By Tanna Friday
For the Tribune
On Thursday, mayor Buddy Choat, unveiled the city’s designs for a new entertainment district on Morrow Avenue which will open late in 2018 and serve as the centerpiece for downtown redevelopment.
An entertainment district on Morrow Avenue will be the centerpiece of downtown redevelopment.
The entertainment district, known at this stage as “Quad One,” will feature an event stage, large pavilion, additional parking, retail shops, and several new restaurants including Melt, Trussville Common House, Slag Heap Brewing Company, and a second craft beer brewery. The city envisions that Quad One, part of the city’s revitalization plan, will preserve and grow the historic downtown area.
Slag Heap Brewing Company is being developed by Trussville resident Joe Meadows, a veteran of craft beer competitions where he has been highly successful. Slag Heap plans to open in December.
The properties housing Melt, Trussville Common House and a second craft beer brewery are being developed by Coby Lake, the primary developer of Avondale.
Melt has committed to a location in the downtown entertainment district.
Last week, Lake and his partner, Trussville resident Chris Donaldson, sold their interest in Avondale Brewery to focus on the Trussville development.
“I didn’t want competing breweries,” Lake said. “I want to have something authentic and unique to Trussville Downtown, something that the people of Trussville can call their own.”
One of the most noteworthy aspects is the development of a city stage and pavilion, which will serve as an outdoor venue for various events and gatherings, located on the edge of Pinchgut Creek and the railroad tracks.
“There will be a stage area and pavilion that will create a family-friendly environment,” says Choat. “We will have a grassy area down here in front of the stage for kids to play and have restaurants and breweries all around.”
Trussville Common House will overlook the pavilion and stage.
Visualization may be hard to see as you drive down Morrow Avenue today, but the designs reveal a much larger vision for shops, restaurants, and entertainment in the area. The Mayor explains several key concepts the city is looking at as they unveil.
“Melt and Common House have decided to come to Trussville and we are thankful for that,” says Choat.
Common House, which features a unique and tailored menu for the area, plans to create a menu which features parts of Trussville’s history, according to owners Ellen and William Rogers.
“At the corner of Main Street and Morrow Avenue, you will see Slag Heap Brewing Company, but coming down Morrow Avenue there will be a wide street with sidewalks, streetscapes, and lights,” Choat said. “Halfway down the block will begin the foot traffic area, which will lead to several restaurants and breweries as well as the Pinchgut Pavilion in the middle.”
Following Slag Heap Brewing Company, a second brewery will open in the downtown entertainment district.
When there is growth, parking can become an area of concern, Choat said, addressing the city’s parking plan for Quad One.
“We will have on–street parking, public parking lots behind the Keller Williams building on the lot we already own,” Choat said. “We will have access parking on some of the streets and some parking in surrounding areas that we hope to develop in the future.”
While Choat mentioned the city is still preparing for the bidding process, he believes construction in Quad One will begin within 12 to 18 months.
167 Comments
Kathy Sills
More traffic. oh boy
Leo Vargas
Laura Ann Vargas
Terri Phillips
Where is the plan for traffic control?
Erin Salter
Jeremy Salter
Matt Clay
I am at a loss on why they think two breweries and a bar less than a block from each other is not “too much”.
Mandy Hornsby Catrett
Can. Not. Wait.
Mandy Hornsby Catrett
Can. Not. Wait.
Jessica Cramer Owens
Kristen Gable Brian Owens YAS!!!!
Jessica Cramer Owens
Kristen Gable Brian Owens YAS!!!!
Henryand Susan Morris
Love it! Can’t wait!
Henryand Susan Morris
Love it! Can’t wait!
Trussville To Go
This is going to be AWESOME!
Trussville To Go
This is going to be AWESOME!
Josh Kloepfer
Bout time we had some real progress other than a new chain store and restaurant.
Josh Kloepfer
Bout time we had some real progress other than a new chain store and restaurant.
Scott Wheeler
Keeping up with the Bell…..
Scott Wheeler
Keeping up with the Bell…..
