Design Alabama: The Public Forum for Design in Alabama, Volume 14, Issue 1, 2004

              Spring/Summer 2004
Volume~X, Issue I
$4.00
Des.• ama
THE PUBLIC FORUM FOR DESIGN IN ALABAMA
Three {3}
Dimensi
Board of Directors
Debbie Quinn, Chair
Fairhope City Council
Fairhope
Nancy Mims Hartsfield, Vice Chair
Auburn University, Professor Emerita
Montgomery
Michelle G. Jordan, Secretary
City of Decatur Planning Department
Decatur
Joseph R. Donofro, Treasurer
Donoiro & Associates Architects inc.
Dothan
Amelle Adcock
Cenira! Alabama Electric Cooperaiive
Prattvil!e
Elizabeth Ann Brown
Alabama Historical Commission
Montgomery
Charles Callans
Birmingham Realty
Birmingham
Janet Driscoll
DriscoJi Design
Montgomery
Scott Finn
Auburn University
Auburn
Cathryn Campbell Gerachis
Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc.
Montgomery
80 Grisham
Brookman! ReaJiy
Birmingham
Debra Hood
Greenville
Robert Martin
Southern Progress Corp.
Birmingham
larry Watts
Birmingham Regional Planning Commission
Birmingham
Gina Glaze Clifford, Executive Director
Philip A. Morris, Director Emeritus
Desi nAlabama
Volume IX, Issue I
Cover: Montgomery's riverfront & urban core are being
invigorated by an exciting new master plan.
This publication is made possible through funding by the following contributors.'
Advantage Marketing Cmmnunicatians
Alabama Association of Regional Councils
Sloss Real Estate Group, Inc.
KPS Group, Inc.
operation New Birmingham
Suppart the Arts Tag Advisory Cammittee
DAVIS ARCHITECTS
~kinnel' +
BRASFIELD
&GORRIE
WILLIAMS, BLACKSTOCK
ARCHITEC S
GlAlllNA FISHER AYCOCK
Editor: Gina Glaze Cliliord
Managing Editor: Tomie Dugas
Art Director: Nancy Hartsfield
Associate Art Director: Ross Heck
Assistant Art Directors: Tomie Dugas
Dana Gay
Wei Wang
Contributing Writers: Jessica Armstrong
Elizabeth Via Brown
Tomie Dugas
Philip Morris
DesignAlabama encourages submissions
Irom Its readers. Articles about work Irom all
design discipHnes are requested, as well as copy
related to historic preservailon. Please submit
copy along wiih visuals (photos, siides, drawings,
etc.) to DesignAlabama Inc., PO. Box 241263,
Montgomery, AL 36124.
Items lor Project News and Details of
Interest should include a paragraph summary
detailing the nature of the project, the design firm,
principals and associates involved and any other
details that may be of interest such as unusual
or special design features, completion date.
approximate cost, square footage, etc. Also include
the name, address and phone and fax number of the
client and an individual whom we may contact for
further information. Direct inquiries to (334) 353-
5081 or mail to: designaiabama@arts.state.al.us.
Past journal issues are available for $6.00
including postage and handling. Contact
DesignAlabama at the above numbers for
availability information and to order.
A special thanks to Phifip Morris for his ongoing
assistance and aDVice with this publication.
© 2004 DesignAlac·ama Inc.
ISSN# 1090-0918
This issue of DesignAiabama was designed and
produced on Macintosh Computers utiiizing OuarkXPress
4.1. Proois were printed on a HP 4000N and final output
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Casting an icon
in a new light.
p.7
DesignAiabama is a publication of DesignAlabama Inc
Reader commenis and submiSSion of articles and ideas for
lulur€ issues are encouraged.
Bringing new life to the
r i verfro nt/ downi own.
plO
FEATURES
"Urban Design"
CONTENTS
Working with nature in
coastal developments.
p.24
pI a QQiD9JQlhr~~P if ll~Q~l0 Q? .. . ..~_.
MONTGOMERY RIVERFRONT & DOWNTOWN
9
MASTER PLAN 10
BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTER MASTER PLAN 14
.-,,--~-,.~~-------
SOHO SQUARE, HOMEWOOD
ROSS BRIDGE, HOOVER
HELENA PLAN
ARTICLES
THE EASTERN SHORE TRAIL WALKS THROUGH
ALABAMA'S COASTAL BYWAYS
DEPARTMENTS
ProjectANews
Workof StatewideSignifican~~__ ................ .
Design.Makes A Difference
Vulcan Park: A Monumental Fit
Designer~Profi Ie
b~ndscapeQesi gner:~h adWat~i~s__ ... .._~ ........
Historical'i'Perspectives
16
17
20
22
4
7
24
DepotRel)Q.:NewU.s~es for ~lab~~il'sTrain Stations~ __ ...... __ 26
Details+Of Interest
Noteworthy Observations 29 ___ ....... ___________ •• " ••••• _____ _ , ___ " •••••• _____________ ", ••• ". _________ , ____ , .,,_'M •• __________ _
Overhauling depots for
new purposes.
p.26
Project.A..News
Project News
is a regular
feature of
DesignAlabama and
provides
an opportunity
to keep
up-to-date on
design projects
that have an impact on
our communities.
"f'
rchitecture •
y
The Ross Bridge Renaissance Hotel
of Hoover is sited in the picturesque
Shannon Valley surrounded by wood­lands
and a new championship golf
course. The seven-story hotel designed
by Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood of
Birmingham houses 260 guest rooms, dining and confer­ence
facilities and a spa A landmark within the Ross Bridge
Village, the eloquent. grand-scale manor with its stucco
and stone fa~ades features modern amenities cloaked in old­world
ambience.
In the grand lobby, natural finishes from the exterior fol­low
through to the interior. Stone and wood give way to
high ceilings with prominent wood trusses and elegant
iron and crystal chandeliers. Natural stone fireplaces and
plush upholstered seating are set off by coppery patina
tones and fresh vibrant colors.
....
Giattina Fisher Aycock was an integral part of the redevelopment of three abandoned downtown Birmingham buildings
into a mixed-use complex of 57 loft apartments. 25.000 square feet of office space, covered parking for 200 cars and a small
publiC park. The Jemison Flats project which interconnected the three historic buildings in the city's central business district,
is a successful example of urban redevelopment and adaptive reuse.
Working with a tight budget and respectful of historic guidelines, GFA's design team researched materials and layouts to
minimize partitions, maximize light infiltration and create visual interest in each living unit. In the early stage of construc­tion,
one apartment was built as a full-scale mock-up to test materials, evaluate partition heights and refine the detailing and
overall flow To optimize the number of apartments and bring natural light through each space. the units were designed as
long rectangles, with kitchens and open living areas at the glazed exterior walls where daylight and city views are amenities.
Bedrooms and baths are primarily internal, with translucent partitions of corrugated plastic to draw borrowed daylight inward.
An economical alternative to glass, the plastic partitions serve as light filters and also offer dimensional texture.
Commercial renovations include the restoration and re-glazing of a skylit dome in the original meeting hall for the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. This space is now the offices of a local advertising agency. On the first level, sunlight
now illuminates commercial spaces The 1980s-era dark glazing was replaced with clear glass in wood framing as in the
building's original design The architects worked with a local blacksmith to create a handcrafted steel door and copper cano­py
at the main entry Outside. the design team orchestrated sidewalk improvements, selected street trees, updated light poles
and designed a landscaped urban park for loft residents, commercial tenants and the general public.
Jemison Flats Exterior, Lobby and Door Detai!
DesignA.iabama 4
....
Sloss Furnaces is being renovated to irnprove educational
resources, stabilize on-site historic structures and add a
Visitor Center and Exhibit Gallery. A master site plan for
improvernents to this unique National Historic Landmark
has been designed by HKW of Birmingham. Construction
drawings are almost cornplete on the Visitor Center, site
access and exhibits that are estimated to cost approximately
$13 rnillion.
Regions Bank Parking Deck Addition
The rnaster site plan was developed to accommodate tour­ism,
special events, metal arts, education and interpretive
park space. Exhibit design firrn Van Sickle and Rolleri
is creating exhibits that showcase the iron industry in
Birmingham. The main exhibit centers on the furnace
with simulated hot iron flowing under visitors' feet as they
approach the furnace before proceeding inside to experience
the iron-smelting process through their senses. The story is
told 'first person' through the words of actual workers taken
from an extensive oral history collection.
Future phases of the master plan call for improvements
to the Metal Arts cast house and the creation of additional
studio spaces Plans also include improving site access for
events, creation of a greenspace/urban park and eventually
a recreated portion of Sloss Quarter - the cornpany town
where many employees once lived.
....
Cole and Cole Architects of Montgomery is working
with historic St John's Episcopal Church in the capital city
on a $6.3 million expansion and renovation. The church
is adding a 20,OOO-square-foot education building and
will renovate 20,000 feet of existing space The historic
sanctuary dating to 1855 and where Confederate President
Jefferson Davis once worshipped will not be renovated.
However, the parish hall will be returned to its late 19th/early
20th-century appearance with the addition of a new kitchen
and the former kitchen converted to a dining area. The
1950s Sunday School building will be restored and a new
wing added on to its north end. Recessing the two-and-a­half
story new building away from the worship center will
create a courtyard and open space thai reaches out to the
downtown area. Leslie A. Cole is the architect
....
The new Auburn Universiiy Poultry Science Building, a
Classical Revival edifice, marks a move away from the
Modern and Post-Modern styles erected on campus in the
latter half of the 20th century This move follows adoption of
guidelines recommended by IDEA image consultants.
Blondheim & Mixon Inc. of Eufaula designed the
86,OOO-square-foot building with an ornamented formal
exterior and a forrn-follows-function interior for offices,
classrooms and labs. The exceptions are a conference
roorn and the monumental reception area with formal
decor including wainscoating, decorative rail and pilasters.
Two-thirds of the space is dedicated to state-of-the-art labs
and includes a Biosafety Level III lab that will figure into
biological terrorisrn research. Challenges for the architect
SL Jor,n's Episcopal Church
Ross Bridge Renaissance Hotel and (top) lobby Detai!
related to these specialty areas were access control for
security and air movement One-fourth of the buiiding area
is dedicated to mechanisms for moving air safely through
the building.
Completion for the $18.4 million structure is anticipated in
late summer. Mike Hamrick of Blondheim & Mixon is proj-
· eet architect and Rebecca Hatcher of Hatcher Design
: Associates Inc., Birmingham, the interior designer.
A..
, Williams-Blackstock Architects of Birmingham has
designed a 700-space addition to the Regions parking deck
on 4th Avenue North. Work will begin this spring and will
• double the size of the existing deck. The facility is designed
to resemble a building rather than a parking deck with bays
at ground level which mimic storefront windows. The Birmingham
Parking Authority says the structure will help accommodate
· the growing number of employees in the city center.
A..
: The new Dothan Regional Airport Terminal, which replaced
• an outdated terminal building, is a $3.5 million. 28.000-
square-foot facility which can now compete against other
regional hubs such as Montgomery, Tallahassee and
Columbus. The main objective of the project designed by
Waid McNamara Parrish of Dothan was not only to
make room for additional carriers but also to use the facility
to provide travelers a positive experience flying in and out
: of the Wiregrass area. For these reasons, the building, com­pleted
in fall 2002, was designed in the vernacular of the
area that combines today's technology with the charm of the
area's traditional roots.
: The Terminal Building houses ihree carriers with expansion
room for a fourth, four rental car companies, a restaurant
and administrative offices for the Airport Authority. The
building features a bracketed colonnade the full length of
the passenger drop-off and pick-up areas along with a drive­through
canopy. The interior of the building focuses on a
: two-story circulation axis space from the main entry to the
enplaning and deplaning waiting area.
AU Poultry SCience Buiiding
Dothan Regional Airport Terminal and (top) Interior Deiail
ngineering II
Y
Polyengineering Inc. of Dothan
designed the recently completed
Enterprise Sports Complex. Its
four softball fields meet adult and
youth tournament requirements At
the center, a three-story building
containing 4,300 square feet houses concessions.
mechanicals and rest rooms on the first floor. The
second level contains a large meeting/observation area,
two offices, a restroom and open observation balcony
covering the first floor perirneter The scorekeeper's area
is on the 3rd floor The complex was designed based on
a master plan which includes future playgrounds, picnic
pavilions, a maintenance facility and additional parking
Glenn Morgan was prinCipal engineer and project
manager and Jon Carn architect.
A..
. Thompson Engineering and Watermark Design
Group, subsidiaries of Thompson Holdings of Mobile,
are responsible for the new Cruise Ship Terminal and
Maritime Museum to be built at Mobile Landing The
terminal, a $20 rnillion facility, will include retail space,
meeting facilities and a parking garage Carnival Cruise
Lines will begin cruises to Mexico from the terrninal in fall
2004. The Maritime Center, with groundbreaking scheduled
for November, will house a regional visitors mall,ferry ter­minal
and interactive maritime heritage experience. Design
of the building'S interiors and exteriors evokes Mobile's
rnaritime connection to the world.
Mobile Landing is an 8-acre maritime transportation com­plex
on the Mobile River. Completed last year were 1,400
feet of new docking space for large ocean-going vessels, a
riverfront pedestrian promenade, an amphitheatre and plaza
connection with the existing Cooper Riverside Park, parking
areas, an internal street system, security lighting, dockside
power and water and landscaped space for the public.
Mobile Landing is being funded through a combination of
public and private dollars.
Thompson Engineering has provided project management
services for the design and construction of the complex. Dan
Dealy of Thompson Holdings Inc. is project manager for
the Mobile Landing development and Rich Mueller, AlA,
of Waterrnark Design Group project architect for both the
Cruise Ship Terminal and the Maritime Center.
