Spotlight on Colbert & Lauderdale: Community Development

Colbert and Lauderdale counties are improving services, entertainment districts, schools and more

Tuscumbia’s Spring Park includes an evening water show. Photo courtesy of Visit the Shoals.

Colbert County

Colbert County is planning a new county jail to be built north of Muscle Shoals by converting empty TVA buildings, officials say, with the size of the facility to be determined once bids come in.

Tuscumbia, the county seat and the birthplace of Helen Keller, is a popular destination attracting worldwide tourism. The city’s Spring Park will be getting a disc golf course soon.

In the city of Muscle Shoals, which is still growing steadily in population, there is a comprehensive plan that will help address that growth, says Mayor Mike Lockhart.

The city has announced plans for a $65 million sports, retail and entertainment complex. This new development aims to enhance the community’s recreational and economic landscape with sports facilities, retail shops and entertainment venues, such as an amphitheater. This project is expected to bring significant growth and opportunities to the area, he says.

“The event center can be modified for different events, such as expos, shows and more,” Lockhart says. “We also will have basketball, volleyball, tennis and pickleball, and outdoor baseball, softball and soccer fields.” The baseball and softball fields will be used by the city’s popular 12-and-under sports program, where more than 800 children play sports on the fields each night, he says.

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With all the growth, housing is a priority, he says. A mixed-use housing development is underway with the first phase ongoing, he says. When complete, there will be both housing and commercial development. Retail, casual dining and a hotel are set to be developed nearby, a public/private partnership, he says.

Sheffield schools began a capital campaign for funds to upgrade school signage with digital leader boards.

The city of Sheffield, known as the “Center of the Shoals,” has three historic districts. It is working on an overpass project across the railroad to eliminate traffic delays caused by train traffic. The city also is working on its comprehensive plan.

Education is a priority in the Shoals.

Residents of Tuscumbia recently overwhelmingly approved a 5-mill property tax renewal for the city school system. The tax will be in effect for the next 30 years.

Colbert County, Tuscumbia city and Sheffield city schools all have strong career-tech programs in partnership with local industries and with area colleges.

Sheffield schools began a capital campaign for funds to upgrade school signage with digital reader boards. Beyond boosting the look of the schools, the district is allowing students in business/computer classes a chance to learn how to program the signs and how to use them for marketing purposes, says Lisa Rickman, career coach and public relations spokesman for the district.

The city of Florence, the county seat of Lauderdale County, opened the new River Heritage Trail in May.

Lauderdale County

In Lauderdale County, the third floor of the courthouse is being renovated to add a courtroom for a third judge, says Brenda Bryant, county administrator. And Bush Creek Park in Waterloo will get electrical access for camping sites.

The city of Florence, the county seat, in May opened the new River Heritage Trail. This is the first link of the trail and runs about a mile along the Tennessee River canal, connecting River Heritage Park trailhead to the Patton Island Overlook trailhead. The trail features interpretative displays and overlook points.

“This trail is a long time coming,” says Mayor Andy Betterton. The park has a splash pad, pavilion and more.

Florence also is rearranging city facilities. A new parking deck opened in September, Betterton says. Next is to tear down the old deck and build a new city hall on the site. Once that is done, the old city hall will be torn down for a municipal parking deck adjacent to the new city hall.

Florence just opened another pod at its sportsplex, which includes five new fields with a Miracle Field, Betterton says. In fact, a league for those with special needs will begin this fall. The city also is building tennis and pickleball fields at Veterans Park, he says.

The city hosts a lot of sporting events, and just recently hosted the 2024 Babe Ruth League World Series that included the all-ages softball division and the 9-year-old and 11/70 Cal Ripken age groups.

Florence also recently became a stop for American Cruise Lines’ Tennessee Rivers riverboat cruise. And the University of North Alabama in Florence has a $65 million Bank Independent stadium project underway.

A private development underway, West Village Florence, will be a mixed-use community with a variety of housing options, neighborhood shops and restaurants, parks and gathering spaces. It is being billed as the first walkable neighborhood in the Shoals.

Two projects are underway at the state-funded Lauderdale County Agricultural Center in Florence.

One is a $26 million Workforce Development Center to be finished next year, a joint project with the state of Alabama, the Lauderdale County Commission, local K-12 systems and the Tennessee Valley Authority, officials say. The state has included $3 million in the 2024 Education Trust Fund and TVA has donated $8 million for equipment. The project will offer upper-level training programs and training for high-demand jobs, officials say.

The second project is Lauderdale County Schools’ Innovation Center, which will sit next to the Workforce Development Center and the agricultural event center. Ground was broken in April. School leaders say the center will help create more opportunities for students, who have sometimes been turned away for lack of space. When finished, programs will move out of the system’s Allen Thornton Career Technical Center.

Both projects will offer new classes and expanded hours so that students and adults will be able to take courses to learn skills and gain certifications in the evenings.

Florence city schools have several career technical programs, from agriscience to computer science. It has the popular Launch program, which allows juniors and seniors to work in a career field of interest while attending school and provides students with career internship/apprenticeship experiences. It also has an early college program with Northwest Shoals Community College.

This article appears in the October 2024 issue of Business Alabama.

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