Fuller looks back at year of impressive milestones

“We’ve been blessed,” Fuller said. “I consider us very fortunate.”

Fuller recently discussed those successes, along with the opportunities and challenges facing Opelika, in 2015.

Road projects

Fuller expects that the Frederick Road widening project from the intersection of Gateway Drive to the Auburn city limits should be completed in the next two to three months.

“We’re fairly confident by the end of the first quarter,” Fuller said Wednesday. He said workers now have to complete sidewalks, add the upper layer to the roadway and then stripe the new four-lane stretch. The project took 18 months to complete, though the Frederick Road widening project was first discussed more than 20 years ago.

Fuller also said work on Oak Bowery Road is slated to be completed by June. Last month, workers started work on removing and replacing a bridge that is located between Blackhawk Drive and Cannon Gate Drive. The $1 million project is expected to take six to seven months to complete.

Carver and Jeter

The mayor says residents of the Carver and Jeter neighborhoods will see work taking place as part of a master revitalization plan that was developed last year. The city worked with consultant Aaron Fortner to develop the plan. However, residents of the two historic African-American neighborhoods, located in the southern portion of the city, provided the most valuable input.

“What we’ll do this year is start implementing that plan,” Fuller said, describing the neighborhoods as “gateways” to downtown Opelika. “We want to revitalize and improve those two neighborhoods. They’re both rich with history and heritage.”

Fuller said one important priority is addressing substandard properties — especially vacant houses — in those neighborhoods.

“We’ve gotten more aggressive in asking the property owners to improve their properties,” Fuller said. “We’d rather not demolish anything. We’d rather they be restored.”

He also discussed the need for additional affordable housing in those neighborhoods that would be marketed to individuals such as public safety workers, teachers and others with moderate income.

Retail development

The Tiger 13 movie theater was arguably the biggest non-industrial development to open in 2014. However, several other retailers opened last year, including Save-A-Lot, Ollie’s and Guthrie’s on Pepperell Parkway, Taco Bell on the Columbus Parkway and Newk’s in Tiger Town.

There are more openings planned for 2015. Work continues on Bojangles’ on Pepperell Parkway and Full Moon BBQ in Tiger Town. Work also continues on a new shopping center in the Tiger Town retail complex, across from Starbucks, Waffle House and Steak n’ Shake. The 34,000-square foot complex will include Taziki’s Café, Einstein Bagels, Pizza 120, Mattress Firm, Aspen Dental and other tenants. It is slated to open in the second half of 2015.

Southern Union

Construction work continues on two major projects at the Southern Union State Community College campus.

The campus’s old technology buildings were demolished to make room for the new Center for Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) and the Business and Technology Center (BTC). The CIM will be the new home of the technical and workforce development. The BTC will house the college’s business and computer science departments, the campus testing center and a new student success center. Both projects are slated for completion by this summer.

Fuller said the new facilities, and the college, are important to Opelika’s economic development.

“We’re doing more dual enrollment between Opelika High and Southern Union,” he said. “We’ve added some new career tech classes in the high school.”

Fuller said one of the biggest challenges facing the city is workforce development – partly because of Lee County’s relatively low unemployment rate.

“When we’re recruiting industries, they want to know where they can find qualified people to work,” Fuller said, adding that OHS and Southern Union can teach trades and skills that prospective industries seek.

He also said there are many “underemployed” residents who could work some of these industrial jobs, which often pay $15 or more per hour.

Baxter expansion

One of Opelika’s greatest successes last year was the announcement from Baxter that it was adding a $300 million expansion to its Fox Run Parkway campus. The Illinois-based company manufactures life-sustaining medical products including dialyzers, which act as filters for patients with end stage renal disease.

Fuller said this will add up to 200 high-paying jobs by 2017.

“I’m not sure if there was any economic development news in the state that was as big as the expansion that Baxter announced in August,” Fuller said. “This is something that any community in America would love to have.”

In the short term, Opelika’s economy will benefit from the construction work that is currently occurring.

Fuller said many of Baxter’s current workers once worked in textile mills before they shut down. He said some of the workers are now making double what they used to make in textiles.

“Think about what that does for their families,” Fuller said.

Barbasol Championship

Opelika’s Grand National golf course will host the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship this July. The tournament will bring many of the world’s top golfers to Lee County, as it features a $3.5 million purse.

Fuller said sponsors are still signing up for the tournament. He added that in the next few weeks there will be a push for tournament volunteers as the tournament will require several hundred volunteers.

Fiber-optic service

Fuller said Opelika Power is a “little ahead of schedule” in signing up residential and business customers for fiber-optic service.

“We’re making great progress,” he said.

Fuller said from the beginning, the plan was that it would take the city several years to make a profit on its $45 million investment.

Opelika is the only city in Alabama to own and operate a 100 percent proprietary fiber network, which is used to offer television, phone and high-speed internet. It’s even able to handle futuristic uses, such as 3D holographic, high-definition television and games.

Challenges ahead

Fuller said one of the city’s greatest challenges is workforce development, and ensuring the city maintains a diverse economy. He cited industries such as Uniroyal, Diversified Products and West Point Pepperell – once large industries in Opelika which have now closed their local operations.

He did say the city is “very close” to making another economic announcement.

“I can tell you this. It’s not automotive,” Fuller said.

One negative last year for the city was two surveys which stated that Opelika is one of the most dangerous cities in Alabama regarding crime. Fuller cited a decrease in homicides (three in 2013 and one in 2014), add offered harsh words for the Movoto real estate survey that ranked Opelika the seventh most dangerous city.

“The California real estate company has no credibility with me,” Fuller said. “I’d go anywhere in Opelika tonight, and I’d go by myself. … I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way I do.”

He praised Chief John McEachern and officers for their work in combating crime through community policing.

“Our new chief has engaged our officers to get out of the car, walk the neighborhood and meet people,” Fuller said.

The mayor said he is looking forward to 2015, and believes the city can build on its recent successes.

“2014 was a great year, and I believe 2015 will be another exceptional year.”

OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS FILE PHOTO

Richard Hare and Fred Va Noy talk to each other before the ribbon cutting ceremony for Carmike Tiger 13 movie theater in Opelika on April 30.

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