Birmingham City Council passes rezoning for Carraway development

The old Carraway Hospital, located north of the BJCC, has been vacant since 2008.

It has also become a massive eyesore that residents in surrounding neighborhoods, like Norwood, Druid Hills and Evergreen, have long wished to see redeveloped.

That day may finally be at hand.

The Birmingham City Council, at its regular meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 10, voted to approve six rezoning requests that will allow a new mixed-use development to proceed at the 48-acre site.

Local developers Corporate Realty plans to build a multi-use project featuring office, residential, retail and entertainment uses.

“This is a big win for the Norwood neighborhood,” said Councilor Clinton Woods.

The rezoning requests covered about six parcels in and around the Carraway campus, which was purchased a few years ago by the Lovelady Center.

The old zonings on the parcels included B-6 (Health and Institutional District) and R-3 (Single-Family District.)

The new zoning is primarily MU-D (Mixed-Use Downtown) with some qualifying, or “Q,” conditions.

The requests were recommended by the city’s Zoning Advisory Committee (Z.A.C.), the Planning and Zoning Committee and the council’s Committee of the Whole.

Several Norwood residents spoke during a public hearing and expressed support for the project.

The members of the City Council also praised the developer for working closely with the community while planning the project over the last two years.

“Corporate Realty needs to be commended with their engagement with the surrounding neighborhoods, and not just Druid Hills but also Norwood and other neighborhoods,” said Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, who represents District 5.

“They have really demonstrated that they want the community to be engaged in this project,” O’Quinn said.

“I like it when people go out and talk to the people in the community, and they really get involved in what the people want to see happen,” Councilor John Hilliard said regarding Corporate Realty.

“I am 1,000% in favor of what we’re doing here,” said Councilor Valerie Abbott.