Nonprofit Speaks Out Against Northport's Plans For Community Center & Park

NORTHPORT, AL — Friends of Historic Northport spoke out on Thursday after the Northport City Council earlier this week voted to move forward with due diligence work regarding the possibility of turning the Northport Community Center property into the city's newest retail development.

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Indeed, as Patch previously reported, tempers flared during Monday night's council meeting when dozens showed up in opposition to the measure.

Council President Jeff Hogg ultimately denied their request to speak as part of the public record and the council unanimously approved to allow Beeker Property Group to begin marketing the property over the next 180 days. This came after Hogg asked Northport Police officers to restore order over the crowd as many were vocal in demanding the right to speak against the measure before the vote.

Still, public opposition and poor optics did not stop Council members from saying that the proposed plans for the property had received the support of the Friends of Historic Northport — a notion that nonprofit flatly denied in a statement released Thursday evening.

The organization explained that the Northport Community Center Park has been home to the Northport Heritage Museum since 1998. The museum is owned by the City of Northport and operated by agreement with the Friends of Historic Northport.

"After being approached by the City of Northport, Friends of Historic Northport accepted the City of Northport's proposal for the Museum to be relocated to the corner of 9th Street and Bridge Avenue for the purposes of it becoming a new Northport Welcome Center as well as its continued role as a Heritage Museum," Friends of Historic Northport said.

The nonprofit then explained that in 2007, the Umbria Schoolhouse — the oldest known school structure in the state of Alabama — was given to Friends of Historic Northport and was moved to the Community Center Park from North River.

It was then agreed upon by The City of Northport and Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority (PARA) to relocate to the Northport Community Center Park. And after being approached by the City of Northport, Friends of Historic Northport ultimately accepted the city's proposal for the Umbria Schoolhouse to be relocated to the grounds of Historic Shirley Place in Downtown Northport."

District 1 Councilwoman and Council Pro Tem Christy Bobo told Patch on Sunday that Friends of Historic Northport embraced the idea and agreed that the current historical buildings would need to be preserved and moved to a more welcoming area that will greet visitors coming into Northport.

"I have only heard positivity and enthusiasm over the potential project so far," Bobo said the day before the vote to move forward with due diligence work.

Any expressed support, however, did not represent the nonprofit's approval for any other plans regarding the park and community center.

"Friends of Historic Northport has not given its blessing to any other plans regarding the Northport Community Center and Park," the statement says. "Friends of Historic Northport is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and has neither the authority nor the control over any decisions regarding the Northport Community Center and Park."

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