Things that Birmingham wants/should have...what would you like to see? Suggest it and let's make it happen!!! (Bessemer: sales, lofts)

[bhamguy]

• Dave & Busters at old Ralph and Kacoos-280--Dave & Buster’s – Eat, Drink, Play – Contact Us
• American Apparel at Five Points South or Lakeview(Southside in general)--
  - American Apparel Online Store
• Steak & Shake--http://www.customerpulse.net:8080/snscontactus/Welcome.jsp

[cpg35223]

Wow. That's pretty modest. Here's my list.

1. Some kind of unified metro government. Let everybody have their own school system, but save the taxpayer money by at least combining purchasing, if not fire and police services. When I lived in the city of Birmingham, I found the police to be pretty responsive and efficient. So were their other emergency services.
2. True rapid transit. It's kind of hard to believe, but Birmingham used to have one of the country's finest transit systems, where you could ride from Centerpoint to Bessemer on trollies that, after we shut down our system, continued running in Toronto for decades. It's really going to be critical to our growth.
3. Continued resurgence of our downtown area. Surprisingly, downtown occupancy is now north of 90%, with a growing loft community. As this continues, downtown will continue to stop being a wasteland at night and regain its vitality.
4. A domed stadium/revamped convention center. Sorry, but to attract any number of events, from the SEC championship to conventions to decent bowl games and professional sports teams, we have to have a quality facility in place. We blew 3.5 billion on a sewer that doesn't work. Surely we can scrape up the cash for a 400 million facility amortized over 30 years.
5. Continued upgrade of our parks system. The Red Mountain Park is going to be great with literally miles and miles of jogging and running trails (You'll eventually be able to bike from Vulcan to Helena on the thing), and the Railroad Park downtown will be a terrific venue. I would like more of the city's natural beauty to come out.
6. A decent educational system in Birmingham proper.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

Wow. That's pretty modest. Here's my list.

1. Some kind of unified metro government. Let everybody have their own school system, but save the taxpayer money by at least combining purchasing, if not fire and police services. When I lived in the city of Birmingham, I found the police to be pretty responsive and efficient. So were their other emergency services.
2. True rapid transit. It's kind of hard to believe, but Birmingham used to have one of the country's finest transit systems, where you could ride from Centerpoint to Bessemer on trollies that, after we shut down our system, continued running in Toronto for decades. It's really going to be critical to our growth.
3. Continued resurgence of our downtown area. Surprisingly, downtown occupancy is now north of 90%, with a growing loft community. As this continues, downtown will continue to stop being a wasteland at night and regain its vitality.
4. A domed stadium/revamped convention center. Sorry, but to attract any number of events, from the SEC championship to conventions to decent bowl games and professional sports teams, we have to have a quality facility in place. We blew 3.5 billion on a sewer that doesn't work. Surely we can scrape up the cash for a 400 million facility amortized over 30 years.
5. Continued upgrade of our parks system. The Red Mountain Park is going to be great with literally miles and miles of jogging and running trails (You'll eventually be able to bike from Vulcan to Helena on the thing), and the Railroad Park downtown will be a terrific venue. I would like more of the city's natural beauty to come out.
6. A decent educational system in Birmingham proper.

EXCELLENT list. I can't say I think we'll get our money back from the domed stadium (let's face it, ATL is right there), but the rest of the suggestions are great.
I could definitely do without the D&B's and Jillian's.
Personally, I'd like more international presence, restaurants, etc...but I know that's mostly just me missing what I'm used to before I moved here.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

EXCELLENT list. I can't say I think we'll get our money back from the domed stadium (let's face it, ATL is right there), but the rest of the suggestions are great.
I could definitely do without the D&B's and Jillian's.
Personally, I'd like more international presence, restaurants, etc...but I know that's mostly just me missing what I'm used to before I moved here.

Well, if you look at the cost of a $400 million dome amortized over 30 years, it's really only about $20 million or so annually including the interest costs of the bond issue. When you realize that the city reaped close to $9 million in additional lodging and sales taxes from a C-level bowl game in December, then it suddenly isn't that much of a stretch.

[Historic Bessemer]

A new mayor!



Also, I work in Birmingham and pay income tax to Birmingham but I live in Bessemer. I would like to be able VOTE in the Birmingham elections!

IMO, Not being able to vote in a city that I pay taxes to is Taxation without representation!

Can you imagine what a different place Birmingham would be if this were possible? Think about all the people who don't live in the city but work there.

[bhamguy]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

Wow. That's pretty modest. Here's my list.

