The City of Foley is launching a comprehensive municipal campus master plan to coordinate the expansion of city offices and services in its historic downtown area. This initiative, designed to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community, aims to establish a cohesive, functional, and visually unified campus.
The Foley City Council approved a proposal from consulting firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood to prepare the municipal campus master plan. The planning area spans from Alabama 59 east to Juniper Street, and from Section Avenue south to Myrtle Avenue.Mayor Ralph Hellmich emphasized that the plan will serve as a framework for future development, coordinating the construction of buildings, sidewalks, lighting, and streetscapes. “It is not intended to lock the city into one plan, but to give us guidance as needs and opportunities change,” Hellmich said, noting that coordinating investments ahead of time will save taxpayer dollars and avoid unnecessary costs.Cian Harrison, Foley’s Executive Director for General Government and Administration, explained that the master plan will establish a shared campus vision, guiding decisions on building placements, public spaces, pedestrian connections, wayfinding, and long-term capital budgeting.
The master plan builds on several key municipal projects completed in the planning area this summer:
- New Public Works Campus: In July, the city opened its new 14-acre Public Works Campus at North Poplar Street and East Section Avenue. The $17-million facility houses the Engineering, Public Works, Sanitation, and Street departments, and includes a 16,000-square-foot garage to service Foley’s municipal fleet.
- Foley Community Library: Opened in August on East Orange Avenue, the new library offers twice the space of the old building and will host a wide range of community programs.
- Foley Activity Center: Located in the renovated former National Guard Armory on East Jessamine Avenue, this facility houses Leisure Services, Parks and Recreation, and the Communications departments.
Future Transformations and Upcoming Projects:
As operations transition, the city is moving forward with plans to repurpose and renovate existing facilities:
- Administrative Offices: The former library building next to City Hall will undergo renovations to be converted into administrative offices.
- Parks Department Relocation: The site on East Violet Avenue previously used by Public Works since the 1990s will be adapted for use by the Parks Department.
- New Senior Center: The city plans to construct a brand-new Senior Center behind City Hall, near the Activity Center.
- New Civic Center: To accommodate a population that has grown from less than 4,000 in the 1970s to approximately 32,000 residents today, city leaders are planning a new, larger Civic Center to be constructed on property north of Heritage Park.
- World War WWII Museum: Planned for the same area north of Heritage Park, a new museum will focus on Foley’s historic role as a naval aviation training center during WWII. The project honors Foley’s designation by the National Park Service as an American World War II Heritage City—an honor given to only one community per state.
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