An artist's rendering shows The Phenixian, a $25 million condominium/retail complex that will be located in Phenix City.

The Phenixian is now a bird of a different color.

The initial architect's rendering of the $25 million condominium/retail complex planned for the riverfront by Ronnie Gilley Properties LLC of Enterprise, Ala., had a "Gulf Coast" feel, using soft greens and stucco to conjure images of surf and sand.

The Columbus firm of Hecht Burdeshaw Associates has made some changes. The new design unveiled by Hecht-Burdeshaw's Scott Holmes, a member of the Phenix City Downtown Redevelopment Authority, shows a building that still has plenty of stucco, but also a healthy dose of the red brick more common to the local construction scene.

The updated design features more than just red brick:

• The Phenixian will have 65 units on its 10 floors. One floor, the 10th, includes penthouses ranging in size from 2,045 to 2,857 square feet and including two and three bedrooms.
• The retail portion of The Phenixian will include three shops on the south side of the complex. The original design hinted at space for multiple shops and restaurants. The retail space will range in size from 1,132 to 1,869 square feet.
• The restaurant is still going to be built on the southeastern corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue, directly across from the main Phenixian complex on the former Davis property. A major change is that the restaurant will be constructed separately from The Phenixian so as not to delay the completion of the main property, said J.W. Brannen, chair of the Phenix City Downtown Redevelopment Authority. The restaurant will occupy the first floor of a multiple-floor building.
• The second floor of The Phenixian will still include the pool deck, the gymnasium/exercise room and a 120-seat auditorium/theater. Three levels will include parking decks -- one level for the general public and two levels for residents and customers.

"Hecht Burdeshaw, of course, has an outstanding reputation and I'm so impressed with the set of plans they come in with that it's just unbelievable," Brannen said. "I think it's a beautiful utilization of the property and everything in here is top of the line plus. That is important."

The bid process has not yet begun.

Other plans

Ronnie Gilley Properties will renovate the former Phenix-Girard Bank building across Third Avenue from The Phenixian. There, the developers will have a sales office plus models of the condominiums and apartments scheduled to be a part of the project.

The building will be completely renovated and serve as the RGP headquarters in the tri-community. The developer is looking at several projects in the area, including the mixed-use, planned residential development and a public golf course planned for the Phenix Industrial Park property off U.S. 431 South. This project will occupy 801 acres of the industrial park, which has been stymied for years because of soil issues and the lack of rail, fiber optics and gas lines in the area.

Brannen said RGP's commitment to this area is no short-term deal, with The Phenixian and the golf course community just the beginning. "They plan to be a part of the community," he said. "They will be here a long time."

The price of the condominium/apartments are still to be determined. The construction bid process will be a large part of the equation. "They plan to be competitive in the market," Brannen said.

Eagle-Phenix

The Phenixian is just one of several projects heating up on the riverfront. Just southeast of Phenix City project is another planned condominium/retail complex at the site of the old Eagle-Phenix Mill, owned by The Bradley Company. The project has seen a recent uptick in activity.

Mat D. Swift, president of Bradley's Real Estate Division, said the recent work has included paint removal from parts of the mill's facade and the beginning of grading on parts of the property.

"The foundations of the mill needed some stabilization and things along that line. We're finishing that up," Swift said. "We're working on the removal of paint on the facade, both on the south side and on the north side. We're trying to get the facade, as much as possible, to look like the old, historic mill."

Swift said the grading work is in preparation for the parking garage and the streetscape and landscaping that is planned as part of the project.

The pricing for the Eagle-Phenix project is also to be determined.

"We had an initial group of people who reserved almost half of the units and those people have units under reservation," Swift said. "The other units, we've basically told people that we will re-market them as we get closer to finish time. It's gone over very well. We've got a lot of interest."

Swift said the development of The Phenixian across the river from Eagle-Phenix is a tribute to the fact that the Columbus mill project has "gotten out of the box so well."

"Our project has caused other developers to come in and find downtown housing projects also," he said. "That one (The Phenixian) has come on board and everybody is excited about it, being on the river and a newly built project. I know of some other developers who have now purchased other buildings downtown for the purpose of building condos and lofts and apartments. I think the early response to the Eagle-Phenix project has prompted other people to say, 'Hey, there's a demand for downtown housing,' and they're moving to meet that demand."