Revitalization Update - 29 & 31 So. Court Square

The space, which used to house a jewelry store, currently includes a restaurant on the ground level that bustles during the week with the downtown lunch crowd. The Cornett’s tricked-out 2900 square foot residence will feature smart house technology, $35,000 worth of state-of-the-art appliances and a 2500 square foot rooftop deck with an outdoor kitchen. The vault that used to hold the jewels will soon be the wine cellar, and the 420 square foot garage will allow private entry into the home.

Durham and Cheryl moved to Montgomery from Texas, where they saw firsthand the potential of downtown living. “Deep Ellum” is the renovated warehouse district located just three blocks east of downtown Dallas, and is the home to the most fashion-forward, trend-setting people in the city. Durham says that he believes Montgomery is experiencing the same transformation that has happened in Dallas and so many other cities, and he and Cheryl want to be a part of it.

His advice to others seeking to renovate historic properties downtown: Once you see the historical value of a property and decide to take it on, get a good, creative and open-minded architect. Sounds like he’s following his own advice. The firm that designed this restoration: Cherry McNab Architects. Estimated completion: 4 months.

Small Developers Take Big Steps In Downtown Montgomery

by Chad Emerson
appearing in the Apr/May 2008 issue of FUTURE Montgomery
contributed image - Brown Chambless Architects

Years ago, a trip to downtown Montgomery meant great shopping for many visitors. Back then, the Montgomery Fair Department Store, located at 28 Monroe Street, was the largest department store in the city.

Overall, the project—with an expected completion date in mid to late summer — will offer 14 residences ranging from 650 to 900 square feet. Each residence also comes with dedicated auxiliary storage space. In addition, a highly visible street front unit has been reserved for office or commercial use.

Mandell explains that the feature amenity is the large windows that offer excellent views of Court Square, the Alabama River, and Biscuits Stadium. The Lofts at Montgomery Fair expect to begin pre-leasing in April.

Meanwhile, on the same block, Mandell is developing “22 Monroe”— a four story building that will offer one and two bedroom condos ranging from 1,000 to 1,600 square feet in size. The project also provides secure, on-site parking as well as modern touches that preserve some of the buildings historic architecture. One of the project’s most intriguing features is a first floor unit set aside for a retail or entertainment use. Mandell advised us that he’s beginning negotiations for this space soon. All in all, Montgomery’s Monroe Street is getting an exciting new facelift as the result of this developer’s commitment to do more than just talk about downtown. A great lesson for projects of all sizes.

Making the Old New Again

Just a few blocks away from Monroe, developer Byron Berry is revitalizing three buildings on Perry Street between Dexter Avenue and Washington Street. The project is Berry’s second foray into downtown following the recent completion of his Rice Lofts project on Court Street.

Originally slated for demolition as part of the city’s new Washington Street parking deck, Berry convinced the decision-makers to sell him these historic buildings that had been constructed in the 1800’s. A good thing since he has already resold one of the renovated buildings as a 2,600 square foot single family residence.

Meanwhile, work continues on the remaining two buildings with Berry anticipating each of the two-story structures ultimately offering 1,200 square feet per floor. According to Berry, he’s open to selling the whole building for residential or mixed use purposes—or, in the alternative — developing the separate floors as condo units. Either way, the project represents another example of smaller developers taking big steps to revitalize Montgomery’s downtown.

The Revitalization

Urban pioneers bring new life to the heart of the city

by Dalton Doyle
appearing in the Apr/May 2008 issue of FUTURE Montgomery

Two of the people who share this vision are Fred and Dianne Bush. The Bushes got started in the “neighborhood business” in 1979 by obtaining signatures that would help to establish the Garden District. Now they have taken that same passion to Cottage Hill at 5 Points. The Bushes have acquired 20 properties in the area and are currently in the process of multiple renovations. Perhaps the largest undertaking for the Bushes currently is the Tyson House on Mildred Street. Built in the 1830’s, the Tyson House is one of the only remaining true Greek revival houses in the city. As if that wasn’t rare enough, the Tyson House sits on a 2-acre lot in downtown Montgomery and the view from upstairs looks straight down Goldthwaite Street onto the roundabout. They have stripped the house down to the bones and added the modern amenities we love: central heat and air, recessed lighting, and a beautiful kitchen. Meanwhile, they have also taken every step to keep the house looking like a nearly exact replica of its beginning from antique fixtures and original heart pine floors, right down to the wisteria growing on the porch. Dianne always gives the homes they renovate her own special touch, and has equipped every window in the Tyson House with antique glass. It is wavy and beautiful and could not be more perfect. Standing on the front porch Dianne states, “This neighborhood will come into the new age in spite of itself.” That is true with the help of people like the Bushes.

