Montgomery Riverfront Plans Revealed
11 April 1997, Montgomery Advertiser

By Kim Chandler
ADVERTISER STAFF WRITER

The dream for Montgomery's downtown waterfront shows a winding riverwalk, a town square, fine restaurants and lush landscaping. A trolley would haul tourists to attractions and shopping.

But it's just a dream.

Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce officials made the vision public for the first time Thursday when they displayed renderings of what the riverfront could be.

The plans hinge on one thing - finding a private investor to start the development ball rolling.

Mayor Emory Folmar on Thursday restated the city's intention to invest $7 million toward the project only when significant private investment materializes.  

So far, that hasn't happened. And until it does, the city isn't putting a dime into the project.  "I'm a realist first," the mayor said Thursday.   "We're going to be very careful with this."

The plans show a lush park on what is now the site of the Embassy Suites parking lot. Hotel parking would theoretically be moved to a parking deck built by a company that constructed a new office building on the waterfront by Union Station.   Trees would decorate downtown streets back to Dexter Avenue. Commerce Street near Union Station would be bricked over as a spot for festivals.

Waterfront projects will be a boon to tourism, economic development and how much people enjoy their home city, proponents say.

"If we can make this plan come to life, we will have a quality of life in Montgomery that is second to none," said Jimmy Lowder, chairman of the Chamber's riverfront development committee.

The Chamber had been sitting on the plans since late fall, originally intending to announce them only when they found the private investor required for city financial support.

No investor has been found, but making the plan public might stimulate interest, said Tom Somerville, chairman of the Chamber. Estimates place the cost of full implementation of the plan at $125 million.  "Now that the plan is officially on the table, we can devote all our efforts to recruiting development, " said Mr. Somerville.

Riverfront development strategy

Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce officials Thursday revealed their dreams for Montgomery's riverfront, which include a riverfront plaza and promenade, land- and street-scaping, restaurants and an office complex. However, the chamber's dreams hang on a private investor building the office complex or another waterfront project to get the whole thing going.

Among the chambers dreams are a town square on what is now the Embassy Suites parking lot, a promenade along the Alabama River from Union Station to Riverfront Park, and a waterfront office complex and parking deck near Embassy Suites.

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