Barganier Davis Sims Architects
of Montgomery recently completed
the interior design for Dr. Scott
.'. Sprayberry'S new Orthodontics Clinic
in Auburn. Design services included:
space planning, lighting and rnillwork
design and interior finish, furnishings and artwork selection.
A slate floor and wall fountain, frosted glass doors and
expresso-stained walnut millwork and furniture set the
relaxed, yet sophisticated tone for the office. Tooth-shaped
stools, a photo booth and game stations are fun for younger
patients, while an expresso station and private work area
make mom's and dad'S waiting experience less painful.
Troy State University has a new ouad­rangle
focal point on campus based
on a 1930s design by the Olmsted
Brothers, the renowned New York
architects who designed the city'S
Central Park and North Carolina's
Biltmore Estates. The Troy State plan was partially imple­mented
then filed away and forgotten before resurfacing in
the late 1990s in a desk drawer in Troy City Hall. The TSU
Nationa! Alurnni Association raised funds to support the
project. To create the new Bibb Graves Quadrangle, a horse­shoe-
shaped drive and parking lot that separated the quad
from various campus buildings was removed and replaced
by green space. The focal point of the project, a departure
from the Olmsted design, is a large fountain and wading pool
with a bronze 9-fooHall Trojan warrior statue designed by
TSU alumnus Larry Strickland. Wide brick walkways spoke
outward from the fountain toward the buildings and connect to
a loop walkway surrounding the quad. Four broad plazas mark
the quad's principal compass points The addition of decora-
: tive light poles, benches and swings contribute to making the
new/old quad a pedestrian-friendly environment.
~ Trojan Warrior Being PositionS{j in the TSU Quad
Mobile Landing aild (top) Maritime Center and Cruise Ship Terminal
5 Volume iX. No. i
One of the highest priorities in the
restoration of Vulcan and the sur­rounding
visitor's center was to create
an area for learning which would
establish a link to the community and
• its history. The interpretive and inter­active
exhibits throughout the Vulcan Visitor Center make
this connection. 'Exhibits' in this case extends to include all
elements of the visitor center from outdoor displays that can
be observed and touched, to interior interpretive areas asso­ciated
with the traditional museum experience.
Amaze Design Inc. and Southern Custom Exhibits
Inc. of Anniston sought to create quality exhibits and visi­tor
amenities that would help attract and maintain a targeted
visitor flow of 20,000 per year. While a number of goals were
used as pOints of reference for the overall design of the proj­ect,
the need for community connections and accessibility
were paramount in the design of the exhibits.
As visitors enter the center directly from the plaza, they are
greeted by a floor-to-ceiling exhibit of massive artifacts rep­resentative
ofthose forged in Birmingham during its heyday.
The multicultural-based exhibits, which depict Birmingham
and the surrounding region's history, are organized into
eight areas including: Recipe For A City, Frontier Town, The
Vulcan Story, Becoming Birmingham, Depression & Decline,
Towards a New City and Birmingham Each title lends itself
to the thematic contents of the exhibit and include newly cre­ated
items alongside the old -linking the past represented
by Vulcan and the city's iron and steel roots to the current
dynamic, multHaceted city.
Vuican Visitor Cenier (top and middle)
ASF Web Site
DesignAlabama 6
.-~.--
• .g
._" ...
~---------.
Montgomery Web design firm
LWT/KBK New Media recently
launched a pair of high-profile proj­ects:
newly redesigned Web sites
for The Montgomery Convention
and Visitor Bureau (CVB) and the
Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF)
The new CVB Web site is an interesting example of Web
design driving the look of traditional creative work. LWT/
KBK's creative director, Laura Rainey, created a pho­tographic
design element which conveys Montgomery's
historical past and its impact on the present - from a
visitor's perspective. LWT Communications (sister agency
to LWT/KBK) collaborated on the project using this concept
to design creative for the CVB's new advertising campaign.
In approaching ASF's site redesign, one of the biggest con­cerns
for LWT/KBK was obtaining high quality artwork for
each of the plays. Stock illustration wasn't an option for this
project. LWT Communications, ASF's advertising agency of
record, agreed and both companies felt strongly that some­thing
special should be commissioned. Two artists, one
from New Zealand and one from California, were retained,
and the results are spectacular. The illustrations were utilized
in all of the print work and throughout ASF's Web site and
broadcast e-mails.
Please visit the CVB's Web site, www.visitingmontgomery.com.
and ASF's Web site, www.asf.net.
A
AI Eiland, creative supervisor in the Office of
Communications and Marketing at Auburn University,
was challenged to redesign the iogo for the student transit
system. To increase ridership and build student confi­dence,
major changes regarding routes and schedules
had been proposed. Eiland felt that the look of the system
should reflect the changes it had undergone. The name was
retained, but the image was up for grabs.
"The use of a tiger reference was an obvious choice, but
I wanted the logo to address the transit idea as well, so I
introduced the arrows suggesting movement. I incorporated
what I call the 'Oh' factor into the design - where two ele­ments
are created using the same parts. The viewer may
recognize one before the other, but eventually both elements
are identified - sometimes with an 'Ohll didn't see that at
first: " Eiland explains. Whether you see arrows or the tiger
first really doesn't matter, he says. The use of orange and blue,
Auburn's colors, adds another layer of familiarity to the design.
Monigomery CV8 Web Site
While urban design works at the scale
of blocks, districts and whole cities
(see main feature, p.9), it can also play
a role at a more modest size. In the
case of University Town Center on The
Strip near the University of Alabama, a
57,OOO-square-foot shopping center steps forward to make
an urban statement.
While the Publix Grocery part of the center had to be set
back due to site limitations, the multi-tenant component
comes up to make a firm edge along University Boulevard.
As part of a streetscape improvement project by the City
of Tuscaloosa deSigned by KPS Group of Birmingham,
changing the site frorn suburban setback to urban frontage
was recommended. Both Bayer Properties, the developer,
and Crawford McWilliams Hatcher (CMH) Architects
(the team that did The Summit in Birmingham) agreed with
the concept
Making an L with the parking to the rear and side are two
buildings with a small plaza at the juncture providing out­door
dining space and welcoming pedestrians to the internal
frontage from University. The plaza also allowed large shade
trees to be saved and provide shade. Campus Drive, which
extends through the site, provides auto access. A restaurant
with a bowed glass wall fronts the sidewalk at the terrace
end, and four storefronts extend the rest of the frontage.
Food service spaces were placed at the forward ends to ani­mate
the street exposure.
"Though some tenants did not want entrances both on the
sidewalk and parking lot sides, we designed storefronts
with high glass transoms and awnings that provide a tradi­tional
storefront ambience," says project architect Michael
Tilman. "We used a higher level of detail on the whole
sidewalk frontage than on the elevations fronting the parking
lot." A popped-up roof and band of clerestory windows also
anchors the street corner exposure. A
x
~_ .... _L __ .... ___ ._~_.~.'" _____ University Town Center
TIGER TRANSIT
Auburn University T(ansi( System
Walks and terraces feature interpre- DesignlllMakes A Difference
tive panels descrihing geology, mining
histary, WPA-era war\( and, as seen
here, key elements in various views.
hy Philip Morris
The iconic 56-foot-tall statue of
Vulcan, Birmingham's exhibit at the
1904 St. Louis World's Fair, cap­tured
most of the attention during
a four-year restoration campaign,
and rightly so. But now that Vulcan
Park (1938) has reopened to great
acclaim, visitors can see that the
whole ensemble - the statue, the
park, the stone tower and overlook,
the new Vulcan Center - was a com­prehensive
project that took some
$14 million to accomplish. From
planning down to the most intricate
exhibit details, many designers had
a hand.
Above Right: Preservatian architect Jack Pyburn of Atlanta set the new free-standing
eleva tar tower 011 the sauth axis so Ihe original would screen it from prinCipal downtawn
views. The concrete pylons repeat angles from the oclag08al1938 column.
a monumental fit
Following the formation of the nonprofit Vulcan Park Foundation
(VPF) to raise funds, oversee the project and operate the site under
a long-term agreement with the City of Birmingham, a national
search led VPF to select Amaze Design Inc, of Boston as the lead
firm, Along with a number of consultants in visitor profiling, site
Circulation and other specialized fields, landscape architect Nimrod
Long & Associates was brought on board to handle park deSign
and HKW Architects to design the new Vulcan Center Atlanta­based
preservation architect Jack Pyburn was later added to focus
on the tower restoration and design of a new elevator tower
Amaze Design Inc, developed the master plan, in concert with
various consultants and with extensive input from user-groups
and under the guidance of a planning committee created by VPF,
Under the direction of Joe Wetzel, well-known museum/exhibit designer
and founder of the firm, Amaze Design also designed the exhibits
intended to give an overview of local history (See Project News, p,6)
Throughout the process, the client and designers had to balance the
need for returning the statue and monument to original condition (the
$3.5 million in federal funds demanded high preservation standards)
with contemporary visitor demands, including accessibility,
7 Volume IX. No.1
The process was too complex to fully describe in this space,
but here are some highlights
• The cast iron statue was disassembled, restored and
reassembled under the direction of Scott Howell at
Robinson Iron in Alexander City. Instead ot the concrete
used in 1938 to anchor the statue (which, ultimately,
caused its deterioration), a stainiess steel armature
connecis ali the parts together and to a new tower plate.
• The modern white marble cladding and enclosed
observatory trom the late 1960s were removed and the
mostly intact original sandstone tower beneath restored.
The stone tower base and the open-air steel observation
deck were rebuilt from architects' drawings.
• After much debate, a new free-standing (and, thus,
reversible) poured-concrete eievator tower was placed
on the south side of the stone tower so it would be only
minimally visible from primary city views. The elevator
pylons repeat angles of the octagonal stone tower to
reduce their mass and improve the 'fit'
• To create ADA-acceptable access and also serve
educational purposes, the main entry approach follows
the alignment of an existing walk at the eastern edge of
the park Panels along this route describe natural and
historic aspects of the park and interpret views. The
original entry's grass terraces and stone steps, destroyed
in the modernization, have been recreated, but not the
cascades. Due to accessibility they are gated and will
be used only on occasion.
• Native sandstone in a random ashlar paitern simiiar to
the original stonework is used for retaining walls and
other features throughout the park. The Vulcan Center,
with the museum level above ground and function room
and ofiices below, has an arbor front with stone columns
to give it the appearance of a park structure.
• Rea!ignment of the entry road to the east side of the
expanded parking area gives visitors views of Vulcan
atop the stone tower that were not available before.
By taking a comprehensive approach, Birmingham now has
a singular civic monument and park that has never looked
better. Design made a difference every step of the way III
DesignA!abama 8
5
1
3
2
4
This photograph published by The Birmingham News when Vulcan Park reopened in mid-Marcil shows the restored
statue and 1938 sandstone tower, the recreated WPA-era park and the new Vulcan Center {right). Joel Eliason, project landscape
archllect fnt Nimrod Lung & Associates, researched WPA·era projects to help guide the deSign.
2 Exhibits in the Vulcan Park Center give an overview of local history wliile relating the saga of the monumental statue.
3 The grass terraces and iarmal axis ta the Stiuth, wiped out in the late 196Ds modernization, have been recreated as
shown in this master plan. Due to accessibility, the pedestrian approach follows a gently graded walkway to the east.
4 Native sandstone, laid in random ashlar pattern like the original tower, was specified for this gateway pylon, retaining
walls and port/ans 01 the new building. The new logo echoes the original park graphics.
The original apen-air viewing platform was repraduced from architects' draWings, but in stainless steel to reduce
maintenance. Due ta unsightly patching discavered when the white marble cladding was removed, all mortar joints an the 124-loot-tall
column were tuck pointed ta a depth of about 4 inches, adding $350,ODO to the project cost.
Wltat:~tl1edifferencebetwelJn planni ng and urban desi gn?
...... , Essentially, planning has. tended tdconcentrate on maps, subdivision layout, zoning districts and the like
---limited to two dimensions. Urban design generally works in three dimensions, dealing with
more complex matters of architecture, historic urban fabric, mixed uses - it wants to determine hovvastreet,
block or district will look and feel. Planning _____ "w'w·
URBAN in 1bree by Philip Morris
" e I Dimensions
For towns and cities in Alabama, matters of urban design have mostly been wedded to local historic districts
whereby guidelines and design review are used to make sure new buildings or changes to existing buildings are com­patible
with what's already there. But urban design can be used to shape any part of a community.
Past issues of DesignAlabama have spotlighted urban design in action, usually on a project-by-project basis.
This issue features a survey of some very exciting work underway to put these more sophisticated tools to work.
We lead with MontgometJ! where a dramatic turn toward good planning and urban deSign has produced
a plan for downtown and its waterfront already having impact
Next comes Birmingham The city has long had an active urban design program, but it's being taken to a new
level with the Birmingham City Center Master Plan update now underway
To illustrate that older suburbs can find urban design a good tool as well, we present Homewoods Soho
Square There a public/private joint venture is turning an under-utilized block in its streetcar-era downtown into an
urbane mixed-use complex including a new city hail and a plaza flanked by two structures combining retail and residential.
We describe Ross Bridge in Hoover, a 1 ,600-acre residential development with urban design giving
place-character to its village center, which will be within walking distance of the new Ross Bridge Golf Resort hotel being
built by the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA)
Finally, we include the new comprehensive plan for Helena in Shelby County near Birmingham that offers
not the typical strip approach but a centers-based one to create a pedestrian-friendly community.