Michael Stanley
Highway 280 is coming to Trussville without proper planning
Michael Stanley
Highway 280 is coming to Trussville without proper planning
Emily Krawczyk
Katherine Krawczyk Kat Krawczyk
Emily Krawczyk
Katherine Krawczyk Kat Krawczyk
Magen Nelson
I believe that BOTH will serve food, so they will be restaurants in addition to breweries.
I think it’s great! Right now the only restaurants that are open at night downtown are Sonic and Marcos.
I LOVE Marcos- but it will be good to have some variety! 🙂
Magen Nelson
I believe that BOTH will serve food, so they will be restaurants in addition to breweries.
I think it’s great! Right now the only restaurants that are open at night downtown are Sonic and Marcos.
I LOVE Marcos- but it will be good to have some variety! 🙂
Matt Clay
If serving food great, but Avondale Brewery did not serve food neither does Good People Brewery
Matt Clay
If serving food great, but Avondale Brewery did not serve food neither does Good People Brewery
Casi Carden Selph
Sounds amazing, however the traffic in the morning and afternoon is horrendous!! I think the traffic issue is of major concern and needs to be addressed before starting this project!
Casi Carden Selph
Sounds amazing, however the traffic in the morning and afternoon is horrendous!! I think the traffic issue is of major concern and needs to be addressed before starting this project!
Brent Tyree
Carlyn Harris
Brent Tyree
Carlyn Harris
Matt Clay
I just find it odd that they sold Avondale Brewery because they did not want competing breweries but talking about opening new brewery which will be competing with Slag Heap Brewery.
One brewery and a Common House bar is great, I just think you are overkilling it with 2 breweries and a bar. I think it is over saturating the market unless they serve food as well.
Matt Clay
I just find it odd that they sold Avondale Brewery because they did not want competing breweries but talking about opening new brewery which will be competing with Slag Heap Brewery.
One brewery and a Common House bar is great, I just think you are overkilling it with 2 breweries and a bar. I think it is over saturating the market unless they serve food as well.
BenandLindsey Brown
Shawn Emanuel
BenandLindsey Brown
Shawn Emanuel
Derek Ried
Glad to be gone
Derek Ried
Glad to be gone
Terrie Dollar
Centerpoint gonna enjoy it to.
Terrie Dollar
Centerpoint gonna enjoy it to.
Jenny Posada King
David King
Jenny Posada King
David King
Marlene Little Appleton
I hope they revamp the traffic situation along with this.
Marlene Little Appleton
I hope they revamp the traffic situation along with this.
Stephanie Robinson
I’m so excited! Finally a place where you can hang out late locally and enjoy live music. And finally more food and a great bakery, Edgar’s, coming too.
Stephanie Robinson
I’m so excited! Finally a place where you can hang out late locally and enjoy live music. And finally more food and a great bakery, Edgar’s, coming too.
Tabatha Feduska
This sounds great! I do have concerns about traffic though since it’s already so bad!
Tabatha Feduska
This sounds great! I do have concerns about traffic though since it’s already so bad!
Cathy Bean
Hope it’s laid out beautifully and landscaped with traffic flow in mind…
Jason Wells
Traci Bibb Wells
BrandonWendy Brasher
My thoughts exactly lol
Dena Tuggle Casey
Jordan Casey
Julie Waddell Currie
Let’s do something about the traffic on Hwy 11 first
Pamela Mays Decker
Krystan Sivley
Christin Mavin
I agree!
Patience Kleber Itson
How awesome! The more stuff that happens here the more pleased I am that I decided to move here!
Renee Stone
Alecia Harper
Ian Maddox
Matt Clay Common House is a bar & grill (lots of food). The two breweries will not serve food because the ABC laws will not allow them to. Instead, food from all of the other restuarants near by will be allowed to be brought in, ala Avondale, Good People, etc. I wouldnt be surprised if open container laws might be altered for a certain section of this district so that food, beverage and music can be simultaneously enjoyed! Three restaurants have already commited (including Melt) and I am aware of several more that cannot yet be announced. There will be plenty of food options.
