Redstone Village retirement community is expanding again

Redstone Village, a continuing-care retirement community that opened in Huntsville in late 2004, is expanding again. 

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama

Construction started last month on a 74,868 square-foot fourth phase with 36 independent living apartments and 8,150 square-foot aquatics and wellness center. The project is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter next year.
This latest expansion puts Redstone Village close to being a $100 million project.
A pre-sale program began in January and, of the 36 new units, 34 were sold as of last week.
"We're very, very pleased" with the response," said retired Gen. William Fiorentino, chairman of the Redstone Village's board of directors. The existing independent living apartments and villas are at 100 percent occupancy.
Fiorentino said he'll ask the board's development committee to convene soon to start looking at possible options for future development.
The new apartments will include one- and two-bedroom floor plans and will feature granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and other upscale amenities.
The aquatics center will have an indoor, heated, salt-water pool, and the wellness center will be equipped with cardio and weight machines, free weights and exercise classes.
The architect for the project is Fuqua & Partners Architects and the contractor is Fite Building Co.
Redstone Village, at 12000 Turnmeyer Drive just off South Memorial Parkway, now has 91 independent living apartments, 21 villas, 60 assisted living apartments, 40 skilled nursing beds and 32 apartments in Grandview Gardens for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
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A groundbreaking ceremony will be at Redstone Village on Friday at 11 a.m. with U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, and Huntsville City Councilman John Olshefski as the keynote speakers.

Shooting at Tuscaloosa apartment complex leaves man dead

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama
Tuscaloosa authorities are investigating the shooting death of a 25-year-old man.

Police and medical units were called to the Sterling Crimson apartments on 17th St. near Central High School after 2 a.m. Sunday morning in response to a report of an unresponsive person in the complex parking lot.

Capt. Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit, said that it appears the victim was shot as he walked from his vehicle to a friend's apartment.

Police say several shots were heard fired in the general area between 10th and 12th Avenues, south to Hargrove Rd.

The victim was transported to DCH, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

No suspects have been arrested or named as of 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Ribbon cutting held for Montgomery packaging supply store

MONTGOMERY, Alabama
The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new packaging supply store in Montgomery Friday, Sept. 9.

(Photo courtesy Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce)

Piedmont National Corporation, represented by Alabama Group Vice President Jerry Milner at the ceremony, is a family-owned and operated company that has been in the packaging industry for more than 60 years. The Montgomery storefront, located at 1570 Jean Street, now joins Piedmont locations in 15 other cities in the U.S. and Canada.
For more information, contact the store at 334-265-8888 or visit their website here.

Birmingham council members annoyed with Mayor William Bell's fast-moving ballpark plans

(The Birmingham News/Tamika Moore)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama 
Birmingham city officials have started appointing members of the board that will oversee con­struction and financing of a downtown baseball stadium and museum, but it will be weeks be­fore members are seated and of­ficially hire a team for the pro­ject.
Mayor William Bell last week announced a team of builders, architects and managers for the project along First Avenue South, but the list must be approved by the Public Athletic, Cultural and Entertainment Facilities Board, known as PACE.
The mayor's announcement raised the ire of several council members who said Bell overstepped his authority and the agreements the council approved last month.
"We assembled the best and brightest, most qualified firms that met the mayor's expectations of completing the project on budget and on time, keeping in mind certain criteria," Bell's chief of staff, Chuck Faush, said in an interview.
However, according to the agreement approved by the council, PACE "may select a developer, construction manager, contractor and design professionals for the stadium, all of which shall be acceptable to the Barons in its reasonable discretion ..." The city plans to build a $60 million baseball park and museum near Railroad Park. The Birmingham Barons are expected to play there beginning in 2013.
"Members of the mayor's staff should not be making announcements about things that are someone else's responsibility," said Councilwoman Valerie Abbott.
"It looks bad, even if there's no bad intent there."
An earlier draft agreement would have allowed PACE to delegate its duties to the mayor. That provision was rejected by the council and removed. The city has a reservation for the PACE name with the state secretary of state, but the process isn't complete, and PACE has not held its inaugural meeting.
When pressed, Faush came short of explicitly saying that the list of team members is the board's decision and could change.
"There's always a possibility of variations with anything, but you do the best you can to be prepared," he said.
Faush said the next step for the board is completing the incorporation process, then obtaining final agreements with the University of Alabama System board of trustees, the city's partner in a land swap to assemble property for the site.
Bell last week announced that 60 percent of the construction and design team for the ballpark consists of minority firms, and most of the team is based in Birmingham. Officials said the project will create 500 jobs with a payroll of more than $18 million.
Leading the team as the announced developers are Corporate Realty Development and Brasfield & Gorrie. Both companies worked with Bell's office on project development, although neither had officially been hired to lead the team. Corporate Realty was an early proponent of the stadium and commissioned a study on its feasibility.
Councilwoman Kim Rafferty also questioned the announcement.
"I'm not very confident with the integrity of this team because it is preempting the process," she said.
Councilwoman Maxine Parker said the conflict is a consequence of the council's approval of documents before reviewing them. While the group met with Bell and agreed to revisions, the final drafts were not prepared before the council's vote. Bell has promised to deliver the final printed versions.
"That's why I had to abstain on that vote, because I couldn't see the final draft," Parker said. "I don't know what they can do or can't do."
There are currently three members on the PACE board, which is to have five members. Bell, who selected the first three, agreed that the council would have a say in choosing the final two members.
Council President Roderick Royal, a vocal critic of the entire project, called confusion inevitable. Royal said the council is accepting applications for the two PACE openings and will meet later this month to select members.
"It doesn't surprise me that decisions have been made in place of the PACE board, because that was the intent all along," Royal said.