DesignAlabama works to present design at work at all levels. These projects engage planners and urban
designers, architects, landscape architects, graphic deSigners and engineers in a more dimensional place­making
task. Their clients - developers, city staffs, elected leaders and others - are partners in the process. These are
exciting models for everyone to study.
PMip .llorn:," bas !!lore (h{/I! 30 yam; /!,'(j!erieilce iii lJl({grr..ill(! trod, illeludillg (eillll'C3 as 1!.\"I:wlire edifor {{lld e(/ilor-af./mp,e at Southern Liring. Coa~lal
Lii"ing mId SOllthern :\CCCIll$. AI/boug/! be refired fil lOGO. ,·j/o/,ris relllains uclire {IS ({Fee/mIce IITllei' (fud re.,/)(x/er/ lecturer OJ! rie.,t!,l1. (IS ud/ CIS (/
I1/t(io}' colI(nb!!Io}' (0 llt'5ignAlabama.
9 Volume IX. No. i
m aID
Ulli
llil<lll Dt'Sig,ner: Sasaki Associates, Basion
An:llitett & t'fulller: Brawn Chambless Architects, Mllntgomery
Progr:un :>1:Ulagcr: Facility G({~UP, Atlanta
Economic Anal),b: Economic Research Associates, Washington, D. C.
ElllirolllnCnl:II Engineer: Malcolm Pirnie Inc., Birmingham
Cit)' Phlllller: Ken Groves
"fIJI! Rin!!jro!l! & f)()II"II/OII'il .I!asler {'kill ii/us/mIt's bOIr existilt!! tllctfllf (ofs siJollld be jilted ill lI'it}) II!!II" l){{ildil/3-~ (iJ/ tltlT/.! grt9'J IIlId boll' fbI! uhole ({fell sl}{Jllid be coJIIlec/ed 10 fbe Im/eljlt!lli. 'fbe !Jaltp(/i"k risible ill fbe IIpj)!!r lIIiddle }i((rl oJlbe jJlau. ()r(~il/(d1.)' slllfer! jill' PiJase 3.
_Master Plan Photos courtesy of BIVWll Chambless Architects
Under a remarkable turnaround, the City of Montgomery has put planning and urban design high on the civic agenda, Its
Riverfront & Downtown Master Plan, a sophisticated study with solid economic underpinning rolled out in 2001, has gener­ated
projects that are bringing new life to a neglected urban core and waterfront.
DesignAlabama 10
Debate about a proposed baseball park triggered the plan. but
it was the election of Mayor Bobby Bright in 2000 that jump-started a new
attitude toward planning and design "We had a long period of anti­planning,"
says architect John Chambless Jr. "It was very frustrating for
architects who understand that a master plan helps define the context for
designing projects and assures that they add up to something greater."
For several years the city had discussed whether there should
be minor league baseball, at what level of play, whether a new ballpark was
warranted and where it should go. When this issue landed in his lap soon
after election, Mayor Bright said a plan was needed to guide this and other
civic investments to assure good choices were made. The team put together
to conduct the study included: The Facility Group, a public-participation
fbi.-- nXell! aerial pbo[ograpb oJfbe J!OI/(~OllleIJ dVimlOlf!! walelfrolll sholl"s (he !lew ballparkjOJ'/be .lIon/SOllie!)'
BisCiliis illserted ill/o tbe We/rebollse Dis/i'ief tllld tbe I/elt RirUljivlli Purk lIearby.
specialist firm that served as program manager; Sasaki Associates, a The Montgomery Biscuits' new/old-style ballpark opened in
highly respected Boston-based firm of planners. landscape architects April in the location the master. plan said it should be: right downtown
and architects known for waterfront projects; Brown Chambless Architects where it will attract between 270,000-300,000 visitors a year. (The AA
of Montgomery; Economics Research Associates of Washington, DC. also league team will play in-state rivals in Birmingham, Huntsville and
a national leader in its field; and Malcolm Pirnie Inc, civil engineers oj Mobile). Incorporating a part of a historic railroad terminal, the $26
Birmingham responsible for the environmental engineering. million. 7.000-seat, city-owned facility is primed to stimulate adaptive­reuse
of buildings in what's now called the Warehouse District Of five
sites considered. this one was determined to have the greatest economic
impact on the city, leveraging private investment.
Uke /bl' celebmled Crill/tlell )"tmL,· halljlm-k in Baltimore. tbe lie/(" Nil"erurdk Stadrlml fifs illtiJJla/e(r iI/to ils lIrhall se(!illg.
Scher/llteri to simi colls/mctioll
/!JfsS/lIIIJJlel: I/;elIe.rI/l/;ase0/
fbI' 1((lteJj"l"OlIt 0/lell s/laC{' t!1"
Br01(// Cball/Mess .-ircbile!."t.\" of
llr)lllgOI!l(!r:r is floe Nirl'i"lmfk
/1 sbortlmfl.' (111"f(rfrulll tbe lIell' hal/pm-/.:. fhl' 111'11' RiI'PIIrollf I'm·/'- is fbI' first /)/)(/se (!fa lillear jlark f/)flilCilllllfilllatl'(rfrollt the I"ire!"
/bmllgh dowli/owl/ {llId adjacellt lIel:r.:./;bor/)I)od<. The balld s/;elt is (/ tellsile/abl"ic stJ"llc/lIl"e fbtl! jI/"O/"ides corer ({lId/mllll!.' the tira dell".
e.rtelldillg west/rolll fbe
NicelIrollt P(/rk If calls.fhr dillillg {{II(I
sbOjlS oH'dookillg the /Caler (llld pllNrc sjJ(/ce
cOIlJlecfed to flt/joillillg Ii/ocks.
Designed by HOK Sports Venue of Kansas City, the firm respon- Locafed just a short walk from the new ballpark, the $2,5 million
sible for the celebrated Baltimore Orioles ballpark that started the movement Riverfront Park features a tensile-structure bandshell and an expansive lawn
away from 'anywhere stadiums' to 'local ballparks,' the Montgomery facility was wrapped by a rough-hewn cypress pergola (the latter eventually to be covered
shifted one block east of where the master plan called for it to be. "The original with vines) There is also a splash-pad water feature - jets of water gushing
site has a telephone switching facility that would have cost too much to replace,' up from a paved surface - to attract play. "We decided against structured
says Chambless. "But moving one block means it's still in the designated area amphitheatre seating in favor of simple, sloping lawn since the park is meant to
and actually connects better to the waterfront" be both a place for events, as well as year-round casual recreation," Chambless
explains. The park holds up to 4,000 people for special events and, as at the
Evident in the title - the Riverfront & Downtown Master Plan -
connecting downtown and adjoining neighborhoods to the Alabama River is the
baiJpark, views of the river command the site,
guiding principle, Though the river was where the city started, over time the railroad Events wili animate the waterfront, but both the master plan and the
and related industrial uses created barriers that limited access to this historic, detailed plans for the urban stretch of riverwaik call for retail and restaurants
scenic and recreational feature, Re-making connections is now a priority. to bring people down to the river on a regular basis, The multi,level arrange­ment
includes parking below and between 20,000 and 30,000 square feet leased
The waterfront part of the master plan designates phased 'Improve,
ments stretching 225 miles from Powder Magazine Park west of 1-65 to Northern
Boulevard north and east of downtown, A first phase, the Montgomery Riverwaik
and Riverfront Park plan prepared by Chambless' firm is now underway with
a new public park and amphitheatre above the river completed late last year A
multi-level riverwalk extending west to an existing park at the foot of Commerce
Street will start construction this summer
for restaurants and retail, A new concrete bulkhead protects and reclaims land
for the project, but the city and the designers know going in that there will be
flooding, "We COUldn't overcome that and have any real connection to the river,"
says Chambless. "The bulkhead r,as tie-backs that extend 30 feet back from the
edge, and we'll have wash-off stations to clean up after high water"
11 Volume IX. No.1
I rball des{!{JI/{lIitie!inl's bare beell adopted {o (1.'SUi'/! {/Jallll'll' bllitdillgs tire (/t-si.',fllerllo reilljon-e 1/;(' bisforic urballilbric. like Ibis COllljJllfl!f-rell!ll!fed mode! tbal il/duile.' (/clifl' gl'Oulld jloor IW.8ji)r jlllilfe jJllrkill,'./ ~'I/'IIctllres,
DesignAlabama 12
Along with the ballpark and the new park and riverwalk, the third major com­ponent
for early action under the master plan is expansion of the convention center and
addition of a new 200-room hotel. Doubling the number of hotel rooms currently available
adjacent to the convention center will greatly expand the number of events the complex
can attract Located at the lower end of Commerce Street, the proposal highlights another
key urban design principle: filling in empty spaces and putting building edges back
along streets.
Applied to a multi-block area designated Civic Square in the master plan, the
infill process calls for the urban fabric to be tightened with new buildings at the same
time a block-square public space is created in their midst Thus, the new Civic Square
will be fronted by historic Union Station on the north, the existing Embassy Suites on
the west, the civic center/hotel expansion on the south and historic warehouses across
fbI' IIItlsll!fpkm cdtsjor mixed-lise illduilillg re"idelilial ill botb (~\'istillg (llId lIell' buildings ill {be Warebolls/! Dis/riel (/1/d
d,ell'/Jere i/O/I'll/OIl'll.
Commerce Street to the east It will connect to the waterfront via the existing Commerce At the suggestion of Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley Jr., celebrated
Street pedestrian tunnel. for impressive work in urban design and development over the past decades,
Montgomery created The Riverfront Foundation, a nonprofit 501 3 organization
The $85 million expansion and hotel would, in effect, put back the west side in 2000. Its purpose is to promote and help coordinate efforts on both the public
of Commerce Street that was demolished when the original convention center was built and private side. For example, the !oundation has negotiated the new baseball
The ground floor facing Commerce would have active uses iike restaurants and shops franchise and is working on the convention center/hotel expansion. Currently it
with the hotel above. This sort of remedial urban design - filling in vacant blocks is working to encourage developers to pursue residential and mixed-use projects
with appropriately designed mixed-use buildings, including residential units - is a near the new ballpark
strategy called for throughout downtown.
"It always helps to have a nonprofit group serving as advocates, marketers
Introduction of residential units, in renovated buildings as well as new ones, and cheerleaders when a city is trying to do a complex job like revitalization," says
will greatly help to make the downtown core and adjacent areas a more vital, animated the foundation's president Judge Mark Kennedy. "Most people in Montgomery
place. These would range from loft conversions in the Warehouse District or the Central are truly excited about the prospects. The response to ticket and suite sales at the
Business District to appropriately designed new infill houses in Cottage Hill and re- ballpark has been very good. These initiatives represent a paradigm shift People
located historic houses in Old Alabama Town. For East Bank (North Montgomery), the who haven't been to Montgomery in a while are astounded."
master plan calls for a new neighborhood oriented to river views including townhouses,
condominiums and apartments with its own pedestrian-friendly retail center facing a new As the master plan effort got underway, Mayor Bright took steps to
small waterfront park. create a fully professional city planning staff. Under new planning director
Ken Groves, the city is at work updating ordinances and procedures needed for
As the Riverfront & Downtown Master Plan makes clear, some of the proposed implementation. The master plan calls for more flexible categories or overlay
improvements may take as long as 20 years to realize. The plan also stresses the impor- zones to encourage a mix of uses and urban design guidelines to assure both
tance of public/private partnerships and a range of implementation tools (See Zoning & public and private projects meet expectations (See Zoning & Urban Design, p.12).
Urban Design, p.12).
Battleship U.SS Alabama 21 the star! ot the tfail. JOQgers of ail ages use the trail in Fairhope. School kids enjoy the new Gator Aliey segment of the traii in Daphne.
h Estern hore Trail
Iks hrough laba 's
oastal y
by ELIZABETH VIA BROWN
D 1 J)J( \1 []) \\ \1l\.lj{S Ai\j) BfC'/CLlSTS \!AY SOO:\" 1ll\\T:
IIll OPP01{lt0.:ll\ IOSiROll (WP]J)\I \11 IIll \\\)
FRO.\] THE 'U.S.S. BxrTLESIl!P ALABA'\!:\ A:"Cl-jORED E\ ?vloBlLE
Rw TO TllE ESTtAl<Y FESERI"!' 1:\ WEEKS B,w, OC-; ALIll,\\IA
HlC>I]WA'r- 98, SOt:TflEAST OF POJ:\T CLE:\R. Now AHoeT T\\'()-
Daphne trail skaters
T! IIH.DS CO.\IPLETE, Tl JE 33-.\lJLE-LOT\G EASTER:'\" SllOHE Tlnl!.
\\AS Jl'ST :\ ])1\ [,\.\J 1') YE:\H.S AGO \\T1E\' TEKO \XlISE.\L-\:,\ OF
F.\IlUrOPE BEGA:\ TAU,-E\(i ABDUl' SLCH :\ PATH.
Teko Wiseman strolls past a sculpture scene on the Fairhope trail.
DeslgnAlabama 22
The lack of side\valks in ne\v housing developn1ents
springing up along Alaban1<l's Eastern Shore seen1ed
to be pulling neighbors apart, \x/isen1~H1 explains. And
she fretted over changes in the charn1ing, close-knit
pedestrian lifestyle that had long been a way of life in
Balchvin County. \\?hen \Viseman met Stanley Anderson,
an avid bicyclist. she found an ally whose frustration
centered on the lack of adequate and safe lanes on
which he and his cycling iJ'iends could ride, Their
plight appealed to other coastal residents, and in 1996,
the Eastern Shore Trailblazers \vas formed to work with
local governn1ents to establish a netv",'ork of pedestrian/
cycling trails along the eastern shore.