Matt Clay
Ian Maddox, yes agree with you on this. I knew common house does serve food. Just think 2 breweries on same block is just too much. Avondale & Good People complement each other because they are in different areas of downtown Bham but I just not sure if they would both be as successful if they were on the same block.
Bevan Cross
Ansley Cross
Kelli Hatley
Amanda Barron Corey Barron
Shante Ross
LaShundra Atkins Giles
Lindsay Hughes Vandegrift
Looks cool. What about the new buildings that are still empty in the new shopping center?????
Matt Clay
Fresh Market bailed out opening their store in new shopping center. They have a history of saying they are moving in an area and then delaying or canceling opening a store. I think I saw a story that the developer there was already working on something else moving in.
Brian Wells
traffic and parking is one ting they better figure out.
Scott White
Great!!! We have the trains to deal with and traffic like crazy on the cut through. I sure hope part of this will be fixing and widening the roads coming off Chalkville Mt. Road. I will never get home
Tabatha Van Vuren
Glenn Hatcher Rose Hatcher
Nell Moore
do something about traffic on Hwy 11 and Chalkville mountain road first. It is an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE!!!
Ryan Robinson
Kaitie Pardue
Debbie Burke Waid
Scott, do you have any time line on the new road running from Talley Street over to Glenn Avenue?
Scott Buttram
Not a specific timeline. However, much of the property needed has already been acquired.
Robert E. Bryant III
Need to fix the roads first
Barbie MrsToro
Jessica Toro Hardisson
Beverly Elders Cross
Bevan Cross Ansley Cross
Diann Capps
Going to end up like 280!!!
Scott White
Diann Capps already close.
I am finally feeling better. Will see you tomorrow
Krista Jarvis Doss
A traffic plan was also discussed that will help the flow.
Krista Jarvis Doss
Mayor Choat addressed it as well.
Lindsay Hughes Vandegrift
Yeah, I saw that too. There are several other smaller spaces still empty as well. Not to mention, Kmart now too. We have buildings, we need business that will thrive.
James D. Dunn
When you get that entertainment district you can allow the drunks to walk around with their open container, like TTown. Nothing like a controlled drunk
Kristen Gable
💃🏼🍺😎 #parentsgonewild #trussvillestyle
Kayla Wilbourn
Scott Wilbourn
Ashley Keene
Justin Stacey this is going to be so awesome!!
Kathy Sills
The flow now is awful..living downtown tville ..there are no shortcuts…
Kellie Crittenden Yarbrough
Trussville civil engineers had better get on the traffic issue. Every year I come back home, the traffic is worse.
Chalkville Mtn and Hwy 11 are an absolute nightmare.
Amanda Barron
So excited!
Scott Key
EJ Hardin Mickey T Jacobs
Mickey T Jacobs
That will be pretty sweet
Traci Bibb Wells
It will be completed after we have moved away.
Jeff McDaniel
Huntsville has 3 and a Wish you were beer within a stones throw of each other. I think it will be ok.
Vickie Aldridge
We’ve got 3 auto parts stores a mile away from each other, 3 Mexican restaraunts off highway 11, and 3 grocery stores off highway 11.. if it’s over kill then we’ve already got it covered haha.
Genia Friday
Sooooo here it is
Leslie Mauldin Mayo
Coming 2037?
William Martinez
Jake Davis
Diann Capps
Scott White sorry you’ve been sick! Get better
Cathy Coe
I don’t feel this is a family oriented downtown Trussville.
Kay Warren Birdwell
Wish the city would use a little of the monies that will be spent to put a small speed bump on my street.I’ve begged for one for ten years.
Judy Williams Coleman
Most of us will never see this in our lifetime! I can’t get real excited!
Leslie Mauldin Mayo
Judy Williams Coleman yea I don’t mean to be a Debbie downer…just throwing out a little comedy. 😉
Kristie Speed
Excited! Something for everyone!
Judy Williams Coleman
Leslie Mauldin Mayo no it’s the truth girl!
Josh N Susan Townsend
They can’t even get the park finished and it’s just grass and lights!!!!
