[Gulf Shores & Orange Beach]

Fort Morgan Road/peninsula is oasis-like treasure. I hope they plan to limit the smart growth. I had heard last year residents battling/disputing some developers of overcrowding that area bordering the refuge area. I really enjoyed my vacation over there last Summer too.

Bon Secure Village sure is impressive looking.

I was impressed with Bama Bayou and another large development (can't remember name)that had just started closer the Intracoastal near Orange Beach.

[I-10 Bridge across the Mobile River]

Business Group Proposes Alternative to New Bridge Construction

Keep Mobile Moving, an organization founded by three of the city's largest shipbuilders, hired a traffic consulting firm and developed an alternative to building a new bridge. The new bridge could cost the maritime industry $250 million per year and bring about the losses of hundreds, even thousands, of jobs.

The alternative proposal would reroute I-10 truck traffic to I-65 and I-165, away from the tunnel. Improvements to the state's Intelligent Transportation System would alert I-10 drivers to traffic problems so that they could take I-65/165 to avoid delays. I-65 and the Bayway would be widened and the roads leading to and from the Cochrane-Africatown Bridge would be four-lane with limited access.

The proposal would cost $462 million, compared with $650 million for the bridge.

Mobile Press-Register: Shipbuilders present I-10 bridge alternative

All those changes would cost a LOT more than $462 million. I guess I fail to see the big problem with the current locations for the proposed bridge. It looks to be a large suspension type bridge that will have only a few bridge pylons in the ship yard areas. I personally think they are just whining. I'm sure there will be some loss of money and inconvenience, but a couple of bridge pylons isn't going to cause a 50% ($250M) decrease in shipyard revenues.

[I-10 Bridge across the Mobile River]

Well ultimately I think the whole system can and should be tolled. Those of us who use it pay for it, those of us who stay in Midtown and off the highways dont. Thats about as fair as it gets.

I am tired of subsidizing sprawl.

I agree with the "usage tax", but only if it's country wide..... not just one bridge in L.A. I think the interstate system is one of the best ideas the US has ever stolen, but it has had a lot of unwanted side effects...... like the nationwide sprawl trend. The sprawl is leading to defacto segregation (inner city schools mostly minorities and the schools in the sprawl and county mostly white) which has it's own set of problems.

[I-10 Bridge across the Mobile River]

If it is done, I think it should be like this:

-Make it a privately owned/leased and operated toll bridge (I am a large proponent of this for a variety of reasons, one must only look to GDOT and TXDOT for our future and that is what they are doing). (tax money is better spent on surface streets or transit, not commuters/tourist/truckers)

-toll collection site is positioned in the way where nobody going into downtown is tolled (from either bay side) but everyone passing through is.

-leave causeway and old tunnel and northern bridge as free alternative

-Use to existing tunnels as only Baldwin-Water St access.

-assess the feasibility of putting a transit line on the bridge (for future connection MOB BDW)

-at least 210 ft high clearance (about that of the golden gate) (NO ship higher than that ever will be going up the river past downtown, especially since the docks are basically now at Choctaw point)

-going ahead and widening the bayway to 4 lanes each way. We must face it, it will happen, its just a matter of when and how.

-Architectural design competition to be selected by downtown residents/businesses.

Use any state monies already allocated for project for downtown investment to help offset any negative ramifications associated with bridge and purchase of ferries.

I oppose it being a toll bridge. I agree there needs to be more money spent on surface streets in the city, but this is part of the interstate system.... it doesn't need a toll.

[Gulf Shores & Orange Beach]

That area is an interesting scenario... though there's alot of development, it wont be adding that many residents. Not many people will be able to just live in condos on the beach unless they're loaded and dont have to work. Otherwise, it'll most likely be inland residents buying a personal vacation spot. So my point is that, while significant developments, they arent contributing to an increase in population or any sort of urban fabric. I'm not sure I agree with it either... not right on the coast like that. Oh well... they'll learn their lesson when some Cat. 3-5 hurricanes come through there and destroy these outrageously expensive towers.

That's your opinion and you're entitled to it, but I think billions of dollars in residential, retail, entertainment, and tourism is worth discussion on a development forum. Many of the newer developements are residence condos. There are a lot of people retiring and relocating to the Gulf Coast. Some people are buying vacation condos or investment condos but that area is growing fast population wise as well. Baldwin county is only behind Shelby county in terms of growth over the last 15 years. Growth on the coast means more jobs. More jobs means population growth. There are around 10K jobs available now and speculation of close the 30K within 5 years. About a Cat 3-5 hurricane..... I think Ivan fell into that category and you'd be hard pressed finding evidence that it made landfall in Gulf Shores now. Ivan destroyed a lot of cheaply built developments but the big condos were fine. Also, the vast majority of the new development isn't on the gulf side, it's on the back bays and the intercoastal waterway.

[Gulf Shores & Orange Beach]

I'm surprised that there aren't more topics on Orange Beach and Gulf Shores developement. That is by far the biggest developement area in the state with 50-100 big projects going on right now. I grew up in that area and I'm really interested in what's going on down that way..... If you know of any projects that I didn't list, post them in this thread. Thanks.

Orange Beach

Retail, condo, entertainment complex

http://www.thewharfal.com/

Retail, condo, entertainment complex

http://www.riverwalkorangebeach.com/

2 - 34 story towers

http://www.verandasresort.com/

2- 370 foot towers

http://www.turquoiseplace.com/

25 story Bella Rio

http://www.2dimes.com/client_area/bellario...larioFrontB.jpg

2 - 26 story towers The Marqueza

http://www.2dimes.com/gallery/images/zclie...a1-v07-0006.jpg

Bel Air towers

http://www.gulf-shores-alabama.net/condo-s...ower-condos.htm

Portage Crossing 5 towers

http://www.buy-the-beach.com/pre_construct...ge_Crossing.htm

Others without a link

Palmetto Condominiums at Adventure Island - 26 story tower

Caribe East and Caribe West - both 22 story towers

Romar Towers - 20 stories

Coral Reef II Condominiums - 30 story tower

Spire Condominiums - 22 story tower

Pinnacle Tides Condominiums - 24 story tower

Caymus Resort Condominiums - 26 story tower

Saphire Beach Condominiums - 26 story tower

Royal Romar Dunes - 26 story tower

Gulf Shores

Bon Secour Village

http://www.bonsecourvillage.com/Home.aspx