Essentially, the idea f()I' an extended path was Wise­rnan's,
says Anderson, and she found others \'''''ho shared
her enthusiasm, Retired in January 1993 from the City
of Mobile, 'vlisen1an \\;as instrumental in the Port City's
"Keep America Beautiful" program, "Retirement just
didn't work for me," says the busy community leader..
\\<:ho bas always been an active civic organizer. Today.
she works full-time, albeit as a volunteer, with the
BakhYin County Trailblazers. Just last year she logged
3,000 miles seeking financial and design assistance for
the path, which, when complete, will travel through
sic-; communities - Spanish Fort, Daphne, Montrose,
Fairhope, Point Clear and Weeks Bay,
The 8-mile fenced walkway across the Mobile ]3;11'
Causeway to Spanish Fort was already in place vvhen
the Trailblazers began their project. and it became ;111
official link in the trail. Currently, the state's Conserva­tion
Departn1ent is conducting a clean-up along the
causeway in an effort to obtain National Scenic Byway
status, vvhich will enhance the trail even further. Other
established walking paths, like tbe city sidewalks in
Fairhope and several paths near the Grand Hotel at
Point Clear) have been incorporated into the long jclunt.
Adapting to local rights-of-way, the communities and
to the condition of the land through which it meanders,
the path is made of concrete sidewalks in some areas
and wooden planks in others,
.. ,'"., ""-"-'-',,' -.~~~'~'~""'"'~".'
istorie Downtown
>-"'-."" .•••• ' ' '" •'." . _.,'_.~ .. "~. ,.,_-,0
own Center
.~.
71;e Iml!.'!' produced to SflllIIlltiri::e fbe IIr/;lI/! desigll recollllllendatiolis for flelel/tl is /00 smlll! fo r('ad alliJe red/lced set/Ie seell here. bllt fbe liJref!-ilimf!lIsioll(l/
aPPJV({c/J can be seel) ill fIJI;' street elcmliolls ({Jli! the pl(ills In'tJ) buildillg jiJolprillls
in fbe urbal/
fbe wbole.
into a Town Center with new mixed-use buildings facing sidewalks
rather than being set back behind parking lots. As the plan was taking
shape, it also incorporated Hillsboro North and Hillsboro South, two
new centers envisioned for a large new USS Realty development, as
well as another planned for a new development called Riverwoods.
These centers would be linked with traditional streets and
roadways that provide options for access, avoiding the bottlenecks
of the one-way-in/one-way-out approach. A network of open space
trails and parks linking neighborhoods and centers is also included.
'If its leaders have the will to see the plan through, Helena could be
the shining example of a community of distinctive centers rather than
anonymous strips,' Hester says.
imii ,~ •. ""
~ ~~:.:':-... ~
ggl ',.,-
Meanwhile, the RPC worked with the Auburn
center on a similarly dimensioned plan for Cordova in
north Jefferson County, and it has also engaged private
design firms on others. The new dimension in planning
is also embodied in the Center for Regional Planning &
Design, a restored warehouse in downtown Birmingham
where the RPC shares galleries and meeting rooms with the
Auburn Center, Region 2020 and others engaged in shaping
the future._
21 Volume IX. No. I
,:/
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,.X
F"",,<:,.,, •• , ~:;~~iif~~>~/'
";~~. t ~s ~~.~
.~~;F?'::;:::;':::;';;-~-;~~
llrnUlr",DtJrlBLliJ I2k'BilIlB[j I n ~nj:, ___ / __ c_ ':v , "~~'<''''
lh-lJJJ:'-;z =:-\~I oo-~ '" .;-~ ~~ - '\ ~ -: -~ ~ ~_ :=-----=_ ~ _ ,--LLUJotTIrA~ ~I"-...~ r. ~
-, -- - ," - -- ~ j~ ,-, - -. ~,- -- ",-- __ 'I.kW~ 5~ I';r'
:~ y~, [J}{i'. r( ".' :~~/,,?,~,·--:,:~=-~?,,<;:~(Z
,.j doser del(" of/be Historic Dml'llfO/nJ coJ/lJJOllellf oj fie/elias II/(/sfa pkm jJoster
ifllls/rates bOil' lIell' bll~/dillp_s {{lid IIses U'ould reil/fo/'t(' exislillg IIrhali/abric alld
il/cor/lorate jlllb/(COj!C1I sjlaces.
"II:'
Helena Plan
rr/YJ.n J)t~igrwr: Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham
AU Center for Architecture and Urhan Studies. Birmingham
" __ ,\.r>c,,"! ,t;",
.?-' i ".
"("< ~/-/ ,!.:<':c'--';>
---- -
The new comprehensive plan for Helena, a formerly rural Shelby County community now seeing much expansion as part of
the Birmingham metropolitan area, offers a lot more sense of what kind of place it wants to be than such plans used to have,
The poster produced as part of the effort includes building elevations for an expanded historic downtown,
OesignAlabama 20
'This is our first effort at designing a plan in three dimensions,"
says Joey Hester, senior planner with the Regional Planning Commission
of Greater Birmingham (RPC), "The ideas and images enliven the plan and
help people get excited about the possibilities, It gives them something tan­gible
to hold up when a developer comes to town,"
About two years ago the RPC began a conversation about collabo­rating
on a Helena plan with the Auburn University Center for Architecture
and Urban Studies in Birmingham The process would combine the two­dimensional
kind of map plan done by RPC with the three-dimensional
approach used by the Auburn center in its small town visioning work, The
effort began in the spring of 2002 and was wrapped up in spring 2003 The
Helena Planning Commission adopted the plan in October of that year, and
the city council endorsed it in April 2004,
"We call this a centers-based approach to planning in contrast to the
typical commercial strips," says Hester "Fortunately, Helena has its Old Town
which had already been rediscovered as a location for antique stores and
restaurants, so it was easy for them to understand our plan to have a series
of such pedestrian-friendly town centers,"
In addition to an expanded Historic Downtown (Old Town), the plan
calls for reshaping commercial development at the area's major intersection
At {f I!/(,~r (lI!em?cliolllliJere retail is already clustering. tbe /lMJI wfls jiJr sba/lillg (/
[()/m Cellter senwl !~r (/ i!.rid ({lid with bllildillgs brougiJ/lo fbe sid{'lf(dks. l/)re(! olbe!"
(('lifers lriff serH~ lIIajor I/CU' !(!sidellliat aretls pIal/lied /0 fIx: U'('sl.
Ii
s,""Q,~ "
"WAY ,0T 'co 01/
Cf""<"?IATfr P.',H~"'C
"'~"'T;QN B
?·WAY ''''f' ,., ">'11 WI"" pm;., ! [,
PA."~""~' W'TH SOfS
~T9" ,..
D'/.Y v,", -2 ,'Ow
,~:8H..;.) ;>A.~~I~'r
""GT,rN "
?'WAY "WE " Gw ;)'""(:"""1" PA.~K,,,r:
\ , /\
V \
~;-~7!Q,~ f
z::':~L.£E;;r " QW w,T" ;"):~~f'"",
~i£.'&..9£i1!i~
-.~ ..... ---... -.. -_.- , .. ~ .. -,.~~.--.. -.-.-
\
~
fl' "q SFRy"'C, ''''';:
'·w:.y y,q f' "OW'SQ ;>AR'''''iG
.lIas/a Roa(/lIY()' Pfall/o}" Rv)'s Bridge 1'011'11 CI!IIII!}"
SbOlfS "freel s(!ctiolls jor mriolls e.oi:cI'"
STREET SECTIONS
One of the main accomplis/Jments oj the new urbanism Section C, the ~}pica/ residential street, is 26 jeet curb to
mOl)ement is the revitxtl of street designs tailored to pedestrian eJlL'iI'OJl- cllrb, and that allou)s parking on either side. Parking on streetj~ both
ments. instead oj one-size-fits-afl geared to cars traveling at 45 miles residential and commercial, is lJielfed by nell) urbaniSTll proponents as
an how; narroll'er streets and tighter radii for corners serve to slow a trciffic-calming device. GrandArenue has tU)O diJftrent sections; Sec-traffic
and make foot or bicycle tracel seifer and more comfortable. tionA in the mixed-lise tOll'n center is 38 feet finm curb to curb which
includes one moving kme in each direction and9 jeet on each sidefor
Varied street sections, when coupled with hOllses and other para//el parking; Section B from the town center to the botel has a 100-
stmetures brought forward toward the sidewalk, giee different character foot right-of way with 38 feet L'ltrb to curb (with parallel parking) and
andfeeling to places within a neighborhood or district. lbe graphic tben28-joot-wide pedestrian ways on each side (5-joot-wide walks
illustration here shows the plan and eight different street sections being between double rows of trees anti gms;).
used jor Ross Bridge Village Cente!: The)' range jrom streets with angled
or parallel parking on both sides in areas with mixed uses to intimate
residential streets and the accompanying alle-ys.
"I'm collvincedjrom what I've seen - taming cars is crllcial
to creating livable places, " says LOOJW"}I Ricks Kiss urban plmmer John
'«mFossen. "We need tight corner turns with a radius of jiee feet. !fyou
have a 25joOl radius like most civil engineers uxmt, cars don't have to
stop or even slow down, so it's badforpeople !lying to cross."
This attention to the design 'if the public realm, including
the L·ista of grand avenue terminated with grand botel, is a ke.v part oj
planning in three dimensions .•
19 Volume IX. No.1
"
\
/
/
/ /
/ /
DesignAlabama 18
{-lbol'cj lbe f;/all/or Noss Brir(t:,e hul'/! (ellfC'1" wl/s
Jbr rollgb(r lim cizr Mocks lillcd /l'ith bllildill/':'s Ib«{
collie to /be sidell1dk. Parkillg is (II1-S{lr'('{ (/lid ill {be
middle (!( /be Nach. {be {a!fa (/ccess/bIt! I~r C!lJ:\' flild
pedes/rirms tlf ser(;'m! locatiolls. SII!TOlllldill/!.liJe 101m
cl'lIfer uHf be s//Ialler-Iot n'sit/cl/!ia/ Ilc(!!.bliorbootl,·
serred 1~r af"~l's. Gmllc/ BmrfeamJ uHf rIlllfrollllbe
jJarkla!l: !broll:;!}) tbe celller. past flJe park (Illd 011 fo
11)(.' bold
(Lq(lj lbL, bi/r/s-ey(' /k!IYJ!'ctilr' s/)ows fix: /?os.,-/JrirZr;(!
/Olm eel/ler uit/) fbe Noss Brk(~ (,'o((Resorl bore! ill
floe bad'ground. .roU' tlllder cons/ruelioll. fbe bolel
desigll is {~r (fOOdlllll . .Ifill," & Ca/rood file.
the buildings for access to the interior, both for cars and pedestrians," Also like While the balance of Ross Bridge will be less dense and with residential
Celebration, the Ross Bridge village center structures can be either retail or office lots served by driveways from the street, there will be care taken to keep it pedes-with
residential above or all residential Structures may also be designed to have trian-friendly, "Garages will be set back behind the house fronts to be at least partly
ground floor residential converted to office or retail later if demand calls for il. This screened from the street," says Charles Carlisle Jr, of Daniel Realty, "The developer
flexibility in use stands in contrast to the usual suburban separation of uses into and the City of Hoover have worked together to make streets narrower and more
separate zones friendly to pedestrians, We have compromised a bit from our initial plan, but we feel
the urban design goals will be reached" (See Street Sections, p 19)
Adjacent to the village center are townhouse and cottage lots to flesh out
its pedestrian-friendly character, as well as a small park to be used for community A good example of the difference? The Grand Boulevard leading from the
events, Another major urban design move is Grand Avenue, which leads through town center to the hotel is grand in feeling but the pavement is not as wide as many
the village, past the park and along a tree-lined boulevard of grand houses about typical suburban residential streets where speed'rng cars result in demands for speed-one-
half mile to the hotel. "It will be a pleasant, easy walk from the hotel to the bumps from residents, Daniel agreed to traffic lanes 2 feet wider than they wanted, but
village center," VanFossen says, with double rows of trees on each side, sidewalks, pedestrian bump-outs at intersec­tions
and houses served by alleys, not driveways, The 'grand' in this Grand Boulevard
will be the open space feeling, not the pavement
Residelltial neighboi1Joods SIllTOlllldillg
Ibe Ross Brit{!{e 'linnl eel/ler wit! bllte
s/!I(liia /!lore urbllN /ols IIl/d ({!fey (Iccess
so "Irwts ltit! !Jare (11/ in till/lite. jJede"lritlll-
Jrie/l(l~r c/;({!"(Icler.
L·rban Designer: Looney Ricks Kiss, Memphis
:\]"(.:hiK'(L~: Looney Ricks Kiss, Memphis
Goodwyn, MU/s & Caywood, Montgomery
LanUsclpe Designer: Holcombe North Pritchett, Birmingham
Hoover
.. 1" il dece/ol)s. No.~s Brii(r;e lim·n Cel/ler Idf! baw (/ serie~· oJmixed-lIw bllildings Jacing Ross Bril(!{e ParkuYJ), ({cross (f green. Tbe firsl s!rue/llre (rigbt) 100jJen ill 2005. (/ u·ekolllel.~(tfes cellter. /I.·ill resemble (III bisloric resort tmill depot Itilb (I lower (//1(/ dock. Crt/JliI EOII/r.!l"(lrd
Ifill extend Ibro/lgb tbe lIIiddle oJlbe 11I"0-block tOim eellter ({lid lead fo fbe got/resort lind bote!. (·rhllll (bt~1I alld (lrcbill!ctllre 011 tbl! 1011"11 ee//ler is kl' Looney Ricks KIS$. (/ feadillg lieu· IIrb(llllsl firm.
