Real Estate Update: August 2020

Miscellaneous

1. Foundry Yards, a five-story luxury apartment community with 268 units, is under construction in the Parkside District, one block from Railroad Park and Regions Field. The project also features 20,000 square feet of commercial space in two 10,000-square-foot buildings, according to a news release from the listing agents at Shannon Waltchack. The commercial space features a wide-open shell with high ceilings and exposed bricks and beams. “So many exciting ventures are gravitating to Parkside, and we are thrilled at the chance to welcome more users to this lively district,” said Jackson Parker, a broker at Shannon Waltchack.

2. The Birmingham City Council recently approved an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for money to replace the historic 21st Street Viaduct, also called the Rainbow Viaduct, downtown. The cost of the project will be $21,482,670. The city’s match will be 20% of the project cost, or about $4.3 million. The money will come from the federal BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) grant program. The bridge — a major artery into downtown — was constructed in 1918.

3. The Birmingham City Council voted unanimously June 23 to create the Avondale Entertainment District. Within the boundaries of an entertainment district, patrons are allowed to carry open containers of alcohol outside as they walk between bars and restaurants. The district, which will include 8-10 merchants, will be located on 41st Street South between Fifth Avenue South and Second Avenue South, said Taylor Lander of Avondale Brewing Company and the Avondale-Forest Park Merchants Association. “We are really looking forward to increasing the walkability of our area [and] increasing the foot traffic,” Lander told the council. This will be the city’s fourth entertainment district, following Uptown at the BJCC, Pepper Place and Five Points South.

4. On June 23, the Birmingham City Council authorized Mayor Randall Woodfin to execute a funding agreement with Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Area Commission, under which the city will make an appropriation to the commission not exceeding $100,000 to support the operations of Red Mountain Park.

5. Miles College in Fairfield was recently awarded a $499,869 federal grant to preserve and restore Williams Hall, which was built in 1907 and is the oldest structure on the campus, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07). The money will come from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities grant program, which is funded by the Historic Preservation Fund and administered by the National Park Service. Williams Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

6. Monday Night Ventures LLC received approval for two licenses from the Birmingham City Council on June 23. The Atlanta-based company, which will operate the 10,000-square-foot Monday Night Brewery at 1412th St. S. in an out parcel building near the Denham Building, received a restaurant retail liquor license and a brew pub license.

7. Bessie Estelle Park will have a special-needs playground after a recent appropriation by the Birmingham City Council. Members voted June 23 to amend the neighborhood allocations fund budget for the fiscal year ending June 30 and transfer $10,000 from Glen Iris Neighborhood Association to the capital improvements fund for use at the park.

New Construction

8. The city of Tarrant held a groundbreaking ceremony June 25 for its long-awaited $9.5 million flood mitigation project, according to a news release from the city. The event was held at Thompson Tractor on Pinson Valley Parkway. Tarrant Mayor Loxcil Tuck said the project will address the flooding that has occurred for years along Five Mile Creek. Findley Frazer of Frazer Environmental is the lead engineer for the project. The city has worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The Freshwater Land Trust donated 522 acres of property to the city to assist with the mitigation, according to the release. In addition to mitigating the floods and stormwater issues, the project will also help address such issues as water quality, sedimentation, erosion and aquatic resources restoration.

9. UAB is planning to build a new Science and Engineering Complex costing $78.5 million. There will be 145,784 square feet of space for teaching, laboratories and offices, according to UAB Media Relations. The new complex will replace the current Education Building on 14th Street South between University Boulevard and 10th Avenue South. A bid opening is scheduled for July, and the notice to proceed is projected for October, according to UAB Media Relations.

Construction Update

10. Work continues on an 18-month expansion and renovation project at Legacy Arena, according to a BJCC spokesperson. The facility was closed for construction beginning April 2. Interior renovations will include structural and non-structural work and, in some cases, the complete replacement of components. Exterior renovations will include modifications and alterations to the building envelope and loading docks as well as sitework, landscaping and hardscaping.

11. Construction of Phase 1 of the new $60 million Residence Hall 2020 at UAB on 10th Avenue South between 16th and 17th streets should be completed by the fall, according to UAB Media Relations. The dorm will accommodate 720 undergraduates.

12. A renovation of the old Snoozy’s Bookstore on campus to house the UAB Honors College is nearing completion at press time. The cost to renovate the two-story building, which measures 11,000 square feet, is about $2.7 million.

