Railroad Avenue?

It seems that several new facilities are in the preliminary planning stage for Florence, the city that never saw a million dollar project it didn't like. That isn't surprising. It's also not surprising that Mayor Mickey Haddock realizes the impact the proposed East Florence Arts and Entertainment District will have on that area.

What is surprising is that Haddock has stated the city sanitation department headquarters may have to be moved from Railroad Avenue because of the future development. Anyone been down Railroad Avenue recently? It's as picturesque as it sounds. Running parallel to the train tracks, the narrow road runs from North to East Florence. Several small businesses dot the landscape as well as a few homes.

Perhaps we're not thinking big enough here, but in five to ten years, we don't see Railroad Avenue as home to Hard Rock Florence.

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Anyone have any plans tomorrow night? No? Didn't think so. Maybe TV Land will have a marathon of Bewitched...



Shoalanda

A Second Chance for East Florence Entertainment District?

Everyone in the Shoals is waiting for Thursday night. We're guessing property owners in the East Florence business district, now dubbed the East Florence Arts & Entertainment District, are especially eager to know RegionalCare's plans.

Only a few blocks from the Brandon property, a site our friends at The Connection have christened "Brandon Block," the heart of what was once Sweetwater to the locals will certainly now be able to live up to its promise. Hospital employees finishing a shift should be able to make a quick stop at any number of small cafes or bistros. Here's hoping someone immediately acts on our friend Mary Carton's suggestion to buy the old depot and turn it into a restaurant. Get the property while it's hot!

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We've been asked if the RegionalCare site is a "done deal." That we don't know, but from looking at property maps and aerial maps of similar new hospitals, purchasing all of Brandon Block would not be necessary. We'll have more on this for the homeowners affected in later blogs.

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We're not sure of  the age of  the photo in today's blog, but you can't miss the old East Florence Drugs building. At one time it was a sister store to North Florence Drugs and a Rexall outlet. Someone should bottle the smell of these old drug stores, along with Rogers Department Store--they could make a quick million.



Shoalanda