Urban design has made a comeback on the urban growth boundary thanks largely to the new urbanist movement
gathering momentum over the past decade or so. With Mt Laurel and The Preserve well underway, other large-scale
developments planned for the Birmingham metropolitan area are moving away from the usual subdivisions-and-strip
commercial to more urbane place-making.
Ross Bridge, a 1 ,660-acre residential development coordinated with the golf
course and resort hotel of the same name by Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA),
will include approximately 1,800 single family dwellings, 600 multi-family units and
a pedestrian-scale mixed-use village center Developer Daniel Corp with partner USS
Realty retained a leading new urban design firm, Memphis-based Looney Ricks Kiss,
as urban planner and Holcombe North Pritchett landscape architects of Birmingham
as land planner.
The urban design has focused on the village center, the 126-acre core of
the development where lots are smaller and all served by alleys, true to new urban
prinCiples The town center embraces the equivalent of two city blocks at the heart of
the viilage and combines residential, office and retail uses,
Set back behind a green fronting Ross Bridge Parkway, a new thor­oughfare
leading through the development, will be a series of buildings ranging
from one to four floors, Of varied but compatible architecture, these structures will
face Market Street with angled parking on both sides. Grand Avenue, extending
from the parkway through the village center, will also be lined on both sides with
buildings brought to the sidewalk, and additional mixed-use buildings and town­houses
will front adjacent blocks with parking both on-street and within the blocks,
"This is similar to the town center at Celebration," says John VanFosen,
project urban planner for Looney Ricks Kiss who lives in that success-ful
Orlando new urbanist development. "The key is to have breaks between
17 Volume IX, No. I
i\rchitCd.: Cohen & Company, Birmingham
blndscape :\rchitec!: Holcombe Narlh Pritchett, Birmingham
Ci\il Engineer: Walter Schae! Engineering Ca. Inc., Birmingham
Soho . Square, I11---III omewood
IlJis relldt'rillg I~r Cobel! (- COlllpti/l)' sbo1t:~ fbe lun re/(ti/lresir/enfirl/ bllildings (btl/uHf flal/k /be jJ!{{;:a iJ/ !rOil! of/be lIell' ci~r /Iat/.
1IK/ollr,sfo)'), /mildill,!.! Oil If)!! k:jl will s/(1) £101m 10 //(0 storics as il e ... fellds tOll"ard II/ode,,"/·sm!e bllildfllp.s ill /be bem1 q( f!o/ll(,lCood:~
sfreetc(/r-em dow/lfoll'/!.
Homewood makes this clear: Lumping all suburbs together is a mistake. While the city's bucolic residential neighborhoods
fit the suburban image, the core of its streetcar-era 'downtown' has an appealing urban feel. A block-square project now undercon­struction
there will give this early suburb a big boost in urbanity.
DesignAlabama 16
Soho Square (for South at Red Mountain, Homewood) includes a new
four-story Homewood City Hall facing a plaza flanked by two mixed-use buildings
with retail and restaurants on the ground floor and residential condominiums above.
Though the block was thinly developed, including a lumber yard on the interior, it
connects directly to the existing downtown core. The planning and design for
all three structures by Cohen & Company of Birmingham calls for an ensemble of
distinctive buildings. There will be parking for 400 cars on one level below grade.
allowing a tight urban fit.
(Fal" k/lf Jill efr;>f(ffi()II f!f!be IJeI/' JlOIJII!II'OOt! Ci~r
flal/. al/chorillg {he lCesl side o/fbe jI{u,;;((. II/akes clew
Ihe eirie ,~rlllbolislll q( tbe (/es(":!.II. ()JfJerj70OJ's uHI be
clad iii liIJ/(!stol1(,·/JII('d C(lst COlicrete j/{IJ/l'/s while the
c%l/Nade e((:;illp. the p/rC(f uHI be of bricf:. Cobeu f-
ComJ!m~)' tire arebitl'cts 011 Ibis !!IIifding as we/t.
fLt::fI} 011 Ibe sill' J!k/ll {be IIliJ(!1l /;ui/r/ingfoolJ!rilifs
afe made denf uHb the tbree sfruetures shapill,Q (Iii
iJlljJOrftmlllel( (irk sj)(lcl' Irbile coJlI1('cth(:; If) fbe
I!xisfill;:!. dOll'llfOI("II.
Avenue North in the heart of Birmingham's loft district. The commercial/residen­tial
components of Soho Square, ranging from two up to four floors, will have
much the same scale and variety found there.
Homewood City Hall, fronted by a plaza extending to the east between
the flanking structures, has a classical character with an art mode me tone.
Symmetrical wings step back in plan and elevation to emphasize a central gabled
pavilion, all faced with limestone-hued cast stone. A brick colonnade at ground level
mediates between the building and the plaza and is intended by the architects to
This is also a public/private venture. After more than a year investigating represent the people of Homewood coming together. This is civic architecture:
possible s'ltes for a new city hall, local developer Scott M. Bryant approached the city 'city hall: not 'municipal building'
with the idea of the mixed-use block just across the street from existing municipal
buildings. Bryant assembled the property and the city paid the $84 million purchase The retail/residential buildings will front sidewalks and extend existing
price. The city will build city hall, and the developer will build the two flanking struc- pedestrian character around and through the block with dining and other uses
tures. Homewood Mayor Barry McCulley estimates that tax revenue from the private spilling onto the plaza. There will be a total between 75 and 80 for-sale Soho
part of the project should cover the city's $12 million construction costs Flats on upper floors Between 15 and 18 businesses will occupy ground floors.
In addition to the 400 underground parking spaces, there will be 200 more behveen
"It's a true city center Everyone likes to use that term, but it's real in this the complex and the backs of existing buildings. Construction on both public
case:' said architect Richard Carnaggio of Cohen & Company in a newspaper report and private parts of the project will be coordinated with completion scheduled for
about Soho Square. Carnaggio and his wife, Tammy Cohen, are architects with a deep fall 2005 •
devotion to urbanism. They have their home and office a few doors apart on Second
Afier a national searcr!, the city selected Urban Design Associates
(UDA) of Pittsburgh, a firm well known for strong community-based planning,
to lead the team, Other members include: Kems Pearson Inc', Birmingham, land­scape
architects: NHB Group LLC, Birmingham, architects: Economics Research
Associates, Washington, D,C" commercial market study: Zimmerman Volk
Associates, Clinton, N,J, residential market analysis: Glatting Jackson, Orlando,
transportation planning,
The team came to Birmingham in January to gather information and
conduct a series of meetings with varied groups, They returned in early March
to conduct a four-day charrette - an intensive design process conducted with
stakeholders and interested public brought into the process. The results were
presented at a public forum the evening of the final day.
UDA principal Don Carter walked the audience through the process
with vivid graphics projected on a screen at the Carver Theatre, He surveyed
existing conditions, showed summarized lists of citizen opinions and visions,
explained the design principles shaping the master plan and then used plans
and birds-eye views to illustrate key components of the plan emerging from the
team's work,
On transportation and pedestrian links, the recommendations extend
throughout the city center. These include:
• Phasing out all but three pairs of one-way streets in favor of fiNo-way
streets that can be designed to slow traffic and accommodate distinctive
streetscapes alluned to parlicular neighborhoods or districts
• Creating a network of 'green streets' that serve as gateways between
the cily center and surrounding neighborhoods, as well as pleasant
environments for walking and living
• PUtting the now-elevated porlion of t-20/59 below grade instead of
rebuilding it as IS, capping the block between the BJCC and Birmingham
Museum of Art with a plaza
On more specific improvements, Carter said the city center covers
such a wide area that efforts should be focused on reinforcing present strengths,
The team settled on iour areas:
• Creating vital mixed-use districls north and south 01 the new linear park
planned along the historic railroad district with the University of Alabama-
/lejl] .. 1 doser <,iew vf fbe areas lIor//; ({I/d SOllt/; q/
/be pltllliled {jlle(lf /Jllrk between t/OII"II/OII'II (/111/ U8
IIhete rfiaimixed-llse dis/riels /I'ill be eIlWIIN(~ed.
Inclilding lojls 11111/ l!el(' resiilen/ill! -'!ruC/III"I!:;.
{BdOlf] "[be telllll led I~I' I rb£1I/ JJes(!{1I :!:i.,·oda/es of
I'i!l:;bllr:.~b ilfllstrates tbe ii/milled Inmijimll(/ti()III!I
n!~~1 An!illle.wlltb illtv II lie/I" lIIid-rise n'sii/eI!Iitl!
"Irel:! ul"er/uokill,!{ tbe l!ell" pllrk. l./Jwllim:,11or,\"
!"I!celllfy {llI/wlII/ced (/ lli!le-sfOJ), n/ajl/J"I!siileJlli(//
blli/dillg altbis loc(ltiol/. (See Project.Yell·s. pA)
Ihlll~1XJrl{/livlI COI/Sllllallls proj}ose I/Jtlt lbee/el'll/ell segmellf 0/1·20/59. I/OU' (/ barrier bellweli lyee (luti i/Oim/oim. be J"C/;uif!
beklll' grade. Tbe !JI(I::a ilIlis/Tilled ben:. adj({c(!l1/ 10 fbe Bi!"millgb((/I/ .III1SI'IIIII I~r:lrl, li"ollid mjJ 1/;(' recessed bigblu{v awl creMe
(I gellenms pedes/drlllliuk beluw!!I liill! Park (illd BJCC
BlflOlngham (UAB) and the cily partnering on the area south ollhe raliroad
• Building a new, predominately residential neighborhood north of Kelly
tngram Park in the Civli Rights DIi;tlld
• Extending the movement to lofls, studios and olher uses for the blocks
north and sou!h of the railroad park and east of 20th Street wilh both
renovation and new intill sjructures
• In conjunc!ion with the proposed lowering of 1-20/59, rebuild connections
between the cily, the BJCC and proposed dome expansion.
Even with much remaining to be done on matters of design and
execution, the powerful images of inviting open spaces and adjacent reSidential
blocks and of the awful 1-20/59 barrier gone have already stimulated strong
support The UDA-Ied team is forthright about modest growth for Birmingham's
city center - 800,000 square feet of new office space, maybe 300,000 square
feet for research and development - but optimistiC that the trend to city center
living will continue and, possibly. accelerate, All the more reason to use every
opportunity to strengthen what's already good, •
15 Volume IX, No.1
This birds·ere pers/Jeclil'e /ookillg nor!bIram !be Jlortb('fII (!({!!.(' l!f fIx (AB lII(!(limf cenl('r IJigbf(r.:.hts Ibe ::OIl{,S where !be currell! IIItISfel"/ikwllpda/e l/'ifl direcl fbe mosl a/fell/ioll. '·65 is 10
the lejt. 1·2(;/59 ({nd [be BJCC IIN/r the to/).
t:i\y Center
111aster Plan Images coul'te~J' of [,i'ban Design Associates
Planning Con~ul!anl~: Urban Land Associates, Atlanta Economics Research Associates, Washinglon, D.C. Zimmerman Volk Associates, Clinton, N.J. Glatting Jackson, Orlanda
l"rban Dcsigner: Urban Design AssOCiates, Pittsburgh .\rchitect NHB Group LLC, Birmingham l.antbcape Architect: Kerns Pearson Inc" Birmingham City Planner: William A, Gilchrist, Birmingham
There were gasps from the audience when an architect's rendering of a new public park in the historic railroad district bordered by new
residential loft buildings was shown. Even more when another before/after pair showed the elevated 1-20/59 dropped below grade and
capped with a plaza between the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) and Birmingham Museum of Art. At the midpoint of work on
an updated City Master Plan, it has already created a stir.
DesignAlabama 14
About 20 years ago the city established a viable urban design
program that, along with public improvements and incentives, has helped
revitalize areas like those around Linn Park, the Civil Rights District, Five
Points South, Lakeview and the emerging Loft District. For the most part,
though, these changes have been gradual. And the last master plan update
in 1991 was more guideline than plan, The current one is emerging as
bolder and fully fleshed out with specific recommendations for public and
private investment.
With funding for the project approved by Mayor Bernard Kincaid
and the city council, William A Gilchrist, director of planning, engineering
and permits, is overseeing the process. It began with a 2002 visit by a panel
organized by the Urban Land Institute of Atlanta which produced a report
assessing what a master plan should address. There was also a series of
locally organized workshops to engage various stakeholders and the public.
lbe Inllls/JOrta!ion alit! Iillk·
ages parI C!f fIx plal/ corerfllg
/be en/ire ei(r eel/fer callsjor tI
grid OJ/!,fl?('1/ streels'ldlb wider
sidellwlks. lalJdscaping alld
accolJlmodations/or pedestfirms
alld cyetists. 7be)" also /ink exis!­il1g
(llld /1/flI!II(!(/ opell s/laces.
ZONING & URBAN DESIGN
rwo goals ofJlontgomer}"s downtown masler plan - a
dynamic mix of uses and buildings responsive to particular context
- require cbanges in existing zoning and urban design guidelines
for bolh public and primle projecls.
Zoning in most cities separates llses into different mapped
zones - thus the name. This fraditiollalQ! made sense in protecting
neighborhoods from nO.riOllS industries. But one side effie! has been
to turn Once diverse urban quarters into sing!e~pUl1)ose areas that
often lack vitali!v. The deadness of downtown office precincls after
u...'Ol'k hours is now considered a major negative. Cities lookingfor
l'eViLyt/ want 2417 cores, jJlaces lfhere people are present 24 hours a
dc(r, seven days a week. And, on the opposite end of the spect,,,,,,. it
is now seen as a plus to hm·-e at !ea~i limited shoPPing and services
within walking distance for residential areas.
