Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Debro Hill development on go
By Michele Gerlach
Andalusia Star News
The Andalusia City Council agreed Tuesday to become an equity owner in an apartment development by investing $500,000 into the $13.5 million project.
The development, Pinnacle Place, was first proposed about four years ago. It will be a 150-apartment complex with 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units, as well as a pool, exercise facility and community facility. The development is on Hwy. 84 West in the area known as Debro Hill.
Mayor Earl Johnson said while unusual, the move is permitted by law and is one he deems necessary to further economic development efforts in the county.
Pinnacle Place will feature three-story buildings and include 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments.Constitutional Amendment 725, approved by Alabama voters for Covington County in the 1990s, authorizes the Covington County Commission or municipalities within it to become a stockholder or equity owner in a company for the promotion of economic development in the county. (For full text of amendmen, click here.)
Johnson said the cities of Prattville, Fairhope and Huntsville have taken similar actions in the past.
Johnson said the major shortfall for attracting higher level jobs to Andalusia in the recent past has been the lack of adequate housing.
“We have lost two very, very good prospects on housing,” Johnson said. “They liked our community. Liked the airport. Liked our school system. Liked our medical facilities. But when we got down to the point of the deal when they said ‘show us housing,’ the deal was over.
“We had nothing to show them of the caliber they wanted,” Johnson said, adding that the city currently is working with another potential industry for which this might also be a problem.
Jack Kirk, president of the Georgia-based Team Management & Development, LLC; Don McClure of McClure Construction, also a Georgia company; and Robert Bishop of BBS Development were all present at the meeting. Bishop and his partners on the land on which the apartments will be built; McClure’s company will build them; Kirk’s company will manage them.
In his presentation to the council, Kirk said local investors have committed $650,000 to the project; a single investor has committed $150,000; and the contractor has committed $250,000 in up-front funds. With the city’s investment, he said, there will be a $1.6 million initial investment and the balance of the funding will come from a HUD loan. HUD will finance the project with a 40-year fixed-rate, non-recourse loan, he said.
“The interest would be 4.56 percent fixed if it closed today,” Kirk said.
He explained that a non-recourse loan means that the project stands on its own. If the project failed, the city wouldn’t be liable for the balance of the loan, he said.
Similarly, the limited liability corporation in which the city is investing provides legal protection for the city, he said. The city’s only risk, he said, is its investment.
Kirk, who has been working with Bishop to put the development together for the past four years, said a market study showed the Andalusia market would need 284 new housing units by 2010 and more than 500 units by 2015.
“I haven’t been here a single time that I didn’t encounter someone interested in renting one of the units,” he said.
Kirk said he expects to finalize legal documents with HUD by the end of the year and break ground in January. The project will open in phases, he said, and he expects to begin renting apartments in the fall of 2011.
While the project is expected to be HUD-financed, the apartments will not be federally-subsidized units, Kirk said.
He said that McClure has committed to use as many local subcontractors as possible and to buy materials locally.
The resolution unanimously approved by the council authorizes the mayor and city clerk John Thompson to invest the money and names the mayor as the city’s representative on the board of the yet-to-be-formed LLC.
Johnson said he wanted it understood that he would not be compensated for his service on that board.
“Neither I nor any member of the city council have any pecuniary interest in this project whatsoever,” he said.
To read the city’s resolution, click here.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Merchants make ready for tax holiday
By Kendra Bolling
Andalusia Star News
Local merchants said Wednesday they are gearing up for this weekend’s tax-free holiday.
Managers and employees were busy stocking shelves with the latest merchandise in anticipation of large crowds.
“We got in a shipment (Wednesday) and we’ll get another one in Friday,” Factory Connection’s Chelsa Bryant said. “Last year, we had people from all over, even Florida who came up for the tax-free weekend. We hope that this year will be no different.”
Maurice’s Amy Cooper said they too are hoping to get people from all across South Alabama.
We have tons of new merchandise for sale,” she said.
JcPenney’s Dennis Cockrell said customers respond well to the tax-free weekend.
“Customers really respond to (the sales tax holiday) very well,” he said. “It always comes at the perfect time, since it’s always the last weekend before school starts.”
In Opp, Peebles store manager Kerry Bradley said the tax-free weekend usually draws a crowd to the Opp location.
“We normally have a good turnout,” she said. “We have people come from Kinston, Geneva, Brantley, really all around. We usually get a lot of Florida traffic as well.”
Merchants are also offering additional sales that will help stretch a dollar.
“We have a huge sale so customers can save either $10 off a $50 purchase or $15 off a $75 purchase,” Cockrell said. “We call those instant money coupons and that’s in addition to the sales tax savings.