Josh N Susan Townsend
Y’all don’t get to excited, it will not be completed in our lifetime. We are still waiting on the park across the street from city hall!!! 6 years and counting…..
Eric Gay
I believe there are incentives involved on some of these projects with a 2-year window. If they’re not completed in the time frame, the incentives go away. Am I close to being correct Ian? Thought it was you who posted something about it.
Ian Maddox
Eric Gay there are incentives and contractual obligations. Folks can have whatever opinions they want; positive, negative or neutral, but frankly, unless those comments come from people I see getting involved I pretty much ignore them. Not interested in armchair QB’s!
Tim Sheridan
and they thought they were fancy when they dug up the kudzu patch and made em’ selves a Wal-Mart….
Tyler Shunnarah Reid
Brenda Jones Reid
Leigh Ann Mullins
Steven Mullins
Frances Hobdy
What a shame to bring alcohol places into this fine city and watch out how to what that brings with it.
David King
I’m super excited to see this come to our little town. It will be a great addition!
Tiki Kirk
Nikki Aldrich
Kathryn Smith
Looks nice but where will people park?
Chris Donaldson
My banker would love for this to take the rest of my life. Compounding interest is a wonderful thing….for them. 🙂
Eric Gay
Chris Donaldson lololol
Ian Maddox
Chris Donaldson That. Is. Classic. I prefer to laugh out loud once every day and you just help me get my quota.
Nina DeJohn
Which means more traffic to deal with, it’s already a mess. I can only imagine what Friday and Saturday nights are going to be on the roads around there
Nina DeJohn
I agree. Crime will go up too
Fulmer Barry
You do know a few thousand cars are on Main and So Chalkville Maybe it can be accessed by boat on Pinchgut Creek
Steve Hollingsworth
Crime has been going up for years due to the amount of people in trussville and surrounding areas. Biggest problem? Not enough Officers to cover it all. The city wouldn’t hire anyone and didn’t give officers pay raises for years. Better hope the new Chief can do something about that.
Sam Stewart III
Yes!!! Ban alcohol because it causes crime!! After all, the ban worked SO well during the prohibition era. While we are at it, we need to shut down Jim & Nicks, Logan’s, Cajun Steamer, Parish Oyster House, Applebee’s, Courtyard, Buffalo Wild Wings and all gas stations because they sell alcohol. All we need are fast food restaurants.
Crime is caused by people who choose to commit crimes. Selling alcohol or not selling alcohol has nothing to do with it. There are thousands of decent, family-oriented people who are excited about having a cool environment to hang out in. Many are going to spend time and money (tax dollars) in Trussville instead of going downtown. The “anti-alcohol” mentality has held the city back in many ways over the years.
Matt Lee
Garrett Mays
Chere Mays
Scott White
Traci Bibb Wells to be completed in 2018
Stacey Frost
Don Scott
Mike Whatley
Traffic isn t going anywhere with the bottle neck north of town. Unfortunately their to land locked in to many places to widen hwy 11 or chalkville mt. If they widen 59 North of 459, and hwy 11 north of City hall,it would solve alot of the problems
Don Scott
Thurmon Howard
Kevin Wilson
Why?
Angelo Denison Roberson
Trussville needs to deal with the ever increasing crime and bad element. While property values tank the city government buries its head in oblivion. Its is time that Trussville,Clay, Pinson/Palmerdale coordinate a plan to stop the pillage of once great communities. If you don’t you will be the crime mecca that “Centerpoint” is in ten to twenty years. Read the headlines often reported in this very page…………..
Chris Donaldson
Finish date is clearly 2036. Not 2037. We have some decency.
Scott Buttram
Chris, I seem recall similar comments when you and Coby announced that you were putting a brewery and restaurants in a completely desolate Avondale. I’ve always thought you guys missed a great marketing opportunity by not naming a beer Kentucky Fried Crow. I would have bought a t-shirt.
Chris Donaldson
I totally understand the concern and I hope we can change opinions. That way, everyone wins. I was just being funny.
Tim McGee Jr
Jennifer Carmichael McGee
Kay Warren Birdwell
How can it be family friendly with all the beer that will be flowing in the area?