The implementation jJart of the masler plan calls for either
overlay districts applied to specific areas like the Warehouse District
or nell) zoning categories that encourage a mLr of office, retmt and
residential within the same block or udthin indiFidual buildings. "We
are alread)' e.\Perimenting lldth changes to remove the most SBlJere
restrictions, " says Ken Groves, planning director for the ci~}'. "We
noll' allow mixed-use for most of downtown We've also developed an
over/t{v zone that a/JOlt's regulated street vendingfor Dextel; Commerce
and tbe riveJji'ont. "
On the issue of urban design. the jJlau text calls !orurban
design guidelines "to establisb the pb)'sica/ parameters under lehich
botb jmblie and private jJrojects will be imjJlemented. " The guidelines
jor public prqects would address issues such as open sjJace. gatelVtl)'s.
streetscape treatments, lighting, outdoorfurnishings and signage. Tbose
forprimte development u/Ould cover such matters as historic context,
buildingplacenll3J1t, scale, proportion and massingJa,ades. parking and
parking structures and service entries.
Groves sa)!s the ci(}' has decided to include design guidelines
tbat distinguish between urban and suburban areas under a major revi~
sian of its zoning ordinance. In the meantime. since the ci(v is an actiFe
financial partner in projects like the proposed convention center/hate!
ev'\pansion, it can require that urban design goals are met.
The turnaround in Montgomel)' jJlanning and design will not
be geographiiXllly limited to downtoll'n and tbe riveJjront. Fo!lowing a
conference on Smart Growth organized by Envision 2020. a nonprofit
visioning initiath'e, the ci{Jl is taking a comprehensive approach to hale
it del'elops and redevelops cit)'wide.
THE CULTURAL DISTRICT
For Court Square and sllrrounding blocks, Montgomerys be retail and seroice commercial with !ilJe~lmrk units on upper
Riveifl'ont & Downtoum Master Plan calls for butiding on its existing floors. A new parking deck behind commercial buildings at Dexter and
physical chamcter and strengthening its role as a cultural resource. ,\'orth P(..>r1)! Street would seme this immediate area.
The distinctive shape of the un~square Court Square comes The Davis Theater and the nell' Rosa Parks Museum ne{l}'~F are
ji'Ofrl the intersection of two historic grids - Ve1J1 'visible where present cultural attractions. fro}' State CnicersifJ'Montgomw)'1 which
Commerce Street and Dexter Ave. meet at an angle '{citb the v'iew up OllJnS and operates the theatre, bas tnt/de streetscape improvements that
De.yter to the State Capito!. The square should be restored to a period add to di~trict character. Linking into the neu' Selma to lv/ontgotn81J' civil
character ll)ith sun-ounding historic bUildings also restored. Cses bere rights trait should strengthen the area as a destination .•
13 Volume IX, No.1
Visitors traverse raised walkways in the Weeks Bay Reserve.
While the trail isn't uniform in appearance, says
Anderson, it meets various environmental and disability
regulations, and its 8-foot \viclth can accomn10date both
,valkers and cyclists, Trailheads, or rest stops with park­ing
areas, appear in various locations along the trail. To
help with funding, some communities have sold hricks,
which can be inscrihed in tribute and honor of those
donating, Anderson explains.
The ne\Yest section
have a reason, you just don't go down most of the
lanes,' Because County Highway 98 has no shoulders,
it's even more difficult ;;lnd sometin1CS dangerous to try
to access some of the driveway.'s.
Her involvement in the Eastern Shore Trailblazers
has led Quinn to a seat on the state's Recreational
Trails Grant Committee, a federally funded program
for cities and civic groups. Her experience has been
re\varding.
of the trail opened vvith "The people I have met along the imaginary "The people I
have 111et along
the inlaginary
trail have been
wonderfuL vvith
a flourish in early April
2004, \vhen the seglnent
from the UOlive Creek
Bridge in Spanish Fort
to 1\orth Main Street
trail have been wonderful, with a vision and
the energy to make it happen."
in Daphne was dedicated, The Alabama Department
of Transportation provided a S200,000 grant for the
section, which runs along Highway 98 and 1-10 to the
Larry Dee Cawyer (sic) Scenic Overlook This section
has already been nicknamed "Gator Alley' for its low­lying
areas belovv' the underpass.
A natural trailhead, the existing county jXlrk at
Mullet Point on County Road 1 near the intersection
of Highway 98 and County I\oad 32, will be part of
the Point Clear Trail, says Julie Bagwell, a resident of
Point Clear and former president of the Trailblazers,
Construction, which includes the refiguring of some
residential driveway curbing, began in 1\'larch with a
ground breaking ceren10ny, but \vork on the ren1ainder
of the Point Clear Trail depends on funding, The next
phase of the trail will be built in the Montrose Historic
District, which received a $ L 5 million federal grant,
a vision and
the energy to make it [the trail] happen," she says,
When it finally reaches Weeks Bay Estuary, the East-ern
Shore Trail will provide direct access to 12 schools,
t\vo com111unity colleges, the u.s. Sport Acaden1Y, at
least 13 puhlic parks, two public libraries, four (or
more) hotels, three hospitals, two retirement comlll'u[l1i:
ties, two golf courses, two horse stables and ccl,u~f!lE'iis
restaurants and shopping areas.
If her dream were to be fulfilled, says Wiseman, the
trail would continue all the way to Fort Morgan and
end on Dauphin Island. For no\v, seeking grants for
1110re construction takes most of her energy,
but she does take time to walk along the
completeci portions of the trail knowing
that the Trailblazers are responsible for safe,
scenic and frugal 111eanS of transportation
along Alabama's Eastern Shore, 'ii'
Elizabeth Via Brown is a freelance writer based in Montgomery
A couple fides an lilclinalor in Point Ciear.
Bicyclist rides throLlgh'Fairhooe's Bayside Park,
Debbie Quinn, the liaison between the City of
Fairhope and the I3aldv",in County Trailblazers, has
supported the project fron1 its beginning. The trail,
which vvill run in front of her house in Montrose,
should have a positive impact on her family's life, says
Quinn, She sees it as a tremendous opportunity for
residential contact.
shore of Mobiie Bay.
'Because so many people live down long dirt paths
Of narrOw paved lanes, it's hard to get to kno\v your
neighbors in IvIontrose," explains Quinn. ·'enless 'you The Daphne library is on the trail route.
23 Volume IX. No. I
Designer~Profile
Landscape Architect: Chad Watkins
•
~ln,....,. oasta • til
aracter
by ELIZABETH VIA BROWN
Developing effective landscapes takes more skill than just plugging shrubs
and trees into holes in the ground. When a landscape designer puts pencil
to paper, a dream is set into motion, and it's the attention to meticulous
details that softens the edges of architecture and puts life into hard spaces.
Done well, says Chad Watkins, landscape architect with Site/Works Inc.
in Orange Beach, the landscaping is part of the overall plan and not
an afterthought.
The "Luau at Sandestin" features a waterfall streaming into
the pool surrounded by palm trees and native plantings.
DesignAiabama 24
"You hope the
construction con­tractor
completes
)'Ollf thoughts and
ideas," say's \Vatkins.
Landscape architects
act as environtnental
consultants and
instruct contractors
&" on \vhere and how
u
£. to place buildings.
~ Plantings can actually i direct traffic flow and
cg allow buildings to be
~ more functionaL
As a landscape
architect with Site!
Works, Watkins works closely with teams
of architectural designers and contractors to
create an1cnity packages for coastal devel­opments.
The finn's deSigns must consider
height restrictions, wetland environlncnts~
wind patterns over sand dunes and the harcli­ness
of plant material..
This can be quite a delicate task.. White
Sands Holiday Inn and Amber Isle in Orange
Beach, a 12-story hote! anel mixed-use con­d0I11inilllTI
project, has raised 50111<':: concerns
from local residents due to its proximity to
Gulf State Park and environmentalists' fear
that construction \vill endanger the exist-ing
natural habitat The 14,4-room hotel and
neighboring condo share a playground and
pool facilities and were designed to minimize
the environmental impact on the beach site,
says Watkins, project manager tor the land­scaping
and amenity master plan,
"We want to adel to, not rake away from
the existing landscape," says Watkins, By
locating the development into existing beach
thicket with regard to adjacent \vetlands, it
was designed to 111inimize environmental
disruption, If it were possible, says Watkins,
designers \vould rather cut out a space and
drop a building into the natural surroundings.
"We can't replicate what is natural, but we do
try to save the sculptural quality of nature
and turn it into an opportunity',"
Taking advantage of opportunity" is what
led \\/atkin5, 28, into a career as a landscape
architect. Like 111any teenage boys, he I110wed
the neighbors' lawns for spending money, but
instead of lilniting his service to SUI11n1erS,
he used his experience to create a full-time
job. After graduation from high school in
Tuscaloosa, he entered the landscape archi­tecture
progranl at YIississippi State University,
but dropped out for a ,>-'ear when he won a
large contract for a project in Greensboro.
Eventually, he returned to college to complete
his degree, but the year off gave him keen
insight into the practical side of the business.
·'Theory· ends where practice begins," says
Watkins, When he returnee! to his classes, the
educational lnaterial made more sense, and
he \vas able to view design froln a differ-ent
angle. Although he is no\v working full
tiIHe with a design fIrm, he maintains his
co-o\vnership of Breaking
Ground Landscape in Tusca-loosa
and returns on \veekends to
help oversee landscape renovations
and devise solutions for retaining \\.:alls,
drainage and site scale 5tor111 \vater.
At Site/Works. he has worked as the
project landscape architect of Llke Sumter
Landing, the second phase of a nev,/ to\V11 in
The Villages, Fla. Laid out on a 65-acre site,
the project contains 29 buildings that house
restaurants, shops, businesses and sales facili­ties
and is anchored by a wharf and market
square. In designing the landscape, \vhich
was completely originated by the finn. he had
to consider the area's hot and humid climate,
where rainfall is not a"vays abundant.
"I(s a sturdy landscape palette:' Watkins
says. "of Southern perennials and tropical
plants that suit the architectural character
of the buildings."' Site/Works has also been
retained to design the landscape for the
In this entry area under
construction at lake
Sumter landing, the walls
are therned to replicate old
boundary line walls along
a property line.
development's first 48 homes.
In Sandestin, Watkins \vorked as the
co-project manager for the landscape and
amenity master plan for a 260-plus-vacation
compound. A waterfall streams into the pool
at the Luau, which is surrounded by palm
trees and native plantings. As a landscape
architect, \\'atkins says irs his job to design
S\Vill1ming pools that enhance the topogra­phy
of the site, while being accessible, attrac­tive
and useful to the residents.
While working with KPS Group Inc., Wat­kins
was a member of the design team for
various planning and landscape architecture
projects including a c0111prehensive pian for
the city of Hoover, the strategic development
:;lake Sumter Landing Master Plan
The drive leading to the lake Sumter landing sales building is
reminiscent of an oak~lined lane leading up to a southern planta­tion
home.
concept for Auburn, the master plan and
landscape plan for RiverWoods in Helena, the
University of Alabama Riverwalk in lelscaloosa
and the landscape plan lcx dormitories at
Spring Hill College in Mobile.
Working with clients' desires, but with
regard to the natural enVirOnIllent, is \vhat
Watkins always hopes to do. Good design
begins with a good concept, he says, and it
continues even after the project is complete. C?
25 Volume IX. No. !
Historic'i'Perspectives DEPOTREPO III
III
FAYETTE
NEW USES FOR ALABAMA'S TRAIN STATIONS
by Jessica Armstrong
During America's late 19th century railroad construction boom,
more than 80,000 train depots were built. Thanks to their adaptive
design, sturdy structure and historical importance, many have been
saved for new functions such as retail and office space, restaurants,
community centers, museums and transportation services.
THROUGHOUT ALABAMA IS A TREASURE
TROVE OF THESE EARLY TRAIN STATIONS,
once again ,Ul integral part of the communities they served dur­ing
the peak of the railroad era. "Train stations were certainly
the most significant commercial buildings of the 19th and 20th
centuries, both in small towns and big cities," explains Elizabeth
Brown, deputy state historic preseryation officer.
"TRAIN STATIONS WERE
CERTAINLY THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS OF THE 19TH
AND 20TH CENTURIES,
BOTH IN SMALL TOWNS
AND BIG CITIES."
Tbe Ftlyelte ('{)filii), 'mill depo/INtS rebllilt ill 1913 nfter (I ciJYll'idejire
desfro)'etl the original buildiug. Today, the 1I1lISOlll}' structure lI,itb a clay
tile roof is "ome to tbe Ptl)'eUe CO/miy lJisloriclll Society flJld Cflamber oj
COlllmerce (lJuijeallfres {/ milraatl museum hf,ITIQrillg Jbe blli/fling's pusl.
"They were built of expensiye and durable materials such as
brick, slate, clay lile and marble," she continues. "Train depots
have a very recognizable building language. Even people who don't
know much about architecture would have little trouble recogniz­ing
a train depot. Because these buildings are so substantial,
many have survived long after their usefulness as a depot was
gone. Availability of enhancement funds in the last decade from
the Department of Transportation has meant that many of
these buildings have been rehabilitated into new, llsefullives in
Alabama's cities and towns." \iany of the stales train depot'> were
renovated with the guidance of the Alabama Historical Commission
and are on the ~ational Register of Historic Places or are part
FORT PAYNE
DesignA!abama 26
of historic district'!.
