Business Happenings - February 2022
Coming Soon
Personal by Studio E Fitness, an exercise studio focusing on classical pilates privates, duets and semi-privates, will open its first brick-and-mortar studio this spring at 2212 Morris Ave. in the mixed-used Mercantile on Morris development, according to a news release from Birmingham development firm Orchestra Partners. The owner of the studio is Emily Dixon. The company also offers an on-demand Pilates platform that allows members to take Studio E Fitness classes wherever they go. studioe.fitness
Rush Bowls, a fast-casual concept known for its fresh, healthy meals in a bowl, recently announced it will open a store at 113 20th St. S., in the former location of Momma Goldberg’s Deli in early 2022, according to a Jan. 6 report from industry publication qsrmagazine.com. The national chain’s bowls offer fruits and vegetables topped with granola, honey and other fresh fruits and toppings.
Relocations and Renovations
Nonprofit makerspace Red Mountain Makers recently moved to Hardware Park, 811 Fifth Ave. N., near the Innovation District from its old home at Woodrow Hall in Woodlawn. At press time, the space was scheduled to open to the public Feb. 1, with classes beginning 12 days later, according to Carlo Rezzonico, the nonprofit’s vice chair. The move will allow Red Mountain Makers to double in size and offer more classes and more studio rentals for local small businesses and entrepreneurs, Rezzonico said. 205-588-4077
HData, a technology startup offering automated compliance and instant business intelligence to the U.S. regulated energy industry, recently announced that it will relocate to Birmingham. Hudson Hollister, HData co-founder and CEO, made the announcement Dec. 7 at the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator’s Demo Day at Red Mountain Theatre. Hollister also announced the company’s new strategic partnership with Alabama Power Company.
Immediate, 1500 First Ave. N., a financial wellness and earned wage access (EWA) leader, recently announced a permanent location for its headquarters in the heart of Homewood to better accommodate its growth long-term. The new location, at 2820 Central Ave., will undergo extensive renovations to create an innovative space which fosters collaboration. The renovations will be led by Chambless King Architects. Immediate Founder and CEO Matt Pierce expects to make the move this summer.
Civitan International recently sold its building at 1 Civitan Place just off Montclair Road to Beatty Construction and leased about 6,200 square feet at 500 Corporate Parkway in the Meadow Brook Corporate Park in Hoover. It is a downsizing move from 18,000 square feet and is designed to help the nonprofit be better stewards of its money, Executive Vice President Scarlet Thompson said. The new location was expected to be operational in the first week in February, Thompson said. Civitan International is the first tenant in the newly renovated building, she said. 205-591-8910
New Construction
Harbert Realty Services recently announced plans to develop Artisan Flats, a 120-unit multifamily residential project, at 2722 Fifth Ave. S. in Lakeview. Construction began in November with the deconstruction of the existing buildings, according to a Dec. 7 news release from the company. A portion of the materials will be repurposed within the new development. From the 1930s to 1960s, the site was home to the Huston Biscuit Factory. Since the 1980s, the site has been home to ABSCO Fireplace & Patio. Artisan Flats will feature amenities such as an elevated resort-style pool, outdoor grilling stations and firepits, high-tech package room, pet spa, roof terrace, controlled access, 24/7 fitness center with private studio, Wi-Fi with 1 GB internet and covered parking. 205-323-2020
Demolition work began Jan. 7 at Quinlan Castle, a long-vacant, 1920s-vintage apartment building, 2000 Ninth Ave. S., according to a news release from Southern Research. A mainstay in the neighborhood for decades, Southern Research recently announced plans to build a new laboratory facility on the Quinlan Castle site that will double its Biosafety Level 3 lab space for research on infectious diseases, including COVID-19. “While the castle’s demolition is a bittersweet moment, we are excited about our plans for this site and what they mean for the future of Southern Research and for Alabama,” Southern Research President and CEO Josh Carpenter said in the news release. 205-581-2000
Construction Update
UAB is renovating the former Physical Education Building, 608 13th St. S., for use as a men’s and women’s basketball practice facility. Construction is more than 60% complete, and interior drywall and MEP is in progress. The $8.5 million facility is expected to be completed by March, according to UAB Media Relations. 205-934-4011
Construction is more than 30% complete on the new UAB Science & Engineering Complex, according to UAB Media Relations. Work on the concrete structure and site utilities is in progress. The facility is located on 14th Street South between University Boulevard and 10th Avenue South. The projected completion is May 2023. 205-934-4011
News and Accomplishments
The National Cancer Institute has awarded UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1824 Sixth Ave S., the Cancer Health Equity Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine and the Multidisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research at Tuskegee University a five-year, $18 million grant renewal to study and address cancer disparities in underserved communities in the South, particularly in Georgia and Alabama — areas with some of the highest cancer mortality rates in the United States — according to UAB News. 205-801-9034
Mike Kemp, the founder, president and CEO of Birmingham construction management firm KMS (Kemp Management Solutions), 3029 Second Ave. S., has been chosen to serve as the first Black chairman of the Business Council of Alabama, according to al.com. Kemp will serve as the BCA’s 36th chairman. 205-731-7372
Buffalo Rock Company, 111 Oxmoor Road, and Lawson State Community College, 3060 Wilson Road S.W., have created a new workforce development pipeline, according to a Dec. 16 news release from the Birmingham City Council. Buffalo Rock, an independent Pepsi bottler, will be opening a new distribution facility in District 7. The workforce development program at Lawson State will offer certified training for anyone interested in a career with Buffalo Rock. The program is made possible by a $75,000 grant obtained by Council President Wardine Alexander. 205-942-3435
Acclinate, 1143 First Ave. S., Suite 114, a digital health company working to overcome the health disparities in minority communities, is partnering with Prosper, a coalition of community leaders seeking to create a more racially inclusive economy, to create the B-Included website. B-Included is a portal designed to reduce minority health disparities and increase access to resources and supportive services to help remove health-related barriers to employment.
