Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson is proposing the sale of city property to support a mixed-use development in downtown that will connect citizens and visitors alike to the Port City's waterfront. The Oct. 15 Mobile City Council meeting will include the first read for a purchase-sale agreement.
In December 2023, the City of Mobile, Burton Property Group and Kessler Capital announced plans to develop Mobile’s only mixed-use waterfront entertainment and hospitality development: River Walk Plaza. Anchored by a luxury hotel, the conceptual plans for River Walk Plaza also include condos, Class-A office space, and multiple food and beverage, retail and entertainment options.
River Walk Plaza is slated to be built at 10 Water Street, adjacent to the Mobile Convention Center. Through a public-private partnership, this is one of several improvements Mayor Sandy Stimpson is leading along the downtown waterfront, including the renovation of Cooper Riverside Park, the Hall of Fame Walk and future attractions planned at the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, according to a press release from the city.
“The purchase-sale agreement is an important next step to bringing the River Walk Plaza development to fruition. This project is poised to be a transformational public-private partnership that will fully activate our downtown waterfront,” Mayor Sandy Stimpson said.
“A mixed-use development with lodging, entertainment and recreational options on the banks of the Mobile River will perfectly complement the other ongoing projects in the area. When this vision is realized, the waterfront will be a fully connected and thriving piece of downtown Mobile."
The River Walk Plaza concept was developed following the City of Mobile’s request for proposals for a potential development on the downtown waterfront. The city selected this project, which marries residential, recreational, and office uses, as the best use for this property.
The Oct. 15 Mobile City Council meeting will include the first read for a purchase-sale agreement between the city and the developer. If approved, this agreement would be a critical next step in moving this transformational project forward. The project, which is in its early stages of development, aims for a groundbreaking in 2025.
The development will include luxury hotels and condos, Class A office space, and multiple food and beverage, retail, and entertainment options. To allow for easier access, the project will be engineered to provide vehicular and pedestrian access across Water Street and the CSX train tracks.
In accordance with its regular rules and procedures, the Mobile City Council is expected to hold over the purchase-sale agreement for one week and vote on it at its Oct. 22 meeting.
