CSNbbs

There is a growing national movement to replace the old brick monolithic subsidized housing (like was done downtown with Metropolitan Gardens being replaced with Hope 6 housing) with more middle class friendly housing and commercial outlets. This particular project could affect UAB's plans for campus expansion which some have said included taking over these properties. There could instead be a more cooperative model with housing shared with university students as well as others rather than a complete takeover by UAB.

If such a project is successful there, it may be used in the Elyton Village project in a development of the Legion Field Park area as a UAB West Campus. Remember that about 50 years ago Elyton Village housed many of the UA Medical School's married families. My wife and her first husband lived there while he was a medical student. A West Campus development could help revitalize that area to the benefit of the city. UAB definitely needs more room if it is to become a nationally important urban university in this century.

UAB is already a nationally important urban university.

(09-30-2015 02:29 PM)Smaug Wrote: [ -> ]UAB is already a nationally important urban university.

Then just how did the system BOT get away with treating UAB so shabbily over the past decades -- and particularly on 12/2/14? Are we "a legend in our own MINDS"?

(09-30-2015 02:31 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-30-2015 02:29 PM)Smaug Wrote: [ -> ]UAB is already a nationally important urban university.

Then just how did the system BOT get away with treating UAB so shabbily over the past decades -- and particularly on 12/2/14?

Because Roll Tide.

(09-30-2015 02:49 PM)Smaug Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-30-2015 02:31 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-30-2015 02:29 PM)Smaug Wrote: [ -> ]UAB is already a nationally important urban university.

Then just how did the system BOT get away with treating UAB so shabbily over the past decades -- and particularly on 12/2/14?

Because Roll Tide.

The thing is that Bama remains a small school university with a big football reputation. I want to see UAB become a major size university (Ohio State/UCLA/ etc.) with a major size athletic program to match. Just because the state has a small rural school mentality, does not mean UAB (or USA) has to abide by it. Look at USF and UCF as examples of what UAB can become with the right support.

Only took one post to get this thing off track.

Back on the topic at hand:

This is huge. If they get the grant and actually go forward with this, I think it will have the same impact as Regions Field on the further development of Southside.

I wonder where the residents of Southtown will end up when they are scattered to the winds? Same thing happened when Metropolitan Gardens was replaced by the HOPE project.

(09-30-2015 04:08 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder where the residents of Southtown will end up when they are scattered to the winds? Same thing happened when Metropolitan Gardens was replaced by the HOPE project.

As I recall, the tenants of Metropolitan Gardens were given priority to units in other housing and when a building was empty, it was torn down. Some of the MG tenants were eventually able to move back into the new buildings. None were simply "scattered to the winds" according to accounts written at the time. If the renovation of Southtown works well, it may provide a pattern for Elyton Village, Loveman Village and others as well.

(09-30-2015 07:58 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-30-2015 04:08 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder where the residents of Southtown will end up when they are scattered to the winds? Same thing happened when Metropolitan Gardens was replaced by the HOPE project.

As I recall, the tenants of Metropolitan Gardens were given priority to units in other housing and when a building was empty, it was torn down. Some of the MG tenants were eventually able to move back into the new buildings. None were simply "scattered to the winds" according to accounts written at the time. If the renovation of Southtown works well, it may provide a pattern for Elyton Village, Loveman Village and others as well.

Wrong as usual. Regardless of any warnings they were given, there were plenty of residents that were left with difficult choices as to where to go. It's a nationally observed trend any time project housing goes down that the residents are scattered across the city area. A survey of those residents who left shows that they primarily moved on to areas in North Birmingham and Centerpoint. About 60 people of the 2,500 residents that lived that Metropolitan Gardens ever ended back at the new HOPE project, that number is even lower now.

(09-30-2015 07:58 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-30-2015 04:08 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder where the residents of Southtown will end up when they are scattered to the winds? Same thing happened when Metropolitan Gardens was replaced by the HOPE project.

As I recall, the tenants of Metropolitan Gardens were given priority to units in other housing and when a building was empty, it was torn down. Some of the MG tenants were eventually able to move back into the new buildings. None were simply "scattered to the winds" according to accounts written at the time. If the renovation of Southtown works well, it may provide a pattern for Elyton Village, Loveman Village and others as well.

Moving costs money those people don't have. One they move away very few will be able to move back

It's a tough problem to solve. Leaving them as-is isn't really a solution because they are run down and were built during World War II. It's criminal to let people live in them for much longer. But, you have to move folks out to rebuild. And time after time it's been shown that the mixed-income development will help improve the crime and opportunities of everyone. Concentrated poverty just generates more concentrated poverty and crime. Plus, in today's political climate you need the private-public partnership along the lines of Park Place to get something like this done.

Redeveloped Southtown could include new grocery store for Southside
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/bl...ml?ana=twt

Three possible concepts for the Southtown mixed-use project
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/bl...mixed.html