Another person who has plunged his heart, soul, (and wallet) into the area is Craig Dresher. Craig, a Major in the United States Air Force, has put all of his free time into his dream home, Winter Place. If you are a native Montgomerian your parents might have driven you by a castle called Winter Place as a child. Your siblings may have even told you ghost stories about it. Dresher wants to make Winter Place his home. Built in 1855 by Colonel Samuel Joseph Winter and his wife, Mary Elizabeth, Winter Place was an overgrown dilapidated mess when Major Dresher stumbled upon it. He has spent the past few years working to restore Winter Place to her original glory. Spending his own time and money, along with help from locals and the Alabama Historical Commission, Major Dresher has put out a call for help. The call is not just for help remodeling his dream, but also help for the 5 Points area. He has urged good citizens to buy property along Mildred Street, or anywhere in the area. He expects to move into Winter Place this year.

Callie Hincey, a Cottage Hill resident since 2004, loves the area. Hincey moved back to Montgomery from California and was turned on to Montgomery’s oldest historic neighborhood by her current neighbor. She was looking for an investment, but was unsure of renovating an older home by herself. With encouragement from the neighbors, she took a chance and now enjoys her home with her husband. Mrs. Hincey noted there are many families with young children in the neighborhood, as well as young professionals – doctors, lawyers, police officers, etc.

So, what do you say? Are you willing to join the downtown revolution and be a part of recreating one of Montgomery’s oldest assets?

For more information and news about the people and places in this article, check out these websites: www.cottagehillmontgomery.com, www.historicwinterplace.com, and www.grandviewatcottagehill.com.

To download the entire Montgomery Downtown Master Plan, adopted in 2007, go to www.doverkohl.com. Click on the Portfolio link, then choose Revitalizing Downtowns & Historic Places.

The Alley

Montgomery's Downtown Entertainment District

Let’s be honest with each other for a moment and put something out on the table: Montgomery is not exactly synonymous with entertainment. Honesty is the best policy, and personally, I feel better already....

...So, you never know where exciting news will come from, and this month it surfaced inside the walls of Montgomery’s City Hall, where I met with Jeff Downes, the Executive Assistant to the Mayor, to learn firsthand about the plans for The Alley, soon to be Montgomery’s downtown entertainment district.

Hidden inside the downtown city block between Commerce, Tallapoosa and Coosa streets lies the perfect location for this future Montgomery hot spot. Although it will take a good bit of construction for the plans to come to life, this new project already has success written all over it.

Surrounding the alley where the entertainment district will be located are buildings owned by private investors. As it stands, the alley needs a facelift of colossal proportions, and Jeff and his team have the strategy to make it happen, but before they could draw up plans, they had to call a meeting of the property owners. “This project relies upon seven property owners agreeing to certain restrictive covenants,” says Jeff. “In return, the city will invest into the project.” All seven of the property owners have input into the design of The Alley, which will be sure to give it a unique blueprint. After a few real estate dealings and some heads being put together, everyone was in agreement and plans for The Alley started to take shape.

With entrances on both Commerce Street and Coosa Street, The Alley will be easily accessible to the public. This much-needed addition to downtown is positioned strategically close to the new Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center to entice those who come to shows or conventions to walk over and see what The Alley is all about. Mike Watson and his team of architects are designing the area, which is fitting since Mike is one of the property investors.

Plans for The Alley include retail stores at ground level in the buildings lining the district. The second and third levels are reserved for restaurants, offices and residential spaces.

The project should take about 10 months to complete and construction is scheduled to start in late February. This means next Christmas will bring our new downtown along with it. With so many productions already booked at the Renaissance Montgomery Performing Arts Center, concerts at the Riverwalk Amphitheater, and Biscuits games at Riverfront Stadium in the summer, there are countless reasons to stay downtown and meet up with all your friends at The Alley.

The River Region has numerous wonderful things to offer its residents, and with the New Year comes the promise of a new city, filled with entertainment galore.

Our lovely town is about to see some big changes.

Lindsey Henig is originally from Nashville, TN and is an Auburn graduate. She and her husband, Britton, live in Montgomery with their 2 dogs, Norman and Allie. Lindsey works full time as a Branding Specialist at LogoBranders, Inc. and loves to write in her spare time.

Trendsetters

and the Downtown Draw

A Montgomery native who currently resides in Virginia, Henderson purchased the property at the corner of Goldthwaite and Montgomery Street in June 2006. When asked what originally sparked his interest in the downtown, Henderson stated that he first became interested several years ago when he learned of the City’s plan for downtown revitalization. In 2002, armed with the knowledge that the City was set to invest significant resources in an effort to change the face of downtown, Henderson embarked on a 3-year search for the right investment property. He eventually chose a 1950’s-era mid-rise with remarkable views of the Alabama River and Montgomery’s downtown.

Seated in the heart of the renaissance district, The GrandView at Cottage Hill has some of the best views in the city, and the units are preselling now. Plans for The GrandView include 30+ luxury condominiums that will range in size from approximately 1400 – 5000 square feet of living space, designed by the award-winning architects at Goodwin, Mills & Cawood. The GrandView offers future residents all the comforts of a luxury home with Florense kitchens and baths with oak finishes, opaque glass cabinets, granite countertops, and innovative storage systems, all combined with the convenience and culture of downtown living. These state-of-the-art lofts will create an entire lifestyle and community experience as loft owners enjoy the fitness center, private-viewing theater, and other beautifully-appointed public spaces. Prices range from the $300,000’s to the $600,000’s.

