Mon, Jan. 26, 2004

A growing vision
Phenix City's private and public sectors are joining forces with their sights set on the Chattahoochee riverfront
BY ERIN SIMPSON
Staff Writer

Classy restaurants right on the river bank, whitewater rafting on the weekends, a beautiful riverwalk, upscale homes and offices overlooking the riverfront and a new shopping complex that leads to a pedestrian bridge over the Chattahoochee River.

This is the vision some locals have for the city in five years -- not in Columbus, but Phenix City.

"I think this is the biggest challenge of the city that I've been involved in -- because of the opportunity," said former Phenix City mayor Sammy Howard. "It could change the face of Phenix City."

Howard is chair of a private group, East Alabama River Development, that is researching ways to revitalize the city's downtown and riverfront areas. The group's 15 members are from all over the community -- businesses, colleges, government and schools.

Its goal is to "organize and promote a public-private partnership that will move aggressively but in an orderly way to revitalize the Riverfront-Broad Street Corridor," according to its brochure. The private part is already taken care of, and the public arena -- Phenix City government -- is in as well.

"We've got to create a neighborhood and an environment in Phenix City that is going to make investors want to come," said Mayor Sonny Coulter. He said the city is working with the River Development group. "The resources that many of those individuals bring to the table are a tremendous help as this group seeks to jump-start downtown and riverfront development."

The city also plans to reincorporate the city downtown redevelopment authority, Coulter said. That group would have the resources necessary to acquire land along the riverfront and make decisions on its renovation. The planning commission already has a Downtown District that doesn't allow certain kinds of businesses, like auto repair and manufacturing.

"By not allowing certain kinds of businesses to locate on our main thoroughfares, then we are able to push the value of our community property upward instead of keeping it depressed," Coulter said.

Riverview challenge

Many say the first step to make downtown property values increase is the removal of Riverview Apartments, the 390-unit public housing complex overlooking the river.

"The time has come for the city of Phenix City and the Housing Authority to work together to relocate the residents who live in Riverview Apartments to other locations that will provide newer, nicer living facilities than our residents now live in," Coulter said.

Chuck Roberts, executive director of the Phenix City Housing Authority, said his residents do need newer, nicer places to live.

That's why he's taking $4.6 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to refurbish 16 buildings. Each of the buildings, which previously held seven apartments, will now hold five, with upgrades like air conditioning and washer and dryer hookups.

"I've been working with the city all these years" on relocating Riverview, Roberts said. "I still want the tenants to be happy. A lot of these people have been here for 25 or 30 years. Some of them will be relocated against their will."

In five years, Roberts said, he hopes to have the complex vastly improved through renovation. While other city leaders say the complex could be moved and the riverfront developed in five years, he said, "I don't believe in five years it will, but that's my opinion."

Roberts said the city has been talking about moving Riverview for more than 10 years, and he can't just sit back and not improve the apartments while waiting for decisions to be made. "We've got to continue working for the tenants."

Of Riverview's 390 units 100 are vacant, including the 40 under renovation. L.P. Stough apartments have a 5 percent vacancy rate, while H.L. Blake, which houses mainly elderly, has a waiting list. Frederick Douglas, also undergoing some renovation, has a 35.5 percent occupancy rate. In Columbus, the vacancy rate is only 3 percent, with 445 people on the waiting list.

Coulter said the Housing Authority is wasting HUD money with all the renovations.

"What is terrible is the Housing Authority continues to spend money on Riverview Apartments knowing that the city administration wants more than anything else the demolition of those buildings."

Development opportunities

Phenix City is working with Columbus on making the old 14th Street bridge a pedestrian walkway and has secured "gateway" grants to beautify the area around the bridge. Across from that, the half-empty Phenix Plaza sits on plenty of space for a revamped shopping and eatery complex. Other office space and buildings around there are also almost completely empty.

"If you say public housing, people shy away," Roberts said. "But the people here have to have a place to live, too."

And the renovations will make a better place for them to stay, he said, though they aren't cheap. The Housing Authority hopes the $4.6 million will stretch to renovate the 16 buildings, or room for 80 families. The eight currently under renovation won't be finished until 2006.

Roberts said the Housing Authority purposely renovated the buildings furthest from the river.

"In my opinion, we could leave some" of the apartments and still revitalize the riverfront, Roberts said.

Others disagree. "Who wants to develop next to half of Riverview?" asked Jim Lynn, vice president of the city's Planning Commission. "I don't think it'll happen until the whole thing is gone."

Outside influence

The River Development group is pushing hard to get rid of all of Riverview.

That's why it hired The Boulevard Group, an Atlanta-based urban development consulting firm that has worked on relocating and redeveloping housing projects across the nation. The group is also involved in the relocation of Columbus' Peabody Apartment residents.

Doug Faust, vice president of The Boulevard Group, said the company is studying the opportunities Phenix City has with its riverfront development and will offer ideas on what to do next.

"Public housing communities generally present opportunities for enhancement for neighborhoods," Faust said. "What's nice is when you drive down the street and see a great neighborhood."

The Boulevard Group plans to present its findings to the community Thursday in a conference at Chattahoochee Valley Community College. The group was hired by the river development committee, which is working on incorporation as a not-for-profit organization and plans to begin fund raising soon.

This core group believes Phenix City has a great opportunity to improve its riverfront.

"Phenix City has more open land and is more accessible," Lynn said.

Lynn, an associate director of documentation at TSYS, also agrees with others that working with Columbus is the way to go.

"A strong partnership across the river is key, with the expertise and resources that Columbus has," he said.

"Each side of the river has its own opportunities. Working together, they can cooperate with each other," Faust said. "Phenix City has more open land. Columbus' side has restaurants and hotels. They can excellently complement each other."

Columbus is already moving swiftly on riverfront development, with the Trade Center expansion, the new Synovus office buildings and the RiverCenter. Whitewater rafting is already in the works as well. The whitewater proposal would be helped if the Phenix City riverfront improved.

Howard said Phenix City has to move just as quickly, or the chance may be lost.

"Are we going to be in it, or are we going to be outside looking in?" Howard said.


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Contact Erin Simpson at (706) 571-8586 or esimpson@ledger-enquirer.com