[A&M Bulldawg]

Tuscaloosa is growing at a nice pace. It has lots of things to do for its size. The University of Alabama is located, which is a little overrates (sorry Alabama fans). If anyone what to discuss growth, jobs, activities, UA, and other things in Tuscaloosa, then post your comments, opinions, and discussions here.

[Alatex]

In the next couple years, the city is adding the riverfront amphitheater and the downtown Federal building and park. I think downtown will slowly but surely fill in.

One area where Tuscaloosa is lacking compared to most cities of comparable size is retail. Midtown Village is the only significant new retail center built here in the last quarter century, and it still has a lot of vacancies, especially with Circuit City going out of business. McFarland Mall is as close to "dead" as a mall can get, and University Mall is still quite functional, but certainly nothing to brag about. I don't know what has to change for the city to attract retailers like Best Buy that most cities half this size take for granted ? Everyone I know still makes the hour drive to the Birmingham area when they want to do any "real shopping."

[A&M Bulldawg]

You are so right! I live in a city that is about 30 miles from Tuscaloosa, so I go to Tuscaloosa every weekend! Tuscaloosa is too big to lack in retail! Tuscaloosa is almost at the 100,000 mark! To me, Tuscaloosa needs a Best Buy, 2 more Wal-Marts because the one off Skyland is crowded, a Burlington, a Khol's, a Dillard's, a Ross, a Marshall's, an HHGregg, a Homes Good, a Hollister, and the list goes on! Places like Dothan and Hoover (because of Birmingham) have way more than Tuscaloosa. It is sad that Tuscaloosa is like this; it is the shopping destination for West Alabama. People in the city that I live in skip Tuscaloosa and go to Birmingham, Atlanta, and even Meridian. It is embarassing, I tell you, when people from other places come to Tuscaloosa and see that it is lacking! Meridian has less stuff than Tuscaloosa as a whole, but more choices to choose from. What can we do to get the mayor's attention about this because I'm sure he knows?

[Southlander]

What about the big area that just opened across from University Mall? The one that's "outdoor," arranged like Birmingham's Summit? Surely that's been a big boost.

[Alatex]

What about the big area that just opened across from University Mall?

That's Midtown Village. It is a nice addition. In fact, I went there just this morning. I just wish we had more stuff like that.

[A&M Bulldawg]

What will happen to McFarland Mall?

[ttownfeen]

McFarland Mall was purchased by local real estate developer Stan Pate last month. Pate is responsible for many retail developments in Tuscaloosa and Bessemer. The two adjacent properties to the mall, a Harper-Chambers Lumber Co. store and a nearly-abandoned shopping center once anchored by Winn-Dixie, have been offered to him (no word yet on if he purchased them). Pate will do something good with the mall, but no one knows what he will do or when he will do it. He may even tear down all the buildings and start a new mixed development from scratch should the economy ever pick up again.

[A&M Bulldawg]

Hey ttownfeen, have you heard that Burlington and Kohl's are going to fill in the Dillard's space?

[Croye22]

Don't attend UA, but I would if there were more opportunities there.

[ttownfeen]

The last I heard about Burlington was Pate before bought the mall. I'm not sure he would be willing to sign a major retailer to a property he intends to completely redevelop.