The redevelopment in the downtown area is seen as an asset to the vitality and strength of the city’s community, and excitement about Henderson’s GrandView project is shared widely in the nearby neighborhood of Cottage Hill. In a recent edition of the Cottage Hill Foundation newsletter, Mary Webster wrote, “This location will be in prime demand, setting the stage for an influx of eateries, shops and entertainment venues along Goldthwaite Street. [With] favorable effects upon the surrounding neighborhoods.”

Just down the street from the GrandView at Cottage Hill, another luxury loft development is taking place. This one by urban pioneer, Byron Berry, owner of Phoenix Homes.

Berry purchased 109-111 S. Court Street next to New South bookstore in March 2006, and began restoration work on the building immediately. His plans: four 1000-1700 square foot loft residences and one 1200 square foot commercial space. The lofts, designed by Doug McNab of Cherry McNab Architecture, will be completed this summer, and the commercial space has already been purchased by New Orleans native, Darien Clark, who plans to open a Smoothies-n-Things there.

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Berry has performed much of the restoration and renovation work himself, and his eye for detail and creative design has served him well in this project, as these lofts are the ultimate in urban chic. Exposed brick walls, high ceilings and flexible track lighting set the mood in these high-end homes, which are all pre-wired for networking and full home automation. The gourmet kitchens are equipped with stainless appliances and and quartz counters. The bathrooms feature heated floors, air tubs and stunning glass tile. The lofts also utilize cost-efficient tankless water heaters which are space-saving and convenient. A trendsetter by nature, Byron already has his eye on a couple of buildings downtown for his next project. He’s interested in urban townhomes and infill development, and says that his next endeavor will likely be more affordable housing, attractive to younger professionals, artists and students.

Berry is a huge proponent of Smart-Code, which allows for mixed-use buildings, combining retail and residential spaces, and providing greater quality of life benefits for those who live there. Of course, SmartCode has only recently been adopted for downtown redevelopment, and Berry says that until the downtown revitalization has really taken off, urban pioneers must be willing to exchange the convenience of being right next to a grocery store for the convenience of being right next to work.

But suffer, they won’t. With restaurants like Lunde’s and long-time establishments such as Lek’s Railroad Thai and The Brew Pub, residents certainly won’t have to look far for a great meal. And with the completion of the Riverwalk Park and amphitheater, residents of the new downtown lofts now have entertainment options like the free TGIT Concert Series, the Riverwalk Summer Film Festival and Biscuits ballgames all within walking distance.

Berry’s passion for preservation and restoration goes beyond the buildings he renovates. Berry also serves as Associate Pastor of Creative Arts at CityChurch.

“The improvement of Montgomery’s downtown will have a ripple effect throughout the entire city,” says Mark Lawrence, of Seay, Seay & Litchfield. “The uniqueness of Montgomery lies in its downtown, and under the current Mayor’s leadership, we are now rediscovering the city’s core assets,” he said.

Seay, Seay & Litchfield is the firm responsible for such historic renovations as the exterior of Troy University’s Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, the interior and exterior of the sanctuary and chapel of St. John’s Episcopal Church, the new wing of The Archives and History Building in Montgomery, and the long-range restoration plan for the Governor’s mansion. Lawrence first began working with Seay, Seay & Litchfield during an internship while studying at Mississippi State, and came to the firm full-time following his graduation in 2003. With a passion for preservation and history, Lawrence enthusiastically shares his views on Montgomery’s rich history and the benefits of the trends that are currently being seen in the city.

“The geographical features and spatial aspect of downtown make it compelling and rich. It’s where the culture is. Downtown is a virtual pop-up book for the history of this city,” states Lawrence.

According to Lawrence, the influence of new urbanism is having a positive effect in Montgomery, as people are beginning to realize that the quality of life is better when you’re closer to everything you use. He believes that Montgomery is shifting from the nomadic tendency toward sprawl, and moving toward an urban/metropolitan revival, the likes of which has been occurring in major cities across the United States for well over a decade. The efforts of Mayor Bright and other city leaders combined with private investment have provided foundational pieces to build on, but Lawrence says that’s only the beginning. “We need creative, vibrant young twenty to thirty-somethings to bring energy into the city. People that find value in gazing upon and appreciating the history of Montgomery which is right before our eyes,” says Lawrence.

Lawrence runs daily from his 1924 Capitol Heights bungalow into downtown, down Dexter Avenue and up the Capitol steps. (Yes, like Rocky.) He says it gives him the chance to check on how construction is progressing, and to do his own history-gazing. Lawrence says he loves studying the urban fabric of any town, but finds especially fascinating the shifts in American culture that began here in Montgomery.

“Montgomery’s downtown has a permanence to it that should not be underestimated, and the full cross-section of Montgomery and its people groups that are represented are all the more reason to embrace the revitalization effort,” he says.