Elaina Gunter
Michael Gunter
Deborah Renee Tolbert
Sam Stewart III perfectly said!
Roy McKinney
HA!
Beer in Trussville?, restaurants shops?
You would better of building a church!!!
Brooke Naramore McKinney
Kaila Kristine Cherry Nikolas Mckinney
Jason Reddick
Every single craft beer brewery I’ve been to in alabama..and outside the state is very VERY family friendly. Cahaba brewing, AVONDALE BREWING (WHO ARE BUILDING THIS COMPLEX) in Birmingham is jammed packed every. single. weekend. with young families, kids, leashed pets, live music, food trucks… Craft beer like Avondale, Good People etc. is more akin to wine tasting or whisky tasting..NOT A BAR AND DEFINETLEY NOT A NIGHT CLUB. The brewers, staff, owners are out to create the best product for consumption. The patrons who frequent these breweries, care about tasting quality product..at a premium price.
The owners believe in free enterprise, small business and community investment, take extreme pride in the safety, cleanliness, quality and reputation of their brand.
Ashley Hampton Hives
Luck Hives
Tuyet Nguyen
Abby Harwood Chase Harwood
Jenn Hand
Wes Johnson
Jenn Hand
Michael Lewis Hoover
Chuck Browning
Well said 😎👏👏 some people don’t quite understand the brewery scene.
Chuck Browning
Sarcasm? Seems we have more churches than gas stations
Amy Richardson Langner
You don’t want them~ I promise
Amy Richardson Langner
I am truly excited about the new venues and fun things in Trussville!~ <3 ~ We have a wonderful place to LIVE!! So many negative people responding to this post~ ....sigh~ Go live on 280 if you hate traffic....just saying
Wanda McKoy
You are SO right! Just what I wanted to say but just hesitant to get in the flurry.
Richard Rice
Kathryn Rice
Traci L Sessions
Yay! More traffic in Trussville!
Jackie Michelini Terrell
Joseph Terrell
Joseph Terrell
Brad Kanning
Keith Pate
be great for the police dept revenue. half the town drunk and in jail on public intoxication or a dui if your driving home.
Eric Gay
Nearly every restaurant in Trussville serves hard liquor and beer and somehow two breweries magically turns this city into Sodom and Gomorrah.
Gail Jordan Johnson
I know. great
Kay Warren Birdwell
Oh yes I do.It’s a dead end street that goes up hill and I live half way dowm.
Kevin Smith
Anita Brown
Anita Brown
Saw it. I’m excited
Abby Aycock Grace
Sharon Hawkins Aycock
Sharon Seibers Keane
I think people are equating these businesses to bars. I don’t think that is what is happening here.
Austin Roussel
Alex O’Barr Roussel Kayla O’Barr
Matthew Harmon
Some folks on here complaining about traffic in Trussville. Those folks don’t know what traffic is. Go live in Atlanta for a while, then come back. You’ll be praising our traffic.
Dave Willis
This man speaks the dead-on truth!
Bradley Clark
Vickie Aldridge
And two Regions banks within a mile of each other! 😄
Michelle Bate
That should help with the traffic problems. Lol.
Michelle Bate
Apples and oranges. Atlanta can’t be compared to Trussville.
Fran Robertson Aldridge
It’s gonna be right behind my office. We are excited!!
Chris Donaldson
The police department is putting up half the money for the development. Great guys.
Amber Fox Greene
I think it is wonderful for trussville!
Will Crawford
If you want to kid yourself and pretend that you can’t already find plenty of places to get tanked inTrussville then you probably have already made up your mind. However, maybe you should consider the fact that Trussville resident’s get their drink on in other parts of town and then drive all the way across town, then right through Trussville to get to their residence. I also would like to point out that a drunk leaving a bar a driving 20-30 minutes is not only still drunk when they get to Trussville but, they’re probably half asleep by then. Knee jerk reactions never make for logical solutions.
Jimmy Berning
I just hope they build a road so people can get to it unlike the unfinished road at the top of the Pinnacle