A number of Alabama's former railroad stations are now muse­llJlls.
ln FAYETTE, the waiting rooms of the 1913 train depot are
now a railroad museum, and the ticket office is used for the Fayette
County Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce. Following
National Register gUidelines, TurnerBatson, a Birmingham- and
Atlanta-based architectural firm, completed the $325,500 restora­tion
project in 2002. The masonry building features a wood roof
covered in terra cotta tile. "The depot had been abandoned for AbO/'e: bed (IS (I p(ls~'ellger (iepol 1I11til1970, the Fort p(tylle Imill SIf//iOll
many years and the Xo, I challenge was saving the roof," notes is IWIt' the Landmarks of lJeKalh Muse/wI. Be/oil': OrigiJUil pltlllS of the
"TRAIN DEPOTS HAVE A
VERY RECOGNIZABLE BUILDING
LANGUAGE. EVEN PEOPLE
WHO DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT
ARCHITECTURE WOULD HAVE
LITTLE TROUBLE RECOGNIZING A
TRAIN DEPOT. BECAUSE THESE
BUILDINGS ARE SO SUBSTANTIAL,
MANY HAVE SURVIVED LONG
AFTER THEIR USEFULNESS AS
A DEPOT WAS GONE."
project architect James Collins. 1891 s(/IulsJolle hllilllillg were flsed in its res/ort/liOIl,
Among the items salvaged
were the ticket windows,
which divided the segregated
waiting room.
Constructed in 1891 of
Alabama sandstone in the
Richardsonian Romanesqlle
style, the depot in FORT
PAYNE was used as a pa.%en­gel'
station until 1970 and is
listed on the :\ational Register
of Historic Places. The depot is
now home to the Landmarks of
DeKalb Museum. ·'The build­ing
wasH't in bad shape and
was restored using the original
plans," museum director Emma
Jordan explains. ·,It was found
in a book of train depot blue­prints."
Illustrated in the 1891
issue of Engineering Nell'S, the
small but stately structure fea­tures
a bay window prOjection,
veranda and round tower.
"r
.' ~ .. 1
BESSEMER
IlRlIlGEPORT
Bessemer ((TId Bridgeport
[mill depots are 110ff IlSN/ as
lJluseums. Bridgep(}r{:~ pl'e-Ciril
War depot tms replaced ill 1891
{cflb a SpIlT/is/; ;}fission-style
buildi1lg. illustmting fbe direrse
arcbiteclural szrles oj lraill
depots ilt Alabamll.
SELMA'S old L&S
Railroad passenger depot was
also constructed in 1891 and
is a local history museum
that includes a 150-year-old
caboose filled with railroad
memorabilia (not pictured).
Built of stone accented with
white quoins. one of the threc­story
building's primary design
distinctions is a tower with
a winding staircase. The Old
Depot Museum board operates
the city-owned property, says
director Jean Martin. For many
years the depot was used as a
state forensic lab.
The old Southern Railway
Terminal ill BESSEMER is
home of the Bessemer Hall of
History museum. Distinguishing
features include a terra cotta
three-level roof, terrazzo wain-scoting
and glue glass windows
- a process of applying glue
to the panes and drying it to
create designs.
The BRIDGEPORT
train depot's Spanish Mission
design illustrates the diversity
of architectural styles among
Alabama's railroad stations.
:\ow used as a museum. HDC
"TRYING TO MATCH OLD
MATERIALS SUCH AS
WOODWORK, MOLDING,
ORIGINAL TILE FLOORING,
BRICK WORK AND PRESS
METAL CEILINGS WAS A
HUGE CHALLENGE ••• "
A Jom! poiltt oj dou'lllm/"lt .IjJOlllg011l1'1}· is ["l1i(1II Statioll. rl'ritali;:l'd as part oj the cilJ:~ tin'limll! dl'('(!lopmellt.
A papular slOP jar risitol's. the first flam' oj the imposillf.: llu/SOlll:1' blliltlblf.: contaius a {beater:. gift sbop miff
e."hibiliml space.
Contractors ill Bridgeport renorated the 1917. tWO-SIOl)' stucco
over masonry building in 1999.;\ few months laler, the building
burned and was rebuilt using the original blueprints and modifi­cations
designed by Huntsville architects ;\louzon & Associates.
This is the third train depot in Bridgeport. The first was huilt
hefore the Civil War and the second in 1891 near the present site.
The adjacent freight depot was torn down when passenger service
ended in 1968.
UNION STATION in downtown MONTGOMERY was
restored by the Montgomery-based Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood
Inc. (Gi\"1C) and is part of the city's riverfront development. The
10,OOO-square-foot, $670,000 project inroh"ed matching original
components and details by llsing old, intricate tile flooring and
woodwork to complement and preserve the existing structure. The
first floor was completed in three pha..<;es - a lobby area and the­atre,
exhibition space and restroom facilities.
Roof leaks caused extensive interior damage, recalls Cliff
\Vingard of Gi\1C. "Trying to match old materials such as wood­work,
molding, original tile flooring, brick work and press metal
ceilings was a huge challenge," Wingard notes. "Also, concealing
all of the duct\\'ork that was visible through much of tbe previously
constructed station."
GoO(l\vyn, Mills and Cawood also restored the GREENVILLE
train depot now used by the Chamber of Commcrce with space
reservcd for community functions. The 3,200-square-foo! depot
was in "deplorable shape," notes Wingard. The 5382,000 project
inmlred using materials that either matched or complemented
the existing architecture. Cathy Gerachis of GMC oversaw the land­scaping
that was part of a cityscape project.
The Victorian-style EUFAULA freight depot. built in 1890-
1892. is no\\" home to the EufaulalBarbour County Chamber of
Commerce and Tourism Council. Blondheim & Mixon of Eufaula,
who also renovated the Cla}10n depot and will soon begin on the
Ashford depot, completed this project Frank Mixon was principal
architect on all three projects. Also part of the three-project team
Rigbl: 111 tleplorable shape td1en the restoratioll begml, the depot is 1101/:
a ceuterpiece af prilleJor the cUi;:ells ofGreelll'ille.
were architects Mike
Hamrick and Nancie Bush.
The CLAYTON depot is used
for city offices and public
meeting rooms. Another
example of late 19th century
Victorian railroad architecture,
the ASHFORD depot will
reopen as a railway museum,
along with prO\'jding public
meeting space.
Vintage railroad items
including a caboose are
displayed at the CULLMAN
depot which also houses
the locall:nitcd Way office.
The Pueblo-style stucco
building was constructed
in 1913. Other depots
used as museums include
those in STEVENSON.
GUNTERSVILLE and
PIEDMONT.
8elm/': iYorking togetber (0 I"eno-mte
fbI' Ellflwla (1I'po/lcere (from
the lop) arc!Jitects Jiike Ilamrick.
Frank Mi.\"011 allll.'<flllcic Bllsb of
BiOlUIIJeilll & Mi.\·01/ mul Carrie
J!a/'{{r aj [be Cb(1I11bet oj COli/mereI',
lchic/; is a tellmtl ilt the building.
111e sallie arcbilecltrral temll is also
l'esjJollsibfejor [be Aslifrml altd
C/llyJrm depot restmwliolls.
Ahot"l': 711e EuJaula depo[,featlll'-
jug lr;dl! orer/)(mgillg eal'CS (/lui
dl'CQralil'e trusses, IfllS consll'l/cled
ill [IJe ear(l' 1890s a11fl is 110ft tbl!
site oj thl! Eufaula/Bm'ballr COIf1lZr
Chamber ami a tourism board.
GREENVILLE
27 Volume IX, NO.1
CLAYTON
Abo!'e: Pitms (lre TIII/lefi/'IIY to
ope1l tbe Ashford In/in depot as
(/ rm'lIca}' mllseum. 1111! {lepOl
I/'{/S '''t' oilly building Iv sun'il'e
(I 1915fire. Il'IJic/J ,!estroyed
tbe area oj 1011'11 p(!rallel to the
milro({d lmelt.
STEVENSON
When Dorhan's old Dixie
Depot reopens, it will once
again be used for transporta­tion
purposes, as home to
the public transportation
terminal for the Wiregrass
Transit Authority. The esti­mated
$750,000 project,
by Waie! 1'-.Ic:\"umara Parrish
Architecture in DOTHAN,
is intended to make the
4,535-square-fom, two-story
structure look much like it
did when it was constructed
in 1907.
Jenkins Monroe Jenkins
Architecls did extensive work
on the 1886 freight depot in
ANNISTON, which was for ...
Old Imin depots pro/'ille illelll spaces/or JIIuseums,' (IS et'itiellcerl by the
m(/ll}, ill .1labflliUl 11011' lIsed liS museUIIlS, incll/dillg tbe depots ill S/et'ellsoll
(Il/l/ Pief/mollt,
DesignAlabama 28
lej/: like JIIost ojAI(tblm/(/:~ tl'f/ill
depots. the l'ec/(lIIglllflr-sb(/pef!
station ill C/uytoll I/'(IS cOllstl'llcfed
dUl'illg Ibe iflle 19lb cel/llIl'y. It is
IIsed jor ci~)' oJlices (lml prot'ides
pl/blic meeting spuce,
Righi: All/Jough Ibe CUJ/lJlflll
Ir{/ill flepot is IWIl' (l L'lIil(!f/lffl),
office, ['isitors (Ire remillded
oj its Origi1W/jullclioJ/ witiJ
rill/age rai/roml itelllS ami II
restored red caboose (}Il display.
merly used as their office and
also contained a cafe. The two­story,
Georgian-style masonry
building is straightforward and
free of ornamentation, explains
architect Julian Jenkins. The
building wa..'> designed with
freight bays, loading docks
and decking at boxcar level.
Anniston \ras once a leading
manufacturer of cast iron pipe,
so "an unusual amount of
freight activity took place,"
he notes. Landscape archi-tect
Marquis Hunt, working
through Landscape Services in
Birmingham, was also involved
with the project. Nearby is a
passenger depot constructed
in 1882-1883.
GUNTERSVILLE
Bllill ill 1892. tbe (;lIllle/,sl'I'lle
//'llill depolll'(IS rel/titlpled/f)/' use
liS (/ 1I111Se11JII. I('bieb is opemled by
tbe (;tl1ltersrille llistoriml Society.
THE CROSSROAD FOR TRANSPORTATION
AND SOCIAL INTERACTION, THE RAILROAD
STATION WAS A PLACE OF SiGNIFICANCE
THAT STAMPED A DEFiNING ARCHITECTURAL
MARK ON A COMMUNiTY. WHILE MOST
PASSENGER TRAINS NO LONGER ROLL IN
AND OUT OF TOWN, TRAIN DEPOTS REMAIN
FUNCTIONAL AND NOT SIMPLY DISTlN-GUISHED
REMINDERS OF THE PAST.
Although trains no longer pull into MOBILE'S GM&O
terminal, it will find a new use as a City-operated tt;:lllsportation
center for buses and taxis, A light rail system is aho proposed.
Bull! in 1907 in the Spanish Baroque style, Gulf Terminal was
deSigned by architect Philip Thorton ~Iayre, who also designed
stations in Birmingham and Arlanta that have since been demol­ished,
The ornate, domed structure is also being leased for
office and retail use.
The crossroad for transportation and social interaction, the
railroad station was a place of significance that s!<lOlped a defining
architectural mark on a community. While most passenger trains
no longer roll in and out of town, train depots remain functional
and not simply distinguished reminders of the past. '~
Jessica Armstrong is a freelance writer living in Auburn.
DOTHAN
Jlobiles old 6'J/&O tl'ain
lerl1lilUlI is ImdergoiJlg II
$20 millioll l'ellOmlioll, lI'bicb
(fill trll1lsjorlll fbe Spmlish
COI()}liftl-s~}'/e blliltUlIg into II
cily frllllspor/filion lel'1l1bui/.
nle IIrchiteet Il'/JO flesiglled the
bllilt/iug (I/so tlesiglled fhe trllill
dejJots ill BirmiJlgiJtlm (/lui cUirmtll.
wbich were tlemolisbelL
W/Jell Dotbmt's Dixie lJepol
reopens, it Il'ill be ({sed (IS II publiC
L'IIC/;(ll'flcieristic oj IIl1l1ly in tbe sillte, Anllistolls Georgilln-style J1U1S0JII'Y
IrllJISpol'tnlioll tall/ilUll. 1'lJe
/Jllf[-c%reflj(lce brick bllilding
IfilS colts/rllctefi ill 1907,
isjree 0/o1'1wllleTt/lllioll, COllslrueted ill 1882-1883, if /l'tIsjorllleriy tbe
oJlices ojJellkills Jl01ll'OeJellkills, lhe f/rc/)ileClll1'flljirlll tJull l'ellOl'(lled lbe
t{{'f)-s/ory building.
Honorable Mention
Giattina Fisher Aycock Architects Inc., Birmingham
Jefierson County Domestic Relations Courts, Birmingham­As
the Domestic Relations Courts deal with divorce, the goal
was to create an environment that would aid in relieving the ten­sion
of the process and allow separation of the parties through
private space, The exterior reflects separation with two distinct
brick patterns separated by a glass wall. A relaxed atmosphere is
enhanced through clarity of circulation and function Soft, indi��rect
lighting reflected off sculpted ceilings and a light, neutrai
palette provide a warm and quiet environment
Karrie Kitchens, Pensacola, Fla. and Robert Maurin.
