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When We Work Together, We Can Accomplish Great Things!
Fire Station 22, photo by Jeremy Erdreich
Artist Rendering, Future Fire Station 22
Update 9/1 from Alison Glascock on Walgreen's on Clairmont, See Rendering Above:
"The same result can happen with the proposed development on Clairmont Avenue of a Walgreens drugstore using the same principles of professionalism and collegiality. Members of IBIB are keeping in regular touch with the developer, Connolly Net Lease. Substantial progress is being made towards getting civil engineering and contractor estimates for both the site development and for the rehabilitation of the former Fire Station #22 building. So far, no unsurmountable challenges have surfaced, which is very good news. Once the estimates are in hand, the developer will present a site proposal to Walgreens for their review and approval. (For those of you who may not be aware of this, chains such as Walgreens often do not own their sites, but lease them from an independent developer, as is the case here.) Once the budget has been approved, it is our understanding that we will be able to move forward with a design charrette for the new building design. Attached is a rendering of what the former fire station could look like with a restaurant and one retail space in it! By the way, the site plan still has to be approved by the Design Review Committee (yes, the same one that finally approved the Chick fil A plan). Earlier site plans, which involved razing the fire station, were rejected twice by the committee on multiple grounds. That was before information surfaced about the national agreement between Walgreens and other major drugstore chains whereby the chains agreed not to tear down any building listed on the National Register. The current developer of this site has promised to abide by this agreement, and has totally reworked plans for this site. The committee quite possibly will make some changes to the site plan but it is unlikely that they will reject it outright now that the development of the actual corner lot consists of retaining the fire station. The corner lot and the building appearance along 32nd Street South were two of the committee's two main concerns. Thanks to all of you who have engaged in these processes. We have one win-win under out belt and we are optimistic about having a second win in the next few months. At a point not too far back in time, prospects of neither of these sites looked too promising, so here's a big pat on the back to all of you. Alison Glascock 933-2197."
I know you haven't been sleeping, so you must have heard about the corporate vs. community clashes we've been having in Birmingham. Chick Fil A in Five Points South, and Walgreen's and The Fire Station on Clairmont.
What is so very interesting is the united attitude that has arisen and prevailed. As Alison Glascock, Highland Park Neighborhood Association President noted in the recent article on the National Preservation Trust website: "The feeling that it's endangered....What this has shown is that you only had to scratch below the surface" to find out just exactly how much the citizens of Birmingham care about our City and how it continues to develop.
Kudos and thanks to "I believe in Birmingham" founder Joseph Baker, Board Member Alison Glascock, outstanding advocates like Libby Rich of Plant Odyssey and architect Jeremy Erdreich, and the 2700+ other voices; all who have shown that the spirit of our City is alive and well. People care, they want to know what's going on - and they want the opportunity to be heard.
We should all realize the pleasure of being part of a City willing to put action to what stirs the heart.
UPDATE 9/1, from Alison Glascock, See Rendering above:
"Several members of the design review committee stated that once they had had a chance to really consider the new building design they actually preferred it to the earlier one because it blended in with its surroundings and did not stand out quite as much as the previous building would have done. I am by no means an architect, but I have to think that with most building design of this kind, one has to consider how a building fits in with its surroundings as well as its own characteristics."
UPDATE ON CHICK FIL A / RUBY TUESDAYS on SOUTHSIDE:
This email from Southside Neighborhood Association President Alison Glasscock 8-3-10:
FANTABULOUS NEWS!
Those of us who attended this afternoon's working committee of the Design Review Committee which was called to continue to work on Chick fil A's proposal for Five Points South were stunned - shocked - and wonderfully surprised (or 'gobsmacked' to use a great English expression!) to hear the announcement by Charlie Beavers, CFA's attorney, that Chick fil A has decided to abandon the plans for a drive-through at that site! After a lot of discussion, they have decided they can develop a business model that can work on that site without a drive-through. In addition, they will be reusing the former Ruby Tuesday building that is there, although it won't look anything like that building when they get through. Much of the facade will be a kind of oatmeal colored brick but there will I believe also be some metal and tile as well. There will be an enclosed terrace along the Highland Avenue side of the building, kind of like a conservatory, for people to eat in, and a kind of open patio or trellissed eating patio along part of the 20th Street side. There will be three entrances into the building: One on 20th Street, one on Highland Avenue and one from the parking lot (which will be reduced from 90 to 74 parking spaces). The dumpster will be on the eastern edge of the property and covered and gated, along with the transformer and kitchen and delivery areas at the back of the property. The sidewalk along most of the property will be wider than it is currently. The only red on the building will be in the sign(s) and at the entrances.
Chick fil A will be bringing their fully developed design for the site to the full Design Review Committee meeting on Wednesday, August 11. This alteration in their plans should mean a much quicker completion date for the project.
Congratulations to members of the Design Review Committee and subcommittee for their outstanding professionalism in working in a collegial manner with Chick fil A, to the city staff associated with this process, to the Five Points Neighborhood Association and Merchants Association, to I Believe in Birmingham whose members turned out at the Housing Board of Appeals to speak against the drive-through in particular, and to all those who fought for a better outcome for this vital part of our city. This outcome shows what can be achieved when people work together for the common good rather than for their own personal interests.
I hope many of you will wish to write to Chick fil A and thank them for their decision. Although I do not know that much about the corporation, I suspect that this was a pretty courageous decision particularly in this economy and particularly since it is a fairly drastic change from their corporate philosophy up until now. I did send out addresses earlier, but can do so again if you need me to.
Sincerely, Alison Glascock
Several of you have requested that I resend the Chick-fil-A contact information so that you can write to them to express your delight, pleasure, excitement, gratitude to them for being willing to listen to the needs and wishes of the community and respecting the local community sufficiently to reexamine its plans. That is not something that most corporations really like to do, even though I believe they are planning new locations in Chicago without drive-throughs. At least CFA does not want to go into a location where a lot of negativity to their plans has been generated, nor do they not want to be welcome in a community. I think it would be great if we could tell them that we will all go and use their new location once it is open. And that we now welcome them. And congratulate them for being willing to make a tough decision particularly in these tough economic times. And for working in good faith with the Design Review Committee.
I would appreciate either seeing your letters or being informed that you have written to them. I plan to write to them today or tomorrow. I think it is very important that corporations who eventually do the right thing be recognized for that and for wanting to be a good citizen, which I think they probably do.
Alison Glascock
Chick-Fil-A, Inc. 5200 Buffington Road Atlanta, Georgia 30349-2998
S. Truett Cathy Founder, Chairman, and CEO
Dan T. Cathy, President and COO
Donald M. "Bubba" Cathy, Senior VP
Getra Thomason Senior Development Manager
www.eatmorechicken.com/corp
www.chick-fil-a.com
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