A Foley master plan will guide municipal expansion in downtown to meet the needs of a growing community.

The Foley City Council approved a proposal from Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood to prepare a municipal campus master plan. The plan will help the city coordinate future development while continuing efforts to improve services and enhance Foley’s historic downtown area.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the plan will provide a framework for coordinating the construction of facilities and infrastructure throughout the area.

“This gives us a framework for how future buildings, sidewalks, lighting, streetscapes and other improvements can work together,” Hellmich said. “It is not intended to lock the city into one plan, but to give us guidance as needs and opportunities change. Coordinating these investments ahead of time can help us avoid unnecessary costs and make better use of taxpayer dollars. Good planning now can save the city significant money in the future.”

 

Creating a plan for the municipal campus

The planning area extends from Alabama 59 east to Juniper Street and from Section Avenue south to Myrtle Avenue, said Cian Harrison, Foley executive director for general government/administration.

“This will establish a shared vision for the campus, and that framework will guide future decisions related to building placement, campus expansion, public spaces, streetscapes, pedestrian connections, wayfinding and potential property needs, while also supporting long-term capital planning and budgeting,” Harrison said.

Several municipal facilities have already opened within the planning area this summer.

The Public Works Campus opened in July on a 14-acre site at the intersection of North Poplar Street and East Section Avenue. The campus includes the Engineering Department, city garages and other facilities.

The new Foley Community Library opened on East Orange Avenue in August. The two-story facility has about twice the space of the building it replaced.

The Foley Activity Center is located in the former National Guard armory on East Jessamine Avenue and includes offices for Leisure Services, Parks and Recreation and the Communications Department.

 

More city facilities planned

The city is also developing plans for additional services and facilities throughout the area.

The former library building next to City Hall will be renovated for administrative offices, while the former Public Works site between East Orchid and East Marigold avenues will be adapted for use by the Parks Department.

Plans also call for a new Senior Center behind City Hall near the Activity Center.

City officials are also developing plans for a new Civic Center. The current Civic Center opened in the 1970s, when Foley’s population was less than 4,000. Today, Foley has about 32,000 residents, creating a need for a larger facility to serve the growing community.

Current plans call for the new Civic Center to be constructed on property north of Heritage Park.

 

Preserving Foley’s World War II history

A museum highlighting Foley’s role as a center of Navy aviation training during and after World War II is also planned for the area near the future Civic Center.

The National Park Service designated Foley as an American World War II Heritage City. Only one community in each state or territory can receive the designation.

The museum will focus on Foley’s contribution to the war effort and the history of Barin Field, the Navy aviation training center that opened in 1942.