Samford University, Landmark Development and Johnson Controls released a joint statement today announcing they are withdrawing their plans for the controversial Creekside development that was scheduled to go before the Homewood City Council next week for a vote.

The university will drop its rezoning applications and development plans pending before the Homewood City Council for the Creekside West and East projects and will focus their efforts on current and planned construction on Samford’s campus, the statement said.

Samford will now focus attention on its main campus.

“Samford will continue to focus on its multi-phase master development plan for campus improvements to enhance campus lifestyle and promote an environment for academic and personal success which are essential to keeping Samford mission-focused and competitive,” said Dr. Beck A. Taylor, Samford’s president. “The work we do to keep Samford on its positive trajectory benefits all of Homewood, and we are proud of our relationship with the Homewood community.”

The $700 million proposed development included a 10-story hotel, restaurants and 435 units of housing across Lakeshore Boulevard from the main campus, but immediately met with public opposition.

City council members said they were expecting that the June 9 public hearing would last hours as residents would be allowed to speak.

“City leaders we spoke with encouraged us to bring them a comprehensive mixed-use plan that included retail, entertainment and dining, office space, a boutique hotel, and community gathering spaces,” said Bob Dunn, president of Landmark Development. “By providing a broader, long-term vision – which is a best practice in land use planning today –it is possible to achieve outcomes that can’t be realized on a typical, building-by-building incremental approach to real estate development.”

Samford’s planned 27-acre development plan adjacent to Homewood High School raised concerns in Homewood about the impact of a 10-story hotel and shopping center development alongside Shades Creek and its popular walking trail.

At the most recent public meetings on May 19 to discuss the proposal, Landmark revealed that it wanted the city to kick in $26 million of ad valorem, lodging and sales tax back to the project for 20 years – all the tax revenue except the part that goes to Homewood schools.

Several Homewood council members and residents expressed concerns about the $26 million that Homewood was being asked to commit to the project, which would have been the largest and longest incentives ever considered by the city, said Homewood Mayor Alex Wyatt.

“The only way a project like this moves forward is through a true public-private partnership to realize benefits for the broader community, its residents, and schools, as well as other civic anchors,” Dunn said. “There is no timetable for revisiting Creekside, and our team’s focus right now is on the current and planned projects on Samford’s campus.”