Photo by Sarah Owens
Landmark Development CEO Bob Dunn (left) and Samford University President Dr. Beck A. Taylor announced a proposed change to the Creekside development at a press conference on April 28.
Landmark Development and Samford University announced today a revised proposal for Creekside East, the track and soccer facility originally planned for property east of Homewood High School. Under the revised plan, the facility would be located on a portion of the Homewood Soccer Park property off South Lakeshore Drive.
The original planned location of the athletic complex drew concerns from the city and its residents during a March 4 Planning Commission meeting and several community conversations hosted by the developers. Concerns centered around the development's impact to Homewood's beloved salamander habitat and Shades Creek watershed.
"The issues of concern did not fall on deaf ears," Landmark CEO Bob Dunn said. "From Dr. Taylor to Dr. Coyne to myself, to a lot of others, we said, 'Let's see if we can find a better way.' And frankly, I think we found a better way to solve that problem."
After hearing the concerns, Landmark and Samford proposed creating an advisory group during a Planning Commission meeting on April 1. According to developers, the group has already met and will continue to meet throughout the development process to ensure the best outcome. The group includes a cross-section of Homewood residents and stakeholders with expertise in education, environmental stewardship, sports, finance and business.
The revised plan presented today, in partnership with the city, will use new tax dollars to build a track and soccer facility while eliminating environmental impacts on the salamander habitat, stormwater management and Shades Creek near Creekside East. Dunn noted that studies have shown potential for the development to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue.
The new proposal still needs to be submitted to the city, but if approved, the track and soccer facility will be built on existing Homewood Park and Recreation soccer fields west of Creekside West and shared by the community, Homewood Soccer Club, Homewood High School and Samford University. The original Creekside East site would remain a green space withe the possibility of future efforts to enhance the natural environment.
Moving forward, developers plan to continue community engagement, including working with the Creekside Development Advisory Group, throughout planning and construction to ensure the project complements the Homewood community.
The development would feature a mix of retail, office space, a hotel and Samford-affiliated housing, while embracing its proximity to Shades Creek and the greenway to protect the environment and attract visitors.
The hotel will offer meeting spaces, upscale lodging and opportunities for hands-on education in food and hospitality.
Although Creekside will be located south of Lakeshore Drive and separate from Samford’s main campus, it will provide amenities essential for attracting students in a competitive market, helping secure Samford’s future while preserving its campus culture north of Lakeshore.
"Although Samford is growing and thriving today, we cannot be complacent. The university must remain aspirational and plan for a successful future in a dynamic and competitive higher education marketplace," said Samford President Beck Taylor. "Phase two of Samford Horizons, what we've come to know as the Creekside district, is for Samford a unique and timely opportunity to partner with the city of Homewood and our community to strengthen the quality of life that defines Homewood for all of its residents, and strengthen Samford's position as Homewood's university for at least the next 100 years."
The project would also offer educational opportunities in environmental studies, wildlife habitats, native flora and birding for Homewood City Schools and Samford.