Mobile, The Black Freedmen's Living Historicai Farm for
Children, Wilcox County - The Black Freedmen's Farm hosts
environmental education field trips for area students, as well as
annual festivals and various other venues, Until a permanent
laboratory can be built, the 'dogtrot' is serving as the environ­mental
education facility, Its frame, which provides protection
from the weather for presentations, was made, in part, from roofs
fallen from the barn, corrugated tin and wood siding Funds for
materials were provided by Auburn University Outreach and the
College of Architecture and Design,
2003 Alabama Council AlA Awards
Honor Award
Giattina Fisher Aycock Architects Inc .. Birmingham,
The Junior League of Birmingham - Hugh Kaul Children's Zoo.
Birmingham - The Birmingham Zoo now features a 2,5-acre
children's zoo where kids can explore and celebrate the state's
biodiversity, Visitors enter through tall rock ledges exposing the
strata of Birmingham's Red Mountain, This leads to a 50-foot­long
aquarium/Alabama River Exhibit then to a rock-climbing
play area with fossils and lookouts, giant spider web, slide and
rope bridge inlo a massive Iree. Circulation is organized around
a 240-fool-long, concrete and galvanized steel vine-covered
arbor where families can eat and watch their children playing
in two interactive water fountains and on the sculpted animals
in the tree-shaded play area, The Commons Building houses the
restaurant, rest rooms. a gift shop and flexible education space
opening to a teaching garden, The building's exposed steel
structure with expressed bracing and connections highlights the
region's original industry, Glass cladding and cypress siding
complete the structure,
Honorable Mention
KPS Group Inc. (Design Architect), Birmingham, in collabo­ration
with Zervas Group Architects (Architect of Record),
Bellingham, Wash, Western Washington University Campus
Service Building, Bellingham, Wash. - The 35,000-square-foot.
three-story building on the edge of campus houses a visito(s cen­ter,
student health center campus security and parking, Its location
as a 'gateway,' inspired its distinctive welcoming profile it features
a WOOd-frame welcome canopy, brick and stone exterior and
deep eaves and brackets consistent with campus and Northwest
vernacular architecture, This project also garnered the Alabama
Council Member Choice Award,
Bill Ingram Architect, Birmingham, Gallery Terrence Denley,
Birmingham (not pictured) - Rather than raze the 1950s-era
gas station, the architect opted for adaptive reuse that trans­formed
the International-style building, The cold harsh char­acteristics
typically associated with this style are softened here
by a careful Zen-like landscape and lighting design Though it
maintains the scale of its village setting, the gallery stands out
as a soothing abstraction to its Tudor-style neighbors. Inside,
the organization of space revolves around three distinct galleries
subtly set apart by varying ceiling heights.
A
Award of Merit
Interest
w A R
Lei! to right top to bottom:
Giattina Fisher Aycock Architects
Hugh Kaul Chiiorerls Zoo
Karrie Kitchens & Robert Maurin
D s
The Biack Freedmens Living Historic.al Farm tor Children
Krumdieck A+I Design
The Race Control Buiiding at Barbe, MotorspOrls Park
Giattina Fisher Aycock Architects
Jeiferson COiJn~1 Domestic Relations Courts
KPS Group/Zervas Group Architects
Western Washington University Campus Service Buiiding
Krumdieck A+I Design, Birmingham, Race Control Building
at Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham - This monolithic
concrete and steel structure was designed to accommodate race
monitoring and timing and house media faciiities, hospitality
areas (both open and air conditioned) and vehicles certification.
Overlooking Pit Road, the structure sports an elevator wrapped
in a helical stair giving easy access to its three stories. During
the race, officials monitor times from within the third fioor
Garage bays at the ground level serve as testing and evalua­tion
facilities. The second floor contains hospitality and out­door
viewing areas,
29 Volume IX. No. I
in February, the Montgomery Advertising Federation held
its 44th Annual ADDY® Awards showcasing the best in creative
design in the Montgomery area. Ed Noriega, director of the
Center for Design Technology and Industry at Troy State
University (<<dtitsu») was chair of this year's event.
LWT Communications won Best in Show in Greater than $5,000
and in Less than $5,000, and LWT/KBK New Media garnered
Best of No Show. LWT's Camille Leonard was awarded Art
Direotor of the Year. Her agency also won 12 gold awards. Other top
winners were Copperwing Design with four golds, Cunningham
Group three and LWT/KBK New Media three also.
For the third oonseoutive year, Troy State University students won
ali the Student Achievement Awards Steven Williams, Best
Design; Carol McDonald, Best Concept; and Troy Johnson,
Best Wit «dtUsu» students also won in professional categories
inoluding a gold by Blake Branch for his 'Antigone' poster ore��ated
for the TSU Department of Speech and Theatre.
DesignAlabama 30
Tep to bottom
lWT Communications
Go,ld ADDY ISaies Promclion/Art DjrECwr
of the Year
Hodges Warehouse -;. Logistics
lWT Communications
Gold ADOYjMixed iviedia Campaign
Montgomer), Convention & Visito(s Bureau
Cunningham Group
Gold ADOY/Collaierai tlrJa!er,'al
Ala. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
Swdenl Achievement A'Nard/Best Design
Stephen Williams
Troy Staie University
Main Street Mobile Awards
Main Street Mobile presented its 2004 awards in January to
reoognize individuals and organizations that have made a posi­tive
contribution to the revitalization of downtown. These awards
represent more than $22.5 million in private investment in the
revitalization of downtown Mobile.
Among the 11 awards distributed was the Leadership
Aohievement Award to the Mobile Regis/erand its publisher
Howard Bronson for donating their former offioes to thie Centre
for the Living Arts. The Outstanding Citizen Award was given to
Palmer Bedsole for his leadership and vision in founding the
Centre lor the Living Arts.
The Downtown Innovation Awards included: Kenny and Kimberly
Newman for renovation of the historiC Levy & Wolverton
Building; Carbone Properties and Steven E. Walker, direotor of
Historio and Downtown Development, City of Mobile, for resto­ration
of the GM&O Railroad Terminal; Henderson & Associates
for restoration of the historic Rayfield Building; Julien E. Marx
for renovation of the Commerce Building; and John Switzer,
developer 01 The Warehouse Condominiums, for his contribu­tion
to the residential development of downtown.
The Bienville Award was presented to Tom Mason of Mason
Communioations for his many years of advocaoy, support and
volunteerism for Main Street Mobile. Two President's Awards
were presented: one to the Centre for the Living Arts for develop­ment
of the oontemporary arts gallery Spaoe 301, and a seoond
award went to Larry Posner for his foresight and persistence in
renovating the buildings of Fort Conde Village.
AlA Gold Medal for Mockbee
The late Samuel 'Sambo' Mockbee, founder of Auburn
University's Rural Studio, has been honored as the 60th recip­ient
of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal.
This is the highest individual award presented by the AlA and
is awarded to individuals whose signifioant body of work has
had lasting influence on the theory and praotice of architeotUie.
He joins the ranks of such luminaries as Thomas Jefferson,
Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier and I. M. Pei
In 1993, Mockbee and Rural Studio oo-founder D,K. Ruth
established the program in rural west Alabama that introduoes
students to community servioe through architecture by design­ing
and building affordable homes and oivic structures.
In nominating Mookbee for the award, Jamie Aycock, Gull States
regional direotor for the AlA, noted, "Sambo and the Rural Studio
he founded have transoended both the arohiteotural profession and
the academy and have found shelter in the hearts of the populace."
AUCAUS Forms Partnership
The Auburn University Center for Architecture & Urban
Studies (AUCAUS), Region 2020 and the Regional Planning
Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPC) formed a part­nership
in August to open the Center for Regional Planning
and Design. A primary goal for the new center is to improve
the quality of lile for oitizens through responsible planning,
quality design and publio/private partnerships (See the Helena
project, p.20.)
AUCAUS, founded in 1991, is a teaching and outreaoh venue
for Auburn University's Sohool of Arohiteoture Located in the
historio Young & Vann Building in downtown Birmingham, the
center is direoted by Professor Cheryl Morgan and staffed
by fourth-year and thesis students. During its 13-year tenure,
AUCAUS has worked with more than 20 communities aoross the
state helping to develop rong-range visions and strategic plans
for revitalization. Community projeots have included work with
the Ensley community, Woodlawn, Rosedale and the Birmingham
Historioal Society's Buddy-Up Program
Top 10 botlom:
Levy & vVolvenon Buildirtg
GM&O Raiiroad Terminal Siation
Commerce Building
The l,'·/arehouse Condominiums
Rayfieid Bui!diilQ
DesigllAlal:iama Update
Look for great things to come from DesignAlabama: Three new initiatives have been drafted and are taking shape, as the
organization reaches out to the state in its role as a public forum for the design arts,
DesignAlabama (DAJ is in the early stages of creating a partner­ship
with the Economic Development Institute (EDI) at
Auburn University, Troy State University and Uniontown
Cares, a citizen organization in this Blackbelt community The part­nership
initially intends to create a new signage system for the
downtown area in Uniontown (left) in line with previous planning
drafted in conjunction with Auburn's EDI for the overall revitalization of
the city Design students at Troy State University will create the system
with input from the cornrnunity and Uniontown Cares,
On the other side of the state, DesignAlabama, in partnership with
the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) of McClellan and the Alabama
State Council on the Arts, announces the hiring of Goodwyn,
Mills & Cawood for a design charrette to be held this sum­mer
at FI, McClellan in Anniston,
Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood's Birmingham office, under team project
leader Jeffrey Brewer, will be working to develop a master
plan for approximately 11 acres on the McClellan property
(above) for use by arts-related organizations, individual artists, retailers and the general public The master plan
directives include preserving open space, creating greenways and developing sidewalks and other pedestrian/bicycle pathways to cre­ate
the feel of an open market and park, The charrette will consist of three stakeholder meetings, with the first scheduled to take place
in June, and the final, where the finished renderings will be presented, will occur in August
Partnerships continue to be at the center of DesignAlabama's mission, In addition to the ones mentioned above, DA is working
with the Alabama Alliance for Arts Education and other statewide partner organizations of the Alabama State Council on
the Arts in the planning of the 2004 Imaginative Learning Workshop Specifically, DesignAlabama is working to develop a
design tract for teachers of all grade levels, loosely based on the nationally recognized Box City program The Imaginative Learning
Workshop is planned for June 29th - July 1st in Perdido Key.
DesignAlabama, as a nonprofit, citizen-led organization providing educational resources and assistance related to urban planning,
architecture, landscape architecture, industrial design, graphic design, fashion design and engineering, is working to increase
awareness and value of the design disciplines that influence our environment DesignAlabama believes that the quality
of life and the economic growth of this state are enhanced through attention to and investment in good design. In the past year, the
organization has continued to expand its programs educating Alabama's public, private and governrnental sectors on design arts in a
number of forrns,
In an effort to make an impact statewide, its "Design Makes a Difference" exhibit continues to tour across the state in
both large and small communities including Birmingham. Fairhope, Mobile, Greenville and Troy, Its award-winning, energetic
DesignAlabama Journal is published biannually and continues to garner recognition for insightful and timely features.
As well, the organization has had articles reprinted in a nurnber of local newspapers and publications in and out of the state, includ',ng
the Eufaula Tribune and the National Art Education Association monthly newsletter. Avenues, a local arts and entertain­ment
magazine published in the Birmingharn area, will aiso be running an article on DesignAlabama in its next issue,
In short, DesignAlabama continues to make an impact across this state, from north to south and east to west By creating awareness
of design and the need for good design, we are all working together to create an aesthetically beautiful state with an excellent quality
of iife and oontinuing eoonomic growth, To find out more about the organization or how to become a sponsor, please contact Gina
Glaze Clifford at 334-353-5081 or designalabama@arts.state,al,us,
t""""·'/·'·""'·"·;P;~u·':rc::h::a:se::·a~· ·"Su p po rt the Arts"
car tag and help support educational design art in
Alabama schools. Help to increase awareness of
design disciplines that influence our enVironment,
stimulate economic development and enhance
the quality of life for all Alabamians, When you
purchase a "Support the Arts" car tag, your $50
registration fee is tax deductible and directly helps
arts education programming in Alabama,
For further information:
www.arts.state.al.us
or call your local county probate office.
LWT Communications of Montgomery has developed Central
Alabarna's first regional tourism map covering the River Region
as part of its annual Create-A-Thon, working with the Envision
2020 Tourism and Eoonomic Development task forces,
LWT donated its services to design the map which promotes 65
sites across Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Maoon and Montgornery
counties. Task force members identified historio, entertainment,
recreational, cultural and civil rights attractions in the region, and
designers at LWT produced the map which will be distributed this
spring by chambers of oommerce across the region, •
River RegiOrl Map
31 Volume iX. No.1
Desi nAlabama
Volume IX, Issue I
PUBLIC DESIGN AWARENESS AND EDUCATION
DesignAlabama Inc. works to increase awareness and value of the design disciplines
"Good plans shape
that influence our environment. We believe that the quality of life and
good decislons.
economic growth of this state are enhanced through attention to and
That's why good
investment in good design.
planning helps U R BAN P LAN N I N G
((Smart Growth is a code word for
to make elusive ((Observe always that everything is
whatever the user of this term wants
dreams come true.)) the result of change, and get used to
to achieve concerning metropolitan
-Lester Robert Bittel thinking that there is nothing Nature
development. Yet different users of
loves so well as to change existing forms
the term have totally different goals,
and make new ones of them. "
so (smart growth' can mean almost
anything. In spite of its diverse and - Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome
often conflicting meanings, all parties
superficially endorse (smart growth'
because it is clearly superior to the
alternative: (dumb growth. '"
- Anthony Downs
For addilional informalion aboul DesignAlabama, please call (334) 353-5081.