Urban and Regional Planning

All things economic development, urban and regional planning with particular focus on towns and metro areas in the state of Alabama.

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Emergency Preparedness Drill 2019

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Some days you just mail it in and go fishing when things are slow at work.🤷🏾‍♂️😐🎣

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Steve Khan - Tightrope (for Folon)

from "Tightrope" (Tappan Zee Records, 1977) * Steve Khan, David Spinozza - Guitar * Randy Brecker - Trumpet * David Sanborn - Alto Saxophone * Michael Brecke...

Everybody listed are jazz LEGIONS!  This was my very earliest days of hearing jazz and liking it because it was abstract, impulsive or so it seemed.

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Great old building restoration

I’d like to see more new development in Birmingham to transform the skyline but saving and re-using some of the first and at the time tallest “skyscrapers” in the deep south is good stuff.

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Downtown is coming back.

After decades of stagnation, decline, downtown Birmingham, Alabama is on the comeback.  No new high-rise buildings as downtown is in the flight path of the airport and building heights are limited at 34 stories but lots of vacant dormant buildings are being re-purposed for re-use, occupation and some low-rise and new construction is happening.  That’s infinitely better than what’s been going on since Birmingham’s 1960s face-plant/crash and burn as an up and coming metro area.

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Grand Hotel in Point Clear undergoing $32 million transformation

The Grand is about to get even grander.

Great investment, great for tourism, keep up the good work Mobile region.

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MF Doom - Arrow Root (Extended)

An extended 15+minute loop of MF Doom's "Arrow Root," featured on the 2002 album "Metal Fingaz Presents Special Herbs Vol. 2." (Or Vols. 1 & 2, depending on ...

Closing out 2016 listening to instrumental rap/HH that will pass as sampled jazz.

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My fall seed garden crashed and burned but alas, I shall go down swinging having put out 18 Georgia collard plants, 9 cabbage plants and 18 mustard plants complete with a wall-ERR-UUH-deer/rabbit abatement system made of plastic mesh.

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The Suitcase(for Folon) / Steve Khan（スティーブ・カーン）

1983年発売の「CASA LOCO」より Steve Khan on Guitar Anthony Jackson on bass Steve Jordan on Drums Manolo Badrena on Percussion

Good early 80s stuff from Steve Khan on a cold grey overcast day in southeast Alabama.

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Best Places for New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Nice job Birmingham.  You make a list where Huntsville is nowhere to be found. That’s good.  You are still the largest city in the state, for now, with Huntsville getting clearer in the rear view mirror though. 

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First Look: A photo tour of the Pizitz building - Birmingham Business Journal

A look inside the Pizitz building in downtown Birmingham.

Very cool space and dormant property once glorious building re-purposed.  Very pleased with the resurgence of the largest city in Alabama even though it has long ago fell behind its once peer southern metro areas.

There was a popular 80s cut by Janet Jackson, “What Have You Done For Me Lately”.  In terms of Birmingham and the state of Alabama, that has been very little since Birmingham’s implosion of the 1960s.  Huntsville has been the only bright spot in the state while Birmingham has been stagnant and in decline with the demise of the steel industry, hanging like a loose tooth until the last 10 years.  Good to see the resurgence in the once heavy industrial “Pittsburg of the South”.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFlsyjcTLOE

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What is the status of 4-laning the Alabama 167 / Florida 79 corridor?  WELP, AS USUAL, Florida’s portion from PCB to I-10 that has been under construction for the last 20+ years is speeding to completion, MEANWHILE, Alabama’s portion hasn’t started, not even the 2 or so miles announce north of Enterprise 2 or 3 years ago.  Granted the portion from the Florida line to I-10 is of no priority to Florida but Troy to Enterprise should be of some priority in Alabama.  Oh well, do-nothing delays indefinitely as usual in Alabama.

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Ready to play. 😆

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The BrickFair LEGO Convention is this weekend and here's why you should go

The BrickFair LEGO Convention is held on January 16-17 at the BJCC. Admission is $12.

Nice replica of the Alabama Theatre.

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32 pictures of the newly renovated historic theatre in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.

Developers in downtown Birmingham, Alabama have resurrected one of the most historic structures in downtown Birmingham and the state of Alabama.  This venue should see a long and productive new life and attract many tourists and locals.

[boondox16]

This is an outstanding acquisition for the Huntsville metropolitan area.  Great fit with Redstone Arsenal as well.