Real Estate Update: June 2020
Miscellaneous
1. Miles College was awarded a $499,869 federal grant in April 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. 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.
2. The city of Birmingham recently approved a plan for the redevelopment of the 10-story Ramsay McCormack Building in Ensley, according to a city news release. The plan was developed by Ensley District Developers (EDD) and Stewart Perry Construction. The 91-year-old building, a historic former office building, has been vacant since 1986 and has decayed badly. Therefore, EDD will erect anew building at the site using materials salvaged from the existing structure to reflect its historic architectural style. The new four-story building will measure 30,000 square feet. The goal is to create a multipurpose building that will drive additional foot traffic in the Ensley business district. According to the city release, EDD could break ground by August with an estimated completion date of September 2022.
3. Community Care Development Network recently moved to a new location at 5088 2nd St. N. in East Lake, according to the nonprofit’s newsletter. A faith-based organization, CCDN offers family and life services, mentoring, education and community outreach, according to its website.
4. The Birmingham City Council on May 5 approved an agreement to transfer a dilapidated multifamily housing unit at 145 and 149 Fifth Ave. S.W. in Titusville to 5th Avenue Holdings LLC for $1, according to a news release from the council. The developer is to renovate the property and create affordable housing for neighborhood residents.
5. UAB announced recently it will 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.
6. The Birmingham City Council on May 5 approved an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for money to replace the historic 21st Street viaduct, also called the Rainbow Viaduct, in downtown Birmingham. 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 Birmingham — was constructed in 1918.
7. The building housing Five Points Paint & Hardware, located at 1000 20th St. S. in Five Points South, was approved recently for historic tax credits by the National Park Service, according to Birmingham Business Journal. Owner Wayne Cleage plans to add a new roof and some air conditioning.
8. The Industrial Development Board in Birmingham recently approved tax incentives to help support the renovation of the historic Zinszer Building at 2117 Second Ave. N., according to Birmingham Business Journal. Montgomery Entities LLC is looking to move its headquarters from Tarrant to the renovated structure. The three-story commercial building with a Victorian cast-iron facade was built in 1889 by Peter Zinszer for his retail furniture business, according to bhamwiki.com.
9. The Birmingham City Council approved an ordinance in April allowing the city to sell city-owned property at 527 Fifth St. N. to the nonprofit Build Urban Prosperity for $4,100, which is the fair market value. Build UP will use this property to develop an affordable detached single-family residence. The nonprofit is a workforce development entity that provides low-income youth with career-ready skills.
10. In March, Ward Neely of Property Partners announced he is launching Battery II, a 40,000-square-foot extension of The Battery development located at 2201 Second Ave. S., according to Birmingham Business Journal. Battery II, to be located in some historic buildings across the street from The Battery, is a $10 million project that will include bars, eateries and retail shops, the BBJ reports.
Construction Update
11. Construction continues on a renovation oft he former Business Engineering Complex at UAB, according to UAB Media Relations. Projected completion is July or August 2020. The facility will house the School of Education.
12. UAB said recently it expects to complete construction of Phase 1 of the new $60 million Residence Hall 2020 on 10th Avenue South between 16th and 17th streets by July or August, according to UAB Media Relations. The dorm will accommodate 720 undergraduates.
13. 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 include structural and non-structural work and, in some cases, the complete replacement of components. Exterior renovations include modifications and alterations to the building envelope and loading docks as well as sitework, landscaping and hardscaping.
14. Construction continues on the Avenue A townhomes, a project with 28 two- and three-bedroom townhomes along The Rotary Trail in the 2300 block of First Avenue South. The project is being developed by H2 Real Estate and The Dobbins Group.
15. Construction continues on a 17-story apartment building, Ascend – Five Points South, at the former site of The Break pool hall at the corner of 20th Street and 10th Avenue 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.
16. The renovation of the McCallum Basic Health Science Building at UAB is nearly complete, according to UAB Media Relations. The exterior renovation of floors eight and nine should be finished by June. Construction was to begin recently for the replacement of the exterior envelope for floors two through seven.
17. Construction 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 healthcare unit, will occupy 50,664 square feet and expects to move in 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.
18. Work continues on the renovation of the historic former New Ideal department store at 1801 Second Ave. N. 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.
19. Construction is underway for the new $19.2 million UAB Technology Innovation Center, to be located at 17th Street South and Ninth Avenue South, according to UAB Media Relations. Set to open in early 2021, the center, measuring 40,000 square feet, will house campus internet connectivity and technology infrastructure.
20. A renovation of the old Snoozy’s Bookstore on campus to house the UAB Honors College should be completed by late May or early June, according to UAB Media Relations. The cost to renovate the two-story building, which measures 11,000 square feet, is about $2.7 million.
21. 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.
Openings/Closures
22. An appointment-based community coronavirus testing site sponsored by UAB and the Jefferson County Department of Health opened at the corner of University Boulevard and 22nd Street South in late March. The Downtown COVID-19 Testing Site is available to those who have symptoms of the virus — cough, fever or shortness of breath — or believe they may have had contact with someone who has tested positive. Prospective patients were asked to call 205-975-1881 and be screened by a medical provider. The call center is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, and the testing site is open 9-11:15 a.m., seven days a week.
23. Lucy’s Coffee & Tea, a much-loved neighborhood institution in the UAB area, is closing permanently. The coffee house and eatery, located at 2007 University Blvd., opened in 1993. Owner and founder Lucy Bonds announced on Facebook on May 4 she had decided not to reopen the establishment after its recent closure due to COVID-19. Bonds said she had enjoyed running the shop over the years but did not wish to deal with the problems associated with the ongoing pandemic. “For me, the times ahead are too uncertain for me to wrap my head around financially, emotionally and health-wise, as I have a pretty bad case of asthma,” she said.
24. The owners of Z’s Restaurant, a popular spot located at 104 17th St. N., announced on Facebook on May 4 the establishment was closing and would hold a sale to liquidate allof its equipment and furniture. Co-owner Carolyn Bolivar Hameen told AL.com the eatery — in business since 2008 — had struggled financially during its recent closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
25. Hero Doughnuts and Buns, which began in Homewood in 2017, has opened a location downtown at 18th Street South and First Avenue South near Railroad Park. Hero will operate in the space formerly occupied by Mile End Deli, which served classic Jewish comfort food and was modeled after delicatessens found in Montreal’s Mile End neighborhood. Hero and Mile End are both part of Pihakis Restaurant Group, according to media reports.
Coming Soon
26. Slim Chickens, a fast-casual chicken franchise known for its hand-breaded tenders, announced in April that it plans to open its first Alabama location in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to a report by AL.com. The chain has signed a multi-unit franchise agreement in the Birmingham market, the report states. Slim Chickens opened in 2003 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and has 100 locations in the United States and internationally, according to the company’s website.