowns?” Probably none because even dumb cities know that is a bad idea. If I’m not mistaken, the housing board for Mobile is contributing a substantial amount of money to pay for the project. I think they earmarked it for a “mixed income” project because they’re get money from HUD to complete the project, along with historic tax credits. Since they’re refining HUD money through the housing board, they’re making 20% of the apartments available to people that qualify. I may be mistaken, but it seems like that means 1/5 units will be available to people that are in housing projects currently. Genius idea.

[Surge0001]

I personally have no opinion on the matter as I've done little research on the matter but I do think that there's too much land being used for HUD around downtown, like look directly north of Downtown, that's A LOT of real estate that could go into say expanding downtown or creating a new entertain district (like a modern design or a bigger version of Dauphin Street) or high density residential or a mixture. A lot of potential sitting there


Whatever it is it shouldn't be wasted with HUDs or single family homes

[natedoggbry]

I agree. There’s so much wasted land on the north side of downtown with Calloway middle school sitting on 11 blocks of land, yet the school takes up 2 blocks at most. The press register takes up 8 blocks when the building sits on about 2. There are 0 buildings lining Beauregard street from water to Lawrence because those are on one side and orange grove is on the other. I don’t see any private developer putting anything on any of that empty land since it’s next to a housing project. The city spent like 500k to buy the school on Hurtel street to make it into low income housing when there’s literally empty land sitting north of downtown for that exact purpose.

[Surge0001]

I hope the city don't waste the chance to gain the land north of Downtown, Great expansion opportunity, along with reclaiming a land from the Canal Street interchange reconstruction (hopefully they will expand Fort Conde footprint) and Civic Center reconstruction

[Southsky]

Originally Posted by Surge0001

I hope the city don't waste the chance to gain the land north of Downtown, Great expansion opportunity, along with reclaiming a land from the Canal Street interchange reconstruction (hopefully they will expand Fort Conde footprint) and Civic Center reconstruction

That land (old Orange Grove) is owned by the housing board. After Katrina, most of that land was deemed unsuitable for rebuilding so I guess it sits in limbo until the housing board does something.