Heads and tales: Block by block
By Wade Kwon
Small is the new big: Micropolitan … it sounds like Neapolitan with all the chocolate scooped out. But it’s the trendy label for tiny cities with 10,000 to 50,000 people, located near big cities. What makes them different from the species, suburbia? Did we mention they’re trendy? Cullman tied for fifth place in Site Selection magazine’s top micropolitans (watch out, Lexington-Thomasville, N.C.!). And while it has the usual amenities such as retail stores, a movie theater, restaurants and medical centers, it lacks one key ingredient, alcohol. So much for paradise.
• The allure of the (not-so) big city [Birmingham News]
Tradeoffs and teardowns: Can Birmingham renew itself without chasing away its loyal small business tenants? A Weekly columnist examines the plight of Scott’s Koneys, about to lose its 30-year home to new development. While the city can shell out $2.1 million to buy the block and lease it to the ominously named Corporate Realty for $10 a year, it seems virtually helpless in aiding small business owners such as Scott Green of Koney fame and Jim Reed Books. Without a master plan for economic development, it appears the city will continue to stumble along in its clumsy attempts to think big but choke on small details. Also, what’s next for Century Plaza?
• Renewed again [Birmingham Weekly]
Reborn: Destroyed by arson six months ago, Pleasant Sabine Baptist Church in Bibb County is halfway through construction and expected to be completed by September. Insurance coverage paid $100,000, Birmingham-Southern College contributed $53,000, and other churches contributed $45,000, leaving $177,000 left to go in construction costs. Volunteers from as far as Detroit and St. Louis have helped with the rebuilding. The church was one of 10 churches damaged or destroyed in an arson spree across Alabama. You can burn the building, but you can’t extinguish the spirit.
• Bibb church hit by arson rebuilds thanks to others [Birmingham News]
Also:
- Cats unaware sitter lacks documentation
- Transit study: Unpimped buses lagging in popularity
- Suburbs band together for upscale jail with isometric restraints, stainless steel fixtures
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Thursday, July 27, 2006, 11:07 pm
[…] Wade on Birmingham has a link to an article mapping out some wishful thinking. In it developers and realty folks outline their vision for Century Plaza and the surrounding area. Let’s just say there’s a lot to be done before big anchor stores look to come back to this side of town. Here’s a link to Wade’s mention and the article itself. […]