13. Construction continues on the 17-story apartment building Ascend Five Points at the corner of 20th Street and 10th Avenue South in Five Points South. The developer is The Opus Group, based in Minnesota, in a joint venture with The McKinney Fund. Construction, which began in January, is slated for completion prior to the fall semester in 2020, according to an Opus Group spokesperson. The apartment building, which will be marketed primarily to UAB students, will include 199 units accommodating 522 residents, according to the developer’s website. Myefski Architects and Auburn-based Rabren General Contractors are working on the project. Creative License International is the interior designer.

14. The renovation of the former Business Engineering Complex at UAB is nearly finished, according to UAB Media Relations. Projected completion is July or August 2020. The facility will house the School of Education.

15. The exterior renovation of floors 8-9 of the McCallum Basic Science Building at UAB, located at 1918 University Blvd., should be complete in August, according to UAB Media Relations. The interior renovation of those floors is complete.

16. An extensive renovation is underway at the Dewberry Building, located at 3201 Fourth Ave. S. in the Lakeview district. The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s 1917 Clinic, the state’s largest HIV health care unit, will occupy 50,664 square feet and expects to move in by late 2020 or early 2021. Birmingham AIDS Outreach will also move into the building. Brasfield & Gorrie is the general contractor, Farris Properties is the developer and KPS Group is the architect.

17. Work continues on the renovation of the historic former New Ideal department store downtown for use as The New Ideal Lofts, consisting of 44 micro, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units and 3,500 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. H2 Real Estate is the listing company for the project.

18. The new $19.2 million UAB Technology Innovation Center is under construction at 17th Street South and Ninth Avenue South. The center, measuring 40,000 square feet, will house campus internet connectivity and technology infrastructure and is set to open in early 2021, according to UAB Media Relations.

19. Work is underway on the new program services campus for United Way of Central Alabama, located at 3600 Eighth Ave. S. in Avondale. The nonprofit is renovating the former Overlook Building at 3620 Eighth Ave. S. adjacent to the UWCA headquarters. The UWCA purchased the 35,000-square-foot building, formerly the offices of Ram Tool, in 2018. Stewart/Perry is the general contractor. Studio 2H Design is the architect.

20. Construction continues for a new $25 million arts campus for Red Mountain Theatre Company. The campus is located at 1600 Third Ave. S. adjacent to Regions Field. LIVE Design Group are the architects. Brasfield & Gorrie is the general contractor. Harbert Realty Services will manage the project. Construction should be complete in summer 2021.

21. Renovation work is underway at the historic Carver Theatre, now known as the Carver Performing Arts Center, at 1631 Fourth Ave. N. The former movie house, built in 1935, is also home to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, which manages the facility. Studio 2H Design is the architect and interior designer on the project, and Stone Building is the general contractor. Work is expected to take about 12 months, according to the architects.

Openings/Closures

22. The McWane Science Center, located at 200 19th St N., reopened to the public July 8 after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March, according to a news release from the facility. Masks are required for any attendees ages 8 or older. The center said it has modified its operations and adopted new safety protocols to keep the staff and visitors safe, and that the reopening is based on guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and consultation with medical experts. Interactive exhibits at McWane that could pose an unacceptable risk remain closed, as does Itty Bitty Magic City, a science environment for preschoolers.

23. The historic Iron Age Building was recently renovated, and the owners hosted a grand opening July 1. The property measures 26,000 square feet and is located at 212-218 20th St. N. The buildings will house nine mostly tech companies, including CoreLinQ Innovations, AMD and Evocare. The developer of the property is Harsha Hatti, who is CEO of CoreLinQ. The building was constructed in 1886 as a newspaper office and is one of the only two cast-iron facades remaining in Birmingham.

24. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams recently opened its first Alabama location at Pepper Place. The 610-square-foot, jewel-box designed scoop shop is the first ground-up building constructed in the Pepper Place District in more than 10 years, according to a news release from Pepper Place. The Jeni’s pavilion was designed intentionally to invite diners to grab a scoop and explore the walkable entertainment district. “Jeni’s anchors a primary entrance into the district and the pavilion design is intended to activate a corner once held by a parking lot,” said Callan Childs, director of design and development for Sloss Real Estate. Project partners were Locke General Contractors, David Baker Architects and Alabama Sawyer.

25. Popular downtown coffee house Urban Standard announced in mid-June via Facebook that it was closing after 13 years at 2320 Second Ave. N. The economic effects of COVID-19 were a reason to close, according to the Facebook post.

Coming Soon

26. The Blueroot Company, which recently opened a pick-up window in Mountain Brook, will open its flagship 1,700-square-foot restaurant at Pepper Place later in 2020, according to a news release. The fast-healthy concept serves nutrient-dense foods, including its salads, grain bowls, breakfast bites and superfood snacks. The Pepper Place flagship will serve as the home of the eatery’s catering and production operations.