City, ALDOT, host open house for CityWalk BHAM linear park

The City of Birmingham and the Alabama Department of Transportation are planning to create a new linear park along a 10-block strip underneath the new bridges being constructed for I-59/20 in the heart of downtown.

On Tuesday, July 17, the project partners began the process of gathering public comments regarding the amenities for the new park, to be called CityWalk BHAM.

They hosted three two-hour public open houses in a conference room at Boutwell Auditorium, with similar sessions to be held at Birmingham CrossPlex on July 24.

Roughly 50-75 attendees took part in the third and final open house at Boutwell, held at 5 p.m.

At one table, they could write down their big, out-of-the-box ideas for the project, to be located underneath the freeway between 15th and 25th streets north.

At six other tables, they could offer suggestions or comments regarding programming in six categories, including food and beverage, arts and culture, live entertainment, children and family programming, and sports and fitness.

Kelvin Datcher, the city’s director of intergovernmental affairs, told attendees that CityWalk BHAM “is very important” to the city’s future.

“We have a lot of good things going on south of the interstate, and we have a lot of good things going north of the interstate,”  Datcher said. “Now we have to connect those two. And we think we can bring people and energy and ideas and activities to a very special place right here in downtown Birmingham.”

He encouraged attendees to share their energy and ideas at the various tables during the open house.

“Let’s make it great, something uniquely Birmingham," Dutcher said. "Something that will not only draw people from outside Birmingham to come downtown, but bring Birminghamians together in a very cool space."

Paul Darr, landscape architect with Birmingham-based Barge Design Solutions, called CityWalk BHAM a “unique” project and “an exciting opportunity” for the city.

He said that the park would take in about 31 acres. “It’s a big space,” he said. “There is ample opportunity to put a lot of uses in the space and do it in a creative way.”

Officials say that the project is possible because there will be no off-ramps in that section of the freeway. In addition, due to modern construction techniques, the bridge will require far fewer support columns and will have less traffic noise.

Ben Donsky, vice president of New York City-based Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, made a slide presentation to attendees. Donsky and BRV will be involved in creating the programming and designing a budget, including operation and maintenance, for CityWalk BHAM.

Barge Design Solutions will take the lead in the design phase, according to Donsky.

BRV is best known for helping to revive Bryant Park in New York, a popular spot in Manhattan that was once considered the most dangerous park in the city.

Donsky said that his company’s success in turning around Bryant Park stems from proper management and lots of free programming year round.

BRV is known around the country — including Dallas, Newark, N.J., and Buffalo, N.Y.  — for reviving “dangerous, underutilized” spaces, he said.

In planning CityWalk BHAM, BRV and the other project partners “want to understand all the activities that people want,” Donsky said.

Darr said that following the July 24 open houses at CrossPlex, the project partners will allow at least another two weeks for the public to submit comments on the project.

Pre-addressed postcards are being distributed at the open houses. In addition, there will be an interactive survey made available at the new CityWalk web site, according to Darr.

After analyzing all the comments they receive, the planners will develop a “program map,” and from that, a “conceptual master plan,” according to Darr.

They hope to be able to come back to the public with that master plan by late September or October, likely at another open house or special event, Darr said.

According to a tentative timeline on the project website, ALDOT hopes to complete the engineering and design for CityWalk BHAM by summer 2019, begin construction by winter 2020 and complete the project by spring 2021, before the World Games.

The public input sessions at Birmingham CrossPlex on Tuesday, July 24, will be held from 10 a.m.-noon, noon-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.

For more information and updates about the project, go to citywalkbham.com.