Site of Proposed River Front DevelopmentBy Patrick Rupinski, Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 3:30 a.m.
TUSCALOOSA | An Atlanta developer wants to build a $40 million, 856-bed student apartment complex along the city's Riverwalk.
But the proposed four- to five-story development is running into some opposition from city officials.
Carter, the development company, has proposed a mixed-use complex on the old Tuscaloosa Chevrolet property on Jack Warner Parkway near Greensboro Avenue.
The property is now a vacant lot used for recreational vehicle parking during the football season.
Carter representatives presented their plans Monday to the city's planning commission, which deadlocked in a 4-4 vote on whether to recommend the project to the City Council.
The tied vote means the project could go before the City Council without a recommendation.
Mayor Walt Maddox said Tuesday that he opposes the development.
“Tuscaloosa's riverfront is a tremendous asset that belongs to the entire community, which is why the city has invested millions into the development of infrastructure, trails and venues along the water's edge,” he said in an email. “As presented, I cannot support concentrating 800 beds into one of the most important riverfront sites because it does not align with the master plan nor will it strengthen our citizens' investments over the decades to come. I trust the City Council will weigh this issue carefully as it deliberates the development plan.”
Philip O'Leary, the city's deputy planning director, said Carter has requested that its proposal go before the City Council.
“Once we have received a complete application, we will be able to place it on the council's agenda,” O'Leary said.
The planning department staff “is opposed to the development as presented,” he said.
Jonathon Barge, a vice president of Carter, said company officials will meet today or Thursday to discuss their options and decide their next step.
Carter is a major Atlanta developer that has offices in 20 states, according to its website.
The company's president, Scott Taylor, told the Atlanta Business Chronicle earlier this month that Carter was looking at at least $500 million in new building projects outside the Atlanta area. He said the projects included student housing complexes in Alabama and South Carolina, as well as commercial projects in the Midwest.
He did not specify where the student housing projects would be and it appears the Tuscaloosa project is the first such project that Carter has made public.
Richard Chaffin, a co-owner of the land where the complex would be built, said he believes the Carter development meets the city's criteria for developing the Riverwalk area and would be a welcome improvement for the area.
“I don't see why anyone would object to it. These people want to spend $40 million that will provide a lot of tax money and jobs.”
Chaffin, who owns the land along with the heirs of his late partner Roy Woodley, said they have agreed to sell the property to Carter if the project is approved. He did not disclose the sale price. Carter also has an option to buy a radiator repair shop site adjacent to his property, Chaffin said.
The city has not offered a better plan for the property nor has it offered to buy the land, he said.
Carter's plan shows the student housing complex would be four stories and would wrap around a five-story parking deck.
The 600,000-square-foot complex would be built on seven acres. It would include about 7,500 square feet of retail space, according to information provided to the planning commission.
Proposed rents would be $642 a month per bedroom.
Steve Rumsey was one of the planning commission members who voted against the project.
He said he questions whether such a large complex is the best use for the site.
“I don't know if I have ever seen in Tuscaloosa a 120-beds-per-acre development,” he said.
The city has chosen a hotel developer for the site, which is a couple of blocks from the Carter project site.
“This is a very important piece of real estate. With the city of Tuscaloosa owning the proposed hotel site, the city is very sensitive to what goes in there,” he said, referring to the city parking lot at the intersection of Greensboro and University Boulevard that was the old CityFest site.
Jay Evans, a member of the city's Riverfront Advisory Committee, also opposes the Carter project.
“I was shocked when I saw the development only had 7,500 square feet of retail and had approximately 850 bedrooms,” he said.
“When only 1.25 percent up to 2.5 percent can be retail and the rest apartments, I feel it should be called a student apartment complex that has a little bit of retail space.”
Evans and Rumsey also questioned the impact such a large development would have on traffic flow in the area.
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