The Birmingham City Council in December voted unanimously to approve a $34.7 million spending package using federal American Rescue Plan funds provided to the city. This first tranche of money accounts for half of the federal funds the city will receive. The money will go to about 20 projects, according to a city news release. They include $6 million for the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, $5 million for the The World Games 2022, $1 million for small business COVID-19 relief, $500,000 in microloans for small business and startups, $1 million for conference and convention recruitment and $9 million for various capital projects.
Seattle-based Jones Soda Company recently featured artwork by Sandi Sanford, a Birmingham school teacher and part-time photographer, on some of its soda bottle labels, according to a news release from the company. Sanford’s photograph of a cow was used on a label in December. Her photo can be found on 100,000 bottles in stores across the country. Sanford often shares her photographs on Instagram @lookieherephotos.
The District Attorney’s Office of Jefferson County (Birmingham Division), 801 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N., Suite 105, and the Jefferson County Memorial Project have been awarded $498,933 of funding through the Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations and Training and Technical Assistance Program at the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant will support cold case homicide investigations by the District Attorney’s Office, as well as a community education and truth and reconciliation process implemented by JCMP. 205-325-5252
Personnel Moves
Create Birmingham recently announced the hiring of Anthony Waller as the nonprofit’s new programs specialist. Waller, who assumed the new position in November, will play a key role in program delivery, participant recruitment and communications efforts. He formerly served for two years in the Mayor’s Office of Customer Service at the city of Birmingham. 205-458-1393
Dr. Selwyn Vickers assumed the role of CEO of the UAB Health System and CEO of the UAB/Ascension St. Vincent’s Alliance on Jan. 1, while also continuing to serve as dean of the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, according to UAB News. Following the recent retirement of former CEO Will Ferniany, UAB Health System strategically chose to adopt the CEO/dean model that several academic medical centers have implemented, including Emory University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Johns Hopkins Medicine and University of Michigan Medical School.
Carlos J. Orihuela has been named interim chair of the Department of Microbiology, effective Feb. 1, according to UAB News. In 2015, Orihuela joined the UAB Department of Microbiology, serving as vice chair for Faculty Development since 2019. In 2020, he was selected as a Distinguished Lecturer by the American Society of Microbiology. In 2021, he became an elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology for his work on the molecular basis of pneumococcal pathogenesis.
Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Jan. 4 the appointment of two new board members to the Birmingham Sister Cities Commission. Sonja Smith serves as a board member of the Birmingham City Schools, serving District 8, and program manager for the UAB Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center. Damon Treadwell is owner of Mobile Luxury and Auto Broker. Their appointments began Jan. 1 and will continue through January 2025, with an option to be considered for a second term. Smith and Treadwell join a roster of nine other new board members: Karim Shamsi-Basha, author, photographer and journalist; Jennifer Gowers, president of GoPro Event Solutions; Shia Hendricks, category management manager for the Kellogg Company; Drew Jackson, founder and CEO of StreetMetrics; Karla Khodanian, investor relations for Birmingham Business Alliance; Montiqua Mathers, people leader at Waste Management; Blair Minyard, mechanical engineer at B.L. Harbert International LLC; Byron Perkins, attorney and managing partner at Perkins-Law LLC; and Majd Zayzafoon, associate provost for international education and assistant dean for International Medical Education.
Regions Bank announced Jan. 6 that Regions Equipment Finance Corporation (REFCO) — a subsidiary of the bank — is expanding its specialty capabilities to include a new technology solutions platform and team. The platform will be led by 40-year banking veteran Jay Cannon, who recently joined Regions and will serve as REFCO’s technology solutions market manager and South Central Technology Solutions relationship partner. Cannon will be joined by Mark Moro and Riley Thompson, who also previously served U.S. Bank’s Technology Finance Group. 800-734-4667
Mayor Randall Woodfin recently appointed Jessica Hughes Bennett to the Land Bank Authority, according to a city news release. Hughes, who is filling a previously unexpired term, began serving immediately and will serve through Aug. 19. She serves as associate architect for Architecture Works, where she is the day-to-day project manager for all phases from planning through construction. The Auburn University alumna is a member of Design Alabama as well as the American Institute of Architects. Hughes has also served as a junior board member for the Railroad Park Foundation. birminghamal.gov
Mayor Randall Woodfin recently appointed Abra Barnes to the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of Birmingham District. Barnes, who is filling a previously unexpired term, began serving immediately and will serve through Aug. 13. With more than 20 years of experience in real estate, Barnes serves as president and broker of Barnes & Associates, the largest Black-owned realty firm in Alabama. She is also the founder and principal of Barnes School of Real Estate and director of the Birmingham Association of Realtors. birminghamal.gov
Janine Langston, a 35-year veteran employee of the Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place, was named the library’s new executive director by the BPL Board of Trustees at its meeting Dec. 14. Langston had served as interim executive director since December 2020. Prior to that, she spent two years as BPL’s deputy director. 205-226-3600