National monument to boost 4th Avenue North, Civil Rights District
Urban Impact Inc., a community development corporation, was founded in 1980 to help revitalize the 4th Avenue Historic Business District downtown and is now responsible for an 18-block area that includes the Civil Rights District.
And Elijah E. Davis, Urban Impact strategic growth manager, recently provided a snapshot of the health of 4th Avenue, calling it “steady with a great opportunity for expansion.”
The area should get a big boost from former President Barack Obama’s 2017 declaration of a national monument in a 4.5-block area of the Civil Rights District, according to Davis.
“This has the opportunity to elevate the district in its importance, its legacy, and not just in Birmingham but on an international level,” Davis said.
There could be as much as $150 million worth of investment in the area the next two years, including renovations of the A.G. Gaston Motel, the Carver Theatre and the Masonic Temple building, according to Davis. A restored Carver, home to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, will be “a cornerstone for vibrancy and foot traffic,” said Davis, who also sees a “tremendous opportunity” for retail and restaurant projects.
Fourth Avenue is included on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only intact African-American commercial district in Alabama, according to Davis. This rich history provides a strong underpinning for the neighborhood’s future growth, he said.
The district has at least 10 legacy families that have operated businesses there for at least 40 or 50 years, and he cites such examples as Green Acres Cafe, Nelson Brother’s Cafe and Kirby Insurance Agency.
“It’s amazing that we have so many businesses that are still here and still thriving and giving another generation a chance to continue the legacy,” Davis said.
The new monument status “will inspire investment in what I think is a national treasure in Birmingham’s front yard,” he said.
Urban Impact, beginning in early 2018, has been working on the community engagement process for a new stakeholder-led Birmingham Civil Rights District Strategic Plan, doing interviews, focus group and community meetings.
The group received a $54,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham to pilot some community vibrancy initiatives and kick start the plan, to be done in concert with the City Center Master Plan.
Urban Impact also partnered with Alabama Power to produce a commercial market study for the district and plans to conduct an economic impact study of the new monument.