“If they’ve got a couple of kids, it’s easy for a customer to come out and spend a couple hundred dollars easily,” he said. “That’s big savings and families need that.”
At Peebles, Bradley said, they have a 15 percent off across the board sale with a coupon.
Bryant said Factory Connection’s biggest sale is on jeans, pants and capris and customers can buy two and get one free.
Some merchants are even extending their hours for the sale.
At the Shoe Department, the store will stay open until 10 p.m. Saturday and Factory Connection will be open Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
JcPenney will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Maurice’s will have normal hours.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Alarm company asks city to change rules
By Michele Gerlach
Andalusia Star News
A representative of APX Alarm, a Wyoming company that wants to sell alarm systems door-to-door in Andalusia, on Tuesday appeared before the city council to question a 1968 ordinance prohibiting such sales.
Jay Sallan, who described himself as a legal clerk for APX Alarm and a law student, told the council he feels the ordinance in unconstitutional and asked not only that ordinance be changed, but that the city make a special exception for his company until such time as the ordinance can be changed.
Sallan cited several court cases, and said while the city “is free to place restrictions on the practice of door-to-door solicitation, it may not enforce an ordinance which completely bans the practice.”
Mayor Earl Johnson explained to Sallan that he, too, is an attorney and that he is aware of court rulings in other cases.
“This is an old ordinance and a lot has changed since that time,” Johnson said. “Frankly, no issue has been brought up about it here, so we haven’t reviewed it.”
Johnson assured Sallan that the council will review the ordinance and bring the local laws in line with court rulings.
“And we’ll do it in a timely manner,” he said.
Johnson explained to the council that there are a number of things they can do in crafting a new ordinance to limit door-to-door solicitation.
“You’ve heard of a do not call list, we can craft our ordinance with a do not knock list,” Johnson said.
In other business, the council:
• Agreed to join the Utilities Board and the city Industrial Development
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Ballet students hit stage
By Michele Gerlach
Andalusia Star News
Students from the Andalusia Ballet will stage “Summer Dances” this weekend, following two weeks of intense summer study.
The production is the culmination of the dance school’s annual “Summer Intensive,” a two-week workshop designed to give serious ballet students ages 8 and up, the opportunity to train intensively with not only Andalusia Ballet’s artistic director, Meryane Murphy, but also with Elie Lazar, artistic director of the Montgomery Ballet, and professional dancers from the Montgomery Ballet.
More than 60 students from across the state are enrolled in Summer Intensive, including a number who are traveling from out of town, and some who have families in Andalusia with whom to stay, Murphy said.
The summer curriculum includes ballet technique, pointe, variations, men’s classes, pas de deux, conditioning and enrichment classes.
All of the students will perform in Saturday’s show, and the professional dancers from Montgomery will perform “How Far is Too Far,” a modern piece that Lazar said “is all about relationships” and explores how far partners push each other in relationships.
When the dancers from Montgomery Ballet leave Andalusia, they’ll be en route to Italy, where “How Far is Too Far,” will be among their performances during an international dance festival, Pietrasanta.
The local performance is set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Andalusia High School auditorium. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.
Molly Wagner and Ian Morris, professional dancers from the Montgomery Ballet, rehearse in Andalusia last week. | Michele Gerlach /Star-News
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
By Michele Gerlach
Andalusia Star News
What has long been a dream for many is about to come true.
The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday authorized the letting of bids for renovating the historic Church Street School, which will become a cultural arts center. The project is being done in partnership with the Andalusia Ballet Association, which is providing $500,000 for the project and will be the managing tenant once the project is done.
Mike Hamrick, an architect with the firm of Goodwyn Mills and Cawood, attended the council’s workshop meeting.
“This is a fantastic building, with great history and culture,” Hamrick said. “The city is fortunate to have it, and it will be good to see it occupied.”
Hamrick said he has worked closely with Meryane Murphy on the plans.
City Clerk John Thompson said city employees already have done most of the demolition work inside the building in preparation for the project, and the city is working toward having the project completed by the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year,
“We’ve been looking at this building for more than eight years now, and we are so excited to finally be at this point,” Murphy said.
“We believe this will be a showplace for Andalusia and whole surrounding community,” she said. “We will make you very proud.”
Mayor Earl Johnson pointed out that the major portion of the building has basically been empty since 1999.
In April 2009, the council committed to a formal agreement with the ballet, which will occupy a third of the building, in exchange for the organization’s commitment of financial resources toward the renovation of the building. At the time, the city expected to contribute up to $1 million for the project. Until bids are received, it is unknown what the city’s portion of the renovation will cost.
Johnson said Tuesday that the ballet will occupy the main floor of the Church Street Cultural Arts Center, and the top floor will be “roughed in” so that it could be customized for future tenants.
Work should begin this fall.