Story By Donald Campbell 

After several days of receiving public input, officials with a design firm working with the city presented possible options on what could be done with a former manufacturing facility in downtown Fort Payne during a meeting at the DeKalb Theatre on June 4th.

Benjamin Farmer and his team with the Farmer/Morgan Group had spent much of their time in town taking what residents had said both during an introductory meeting on the evening of June 1st and during open door sessions at the theater throughout the rest of the week. He began the meeting by briefly touching on the process used going into the week, as well as what took place during the opening meeting. The presentation included a digital flythrough of the approximately 83,000 square foot facility, as well as a computerized rendering of the area surrounding the former manufacturing center and a listing of various demographical data points taken into consideration when sketching out their suggestions. Examples of other cities across the country were also presented, giving examples of what other locales with similar structures have done in recent years in transforming what was once manufacturing buildings into spaces for the whole community to enjoy.

Following this portion of the presentation, Farmer and his staff then moved into some of the possible options the city could consider for redeveloping the site, based on what they had heard from residents throughout the week. One potential suggestion was to turn it into somewhat of an open green space and connecting it with the city park on the other side of Fourth Street. Based on the rendition included in the presentation, this could include an elevated platform where visitors could enjoy views of Lookout Mountain and watch trains as they went by, a plaza and community gathering space, and a plant atrium, among other elements. The rendition also considered the possibility of expanding the green space to the other side of the railroad tracks, with that property featuring amenities like pickleball courts, a skate park, an amphitheater, a playground, and pedestrian bridges over the railroad tracks connecting the two green spaces together.

A second idea for possible consideration turned the former GH Metal Solutions building into more of a mixed use space, with this possibility also suggesting the idea of turning land across the railroad tracks into a green space that would be connected with the mixed use property and the city park. According to this rendition in the presentation, some of the site could be turned into retail space, some could be outdoor green space, some could become an event hall, and some could be turned into a beer garden and area for food trucks to park. Farmer and his staff reiterated that both of the renditions contained in their presentation were simply suggested possibilities for the site that they had created based on the feedback residents had given them during the meeting on Monday evening and during the open door sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Once the presentation concluded, a few of those in attendance had additional thoughts they wanted to share. As the subject of having plenty of parking for these suggested ideas came up, it was put forth that, if any future plans weren’t as worried about parking, it might be more possible to maximize the amount of enjoyment opportunities available for the property. Another idea put forth was to take what machinery might still be housed in the building and preserve it for visitors to get to look at. This was expanded upon by the thought of taking out the movable parts from these machines to make them safer for those nearby, then coat them in something that would help more easily preserve the equipment on display.

With the initial input sessions having been completed, Farmer said there was still some work to do, and that the firm would be back to present its findings with officials during a special meeting at some point in the next several weeks. Before the meeting adjourned, Mayor Brian Baine reminded those in attendance that these were simply conceptual plans, not anything that was set in stone or a certainty to come to the property in the future, and that everything was still very early in the process. At the same time, the mayor said he believed it was a great site with a lot of possible opportunities to become something new in the future.

“It has been a pleasure working with Ben Farmer and the Farmer/Morgan Group on the future of the former GH Metal property in downtown Fort Payne. This project represents an important component of the Brownfield Grant we received for the site, specifically the redevelopment phase, and it has been valuable to hear the ideas and input from our community regarding the property’s future use,” Baine said after the meeting. “Throughout this process, we have gained a better understanding of what residents would like to see in this area and what types of development may be the best fit for both the site and our community. While there is still work ahead, I am confident that the planning team will develop a vision that aligns with our goals and creates opportunities for meaningful redevelopment. Our objective is to transform this property into a space that complements the character and success of our existing downtown, enhances walkability, and serves residents and visitors of all ages. We look forward to continuing this process and seeing this important property become a valuable asset for the future of Fort Payne.”