1. Some kind of unified metro government. Let everybody have their own school system, but save the taxpayer money by at least combining purchasing, if not fire and police services. When I lived in the city of Birmingham, I found the police to be pretty responsive and efficient. So were their other emergency services.
2. True rapid transit. It's kind of hard to believe, but Birmingham used to have one of the country's finest transit systems, where you could ride from Centerpoint to Bessemer on trollies that, after we shut down our system, continued running in Toronto for decades. It's really going to be critical to our growth.
3. Continued resurgence of our downtown area. Surprisingly, downtown occupancy is now north of 90%, with a growing loft community. As this continues, downtown will continue to stop being a wasteland at night and regain its vitality.
4. A domed stadium/revamped convention center. Sorry, but to attract any number of events, from the SEC championship to conventions to decent bowl games and professional sports teams, we have to have a quality facility in place. We blew 3.5 billion on a sewer that doesn't work. Surely we can scrape up the cash for a 400 million facility amortized over 30 years.
5. Continued upgrade of our parks system. The Red Mountain Park is going to be great with literally miles and miles of jogging and running trails (You'll eventually be able to bike from Vulcan to Helena on the thing), and the Railroad Park downtown will be a terrific venue. I would like more of the city's natural beauty to come out.
6. A decent educational system in Birmingham proper.

Haha, I know that it is kinda skim...I was actually talking about a retail, restaurants, and enterntainment list. Your list pretty much sums up my list, and I agree that it is a good list. I will add more as I think of it...stuff that's more useful.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

Well, if you look at the cost of a $400 million dome amortized over 30 years, it's really only about $20 million or so annually including the interest costs of the bond issue. When you realize that the city reaped close to $9 million in additional lodging and sales taxes from a C-level bowl game in December, then it suddenly isn't that much of a stretch.

Yeah, but i don't like math. so i'm against it.
Just kidding. maybe its a good idea. I'm just skeptical. Especially with the bond deals around here. I believe they've found that cities rarely get a financial benefit from these kinds of things, but I don't know the specifics.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by Historic Bessemer

A new mayor!



Also, I work in Birmingham and pay income tax to Birmingham but I live in Bessemer. I would like to be able VOTE in the Birmingham elections!

IMO, Not being able to vote in a city that I pay taxes to is Taxation without representation!

Can you imagine what a different place Birmingham would be if this were possible? Think about all the people who don't live in the city but work there.

Ideally, this and other metro areas would have metro regional gov'ts, so every city and county would cooperate instead of over-competing. but we're a long way off from anything like that happening.

[Historic Bessemer]

aye aye mate! Well said!

[pvjd]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

Wow. That's pretty modest. Here's my list.

1. Some kind of unified metro government. Let everybody have their own school system, but save the taxpayer money by at least combining purchasing, if not fire and police services. When I lived in the city of Birmingham, I found the police to be pretty responsive and efficient. So were their other emergency services.
2. True rapid transit. It's kind of hard to believe, but Birmingham used to have one of the country's finest transit systems, where you could ride from Centerpoint to Bessemer on trollies that, after we shut down our system, continued running in Toronto for decades. It's really going to be critical to our growth.
3. Continued resurgence of our downtown area. Surprisingly, downtown occupancy is now north of 90%, with a growing loft community. As this continues, downtown will continue to stop being a wasteland at night and regain its vitality.
4. A domed stadium/revamped convention center. Sorry, but to attract any number of events, from the SEC championship to conventions to decent bowl games and professional sports teams, we have to have a quality facility in place. We blew 3.5 billion on a sewer that doesn't work. Surely we can scrape up the cash for a 400 million facility amortized over 30 years.
5. Continued upgrade of our parks system. The Red Mountain Park is going to be great with literally miles and miles of jogging and running trails (You'll eventually be able to bike from Vulcan to Helena on the thing), and the Railroad Park downtown will be a terrific venue. I would like more of the city's natural beauty to come out.
6. A decent educational system in Birmingham proper.

Maybe you can get together with Langford and figure out a way to get all that done, and how to pay for it. I think that these are all things that would be nice if they just suddenly appeared in our Christmas stocking, but I am not convinced of the practicality of it. Another thing I think of is that if downtown becomes gentrified with lofts and martini lounges, what will become of all the facilities and networks that are there to help the homeless and mentally ill? What about affordable housing? If people can't afford to live there, homelessness will increase, and all the metrolites will want the safehavens and centers for homeless and mentally ill people out of their back yards. I agree that downtown should not be a wasteland, and in my opinion there is no excuse for it. I just worry about what will happen to those that are not able to support themselves otherwise.