Though the Alabama Supreme Court has yet to make a final ruling on the legality of the project, construction is proceeding full speed ahead for an October opening of Jubilee Square in Daphne, AL.
AIG Baker Shopping Center Properties of Birmingham is the innovator of this enterprise which will bring several big name retailers to the eastern shore of Mobile Bay for the first time.
Located on U.S. 90 near Interstate 10, the 26-acre (10.5 ha) site will incorporate a Dillards Department Store and a Home Depot, both already in business there.
According to John Kelley project director of AIG Baker Shopping Center Properties, the retail firms are “still signing up and work at the site is going very well.” He indicated that the architectural design was the work of Williams & Blackstock, also a Birmingham firm.
Ammons and Blackmon Construction of Spanish Fort, AL, is preparing the site and Ter-Mac Construction Company Inc. of Mobile is doing the buildings. Work on the site began in December 2000. Four of the retail stores also are now under way.
The financing of this project is a cooperative venture between the city of Daphne and AIG Baker. The city agreed to pay AIG Baker $13.16 million over a 20-year period using sales tax revenues from the center based on a 75/25 percent sharing plan.
Ownership of a 19-acre (7.7 ha) parking lot, adjacent to the center, would be given to the city. To finance their part, Daphne planned to employ a $5.7-million bond issue. The legality of this partnership was challenged by some residents, and work did not begin until after the Alabama Circuit Court ruled that constitutionally, the city could proceed. Although an appeal is pending, drivers on nearby Interstate 10 and shoppers at the two stores already in business watch the site work in progress daily.
“The site preparation has gone well and we’re ahead of schedule,” reported Chad Ammons, chairman of Ammons & Blackmon. Ammons continued that his firm is using four Kobelco excavators, two Komatsu bulldozers, three John Deere motor graders and backhoes, two Ingersoll-Rand rollers and a Caterpillar backhoe at the site and added that this equipment was provided by three firms: Cowin Equipment Co., Tractor & Equipment Co., and Beard Equipment, all of Mobile.
“We’ve moved 140,000 yds. of dirt for this project,” Ammons said.
Ammons and his partner, Jerry Blackmon, have completed several sub-divisions in Baldwin County.
Also under way is the construction of four of the retail stores. Ter-Mac’s Jim Henderson indicated that his company’s part of the project has been going well.
Site Supervisor Guy Bourgeois said the company has different dates scheduled for the completion of each building.
“We’re working on four at the present time and have four more scheduled to begin,” Bourgeois said, adding, “So far, our biggest problem has been inclement weather which delayed us a bit awhile back. Making sure the buildings stack up structurally is an ongoing concern but one that we’re accustomed to handling.”
Ter-Mac will use other general contractors for electrical and other specialized work.
Some of the retail stores that have already signed up to be part of Jubilee Square include Stein Mart, T. J. Maxx, Goody’s Family clothing and Rack Room Shoes. These stores are expected to open in October.
When completed, Jubilee Square will have a restaurant area, a parking lot and eventually, a 40,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art movie theater. Consolidated Theaters based in Charlotte, NC, intends to build this complex, scheduled to open in the spring of 2002.
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