What do you think Birmingham look like in 10 yrs?? (Montgomery: quality of life, most dangerous)

[HipLib]

The most positive thing I see happening in Birmingham is the many apartments and condos going up downtown and around UAB. I think the more people you have living in the city center the more vibrant the city will be. If the people are living there that means that businesses can start up without so much fear of not having a customer base. If people are living downtown they will spend money downtown. If Birmingham suceeds in revitalizing it's central city area, and I believe it will, that will draw more jobs. Companies like to locate in places that most people see as desirable places to live.

[ashpelham]

I sure hope that downtown and Southside can continue to gain favor. A lot of effort and money as been spent to make the area nicer. I work in Southside, and have a lot of aquantances and friends that live in the area. It's certainly desirable to me.

The bigger issue however is just a limited amount of money to go around. There aren't enough big time money producers hq'd in Birmingham metro anymore. You must, MUST have large corporations in a bigger city in order to draw the people and smaller businesses to make it all grow at a decent clip. We have been hit very hard by the economic downturns of the 2000's, as evidenced by the consolidation in the banks here, the loss of HealthSouth, Just4Feet, others.

It's become a wonderful place for medicine and research. A lot of US cities this size have a fairly limited economic base, and to get bigger, must become more diverse in their economy.

[cpg35223]

I think Birmingham has taken a short-term hit because of three major things: 1) The bank merger binge and financial crisis, which hit Birmingham especially hard due to the recent heavy emphasis on this industry; 2) The economy in general; and 3) The local governments, both in their effectiveness and in their lack of cohesion.

On the plus side of the balance sheet, there are several things working in Birmingham's favor: 1) Continued strength in manufacturing, particularly in the automotive industry and the accompanying suppliers; 2) The finishing of I-22 and the completion of the rail-transfer hub will essentially transform Birmingham into a major distribution center; 3) The continued diversification of the local economy.

I tend to be pretty optimistic for a number of reasons:

1) Banking and finance. While SouthTrust and AmSouth are gone, Regions looks like it will weather the storm and Birmingham will likely remain the operational focus of Compass Bank's Spanish ownership. The fact that Compass is putting a new operations center in town says a lot. At the same time, a score of smaller banks have begun to emerge in the wake of the buyout binge, all of whom have experienced leadership teams. Further, I know of one major bank outside the market that is currently looking to move its operational headquarters to town due to the depth of talent in the market.

2) Distribution. It's not very sexy, but it's seriously important to economic development. The completion of I-22 AND the completion of the rail transfer center in McCalla will prove very important, particularly as the overall cost of doing business in Atlanta continues to increase in terms of taxation, utility costs, and real estate per square foot. There are already any number of interested parties taking a long, serious look at the Birmingham market as a centrally located distribution point. Not a bad position to be in.

3) The continued diversification of industry in Birmingham. 30 years ago, the town was a steel town. Now it enjoys a mix of industries, both white and blue collar. It says a lot that Birmingham has not only enjoyed the country's highest rate of income growth over the past 30 years, but had one of the country's lowest unemployment rates before the economy fell apart. This is a marked departure from 1981, when Birmingham was neck-and-neck with Flint, Michigan for the worst economy in America.

4) Local government. While the Larry Langfords of the world really did a number on the area, I would argue that there have been promising developments. First, the arrests and convictions of a large number of local officials are, in essence, clearing the rat's nest, with the added bonus of getting rid of a lot of the political deadwood. Secondly, the past year has seen a much more cohesive economic development with the creation of a larger economic development authority that seems to enjoy the support of local governments.

5) The rebirth of downtown. With occupancy rates remaining well above 90% and a growing loft community, it's no longer utterly dead at night. Just drive around after 6 p.m. and look for yourself.

So overall, I don't think you'll see spectacular Atlanta-esque growth, but the continued information I receive tells me that Birmingham Metro will likely enjoy long-term steady growth.

[Tourian]

I think there will not be any significant changes, however several key factors for significant growth will be coming on-line.

Like cpg mentioned the McCalla railyard and I-22 should be done by then and I think there are some significant upgrades being made to the airport.

I think we'll see a lot of development (or sprawl if you prefer) out towards Leeds as I think the Grande River development will flourish as well as Barber's continuing to be a big draw for racing events.

I wish Jefferson county would just raise the white flag and merge with Birmingham like Nashville-Davidson.

I do not want/desire/forsee Atlanta-esque growth, but I think the necessities of a metro area of our current size will finally come into play and our resources will start to be better used.

[sleepless in Bham]

Do you guys ever forsee a bettter managed Atlanta type boom in Bham future?. Would the people in this area be open to such growth. I personally wouldnt mind to be honest if done correctly

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

Do you guys ever forsee a bettter managed Atlanta type boom in Bham future?. Would the people in this area be open to such growth. I personally wouldnt mind to be honest if done correctly

To be honest with you, I would be horrified by an Atlanta-like boom. Sure, I would like to see more amenities and conveniences. At the same time, Atlanta is a huge, disorganized mess of a city, and its traffic problems make the place virtually unlivable. Ask anybody who commutes three hours a day or endures years of water rationing.

To me, there are better alternatives than Atlanta. Charlotte, for example.

[PortCity]

I agree with cpg on all spectrums.I think B-ham should aim for Austin or Charlotte type of growth.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

For Bham and Ala to register any kind of signigicant population growth in the future it is going to have to find a way to keep people from leaving the state (brain drain). There is a reason why Metro Atlanta is home to so many graduates of Auburn, UA, JSU and Troy. People grow up in Bama, get a good education there and then leave because there just arent't enough quality, high-paying jobs.

[mimpdaddy]

Birmingham is stalled. Most people move south away from Birmingham into Hoover and Shelby county. Birmingham's time has come and gone. The future is with RSA in Mobile and Montgomery with Mr. Bonner.

[sleepless in Bham]

And when will Mobile or Montgomery become the state's largest metro area??. Never because Montgomery's a one horse dump and Mobile hasnt been relevent since the 1800's.