The Real Deal

By Sharman Egan

Lagniappe columnist

According to Wikipedia, tipping point is a “sociological term that refers to that dramatic moment when something unique becomes common.” The phrase was first coined in the 1960s, but most of us became familiar with it in 2000 when Malcolm Gladwell published his bestselling book, “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.”

So how does this tipping point concept apply to downtown Mobile?

Clearly there are a lot of little things going on downtown. Almost every week another new development is announced – new condos (selling and even flipping before the foundation is poured), upscale loft apartments, live/work buildings, proposed restaurants and shops.

There are some pretty big things going on too. The tallest building in Alabama, a cruise ship with another one possibly on the way, new and newly renovated four- and five-star hotels. Ambitious proposals crop up every few weeks – the Water Street Landing condo tower, another condo tower on the old county courthouse site, a Mardi Gras park, a waterfront park….

But most of us would agree that we’re still waiting for the big difference.

There seems to be a consensus on what we need to reach the tipping point. More retail development. More residential to drive the retail (or is it more retail to drive the residential?). More hotels to draw conventions. More attractions for tourists. Perhaps most of all, we need for the long-time property owners to stop holding on to their properties and sell them at reasonable prices.

Once you cut through the hype and all the different opinions and proposals, what’s really going on downtown? And what will it take to reach the tipping point? When will the unique (a few hardy residents and shopkeepers) become common (large numbers of downtown residents and visitors drawn by a critical mass of housing, shops, restaurants, hotels and entertainment)?

What’s really going on? A lot.

By my count, there are at least five new residential projects currently under development or for sale in downtown including the Mattress Factory Lofts at 412 Dauphin St. (24 condos, most are sold), townhouses at 519 Dauphin St. (four homes, three sold), 308 St. Louis St. (21 units) and St. Emanuel Place at 127 Dauphin St. (11 apartments with shops on the street level). These are relatively small developments, but each one gets us closer to the tipping point.

The Business Improvement District (BID) is another example. Created just a year ago, BID has dispatched teams of workers to pick up trash, enhance landscaping, paint over graffiti and help stranded motorists. The result – cleaner streets, improved security and positive energy for downtown. Little things making a big difference.

It becomes even more interesting when you look at planned projects that are virtually assured of completion. Let’s face it, the condo tower on the old courthouse site is just a gleam in a couple of county commissioners’ eyes at this point. And with costs ballooning, Water Street Landing isn’t looking all that real either. While these are big things that would make a big difference, the success of downtown doesn’t rest on them.

On the other hand, the ambitious (but lower hype) Bring Back Broad project looks like the real thing. Since it will be funded by federal tax dollars, it will take a long time to become reality. But it is funded, and with the support of Sen. Richard Shelby, Palmer Hamilton and the Mobile City Council (including William Carroll who lives on S. Broad Street), this is about as close to the real thing as you’re going to see.

When Bring Back Broad is complete, the impact will be big. Although the project is still in the planning stages and will no doubt change before it becomes reality, the proposal calls for two pocket parks to be built with biking and walking trails between Spring Hill Avenue and Government Street. Phase 2 will reduce Broad Street from five lanes to three lanes from the GM&O building to Brookley. This will dramatically reduce the barrier between downtown and the historic residential neighborhoods just to the west while also providing a bike- and pedestrian-friendly route to the proposed bay front Arlington Park.

Add to this the $4 million renovation of Space 301; the much-touted opening of the RSA Battle House Tower; the new Battle House and renovated Riverview Plaza hotels – which are scheduled to open as 5-star and 4-star Marriott Renaissance hotels in early 2007; the renovated Lafayette Plaza Hotel with new branding as a Holiday Inn; and a new Hampton Inn on Royal Street.

Then there’s the almost complete Bishop State Community College Business and Technology Center and the recently announced new Red Cross Center (both of which will face Broad St. in the Bring Back Broad corridor) and the recently announced $20 million Disaster Response Center. Each of these projects is likely to improve the streetscape and bring more people downtown.

And this list is just the beginning – it only includes projects that are actively under development and ones that seem virtually certain to reach completion. The list of possibilities is much longer – 17 projects valued at $40 million in the GO Zone application recently submitted by the Downtown Alliance, a federal courthouse on the edge of DeTonti Square, the pending sale of the Gayfers Building (which is slated for more condos), the sale of the Van Antwerp Building, the National Maritime Museum. The list goes on and on….

My conclusion: hold on, we’re just about to tip.

Sharman Egan covers real estate and business for Lagniappe. E-mail her at Sharman@SharmanEgan.com.

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