Rendering courtesy of Williams Blackstock Architects.
A rendering of Arbor Terrace, a new project planned for the former Trinity Medical Center site on Montclair Road in Crestwood.
MISCELLANEOUS
1. REV Birmingham and its partners announced Jan. 28 that the Innovation District downtown would be rebranded as “The Switch.” REV Birmingham, UAB and Birmingham Business Alliance are leading The Switch initiative. About a dozen other entities were involved in the planning and launch of the new brand, including Alabama Power, Innovation Depot, Shipt, Tech Birmingham and Urban Impact. REV and Urban Impact are continuing to partner on the development of a Northwest Downtown Master Plan they announced in December. It covers the area between 18th Street North and I-65 to the east and west and I-20/59 and the railroad tracks to the north and south.
2. UAB announced recently that 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.
3. Retailer Warby Parker and co-working facility Forge announced recently that they plan to enlarge their facilities at The Pizitz mixed-use redevelopment downtown in 2020, according to a Bayer Properties news release. Warby Parker, a national chain that offers designer eye wear, opened its first Alabama location at The Pizitz in 2017. The retailer plans to expand its retail space by the fall. Forge opened on the mezzanine above The Pizitz Food Hall in 2017 and has expanded several times. With its upcoming final expansion, Forge will have four open seating areas, an event space, 17 private offices, three team offices, 25 dedicated desks, three conference rooms and one podcast/conference room, according to founder and CEO Kim Lee.
4. Community Care Development Network recently moved to a new location at 508 82nd 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.
5. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Birmingham Barons were forced to delay their 2020 season opener indefinitely. However,when they are able to play, fans will see some improvements made in the off-season at Regions Field. As part of a marketing partnership with Dread River Distilling Co. in Birmingham, the Barons have changed the name of the Regions Field Club Lounge to the Dread River Lounge. The 3,500-square-foot facility offers concessions, a bar, televisions and comfortable new AirFlow Mesh balcony seating. The breathable seats allow air to flow through the individual strands of an elastomeric mesh, thereby reducing the temperature of the seat surface by up to 65 degrees. The cushioned seat pan and back distributes weight evenly, making fans more comfortable. The seats dry quickly after a rain. The Barons have also extended the protective netting at Regions Field further down the first- and third-base lines. 2020 will be the eighth season for the Barons at Regions Field.
6. 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.
7. In late March, the Industrial Development Board in Birmingham approved tax incentives to help support the renovation of the historic Zinszer Building at 2117 Second Ave. N. downtown, 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.
8. Orchestra Partners, a real estate development company located at 1820 Third Ave. N. downtown, announced in late March that it would offer a comprehensive rent holiday for its local, small business tenants that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The rent holiday went into effect immediately and was to continue through June 2020, according to a news release from the developer. “Our projects feature several food and beverage concepts, some of which are among the most popular bars and restaurants in the city and have helped us create unique and vibrant neighborhoods,” said John Boone, co-founder and principal of Orchestra Partners. Orchestra Partners said that area residents can support the following establishments by ordering curbside pickup or delivery: Bayleaf Authentic Indian Cuisine, Cayo Coco Rum Bar and Restaurant, McFly’s Bird Shoppe, Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar, Post Office Pies, Saw’s Soul Kitchen, Trattoria Zaza and The Woolworth Recreation and Refreshment. The developer’s projects in the city include Avondale Brewing Block, Five Points Lane, Founders Station, The Frank and The Woolworth.
9. In mid-March, Ward Neely of Property Partners announced that 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.
10. A developer called Birmingham Metro LLC announced on March 30 that it will develop a new multi-use campus at the site of the old Trinity Medical Center located at 800 Montclair Road near the intersection of 52nd Street South. The project, to be called Arbor Terrace, will cover 75 acres, extending along Montclair Road from Dan Hudson Drive South to 52nd Street South, and will be the home for a corporate headquarters and multi-use campus with residential, medical and community-oriented retail and café spaces. A spokesperson for the developer told Iron City Ink that Arbor Terrace is expected to be a $200 million project over the next five years. Construction is expected to begin this fall. Birmingham companies taking part in the project include Schoel Engineering Co., Williams Blackstock Architects, Stewart/Perry Builders, Bullock Environmental, Skipper Traffic Engineering and Summit Electric.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
11. Legacy Arena was scheduled to close on April 2 for an 18-month expansion and renovation project, according to a news release from the BJCC. 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.
CONSTRUCTION
12. Construction continues on a 17-story apartment building on the former site of The Break pool hall 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.
13. Renovation work continues at Shipt Tower — formerly the Wells Fargo building — at 1901 Sixth Ave. N. downtown. Birmingham tech firm Shipt announced in January 2019 it would become the building’s anchor tenant. Some Shipt employees have already moved into the building, according to a company spokesperson. Phase 2 of construction — the renovation of 17,000 square feet of space on the eighth floor for use as offices, a training area, work stations and conference rooms — began in December and was scheduled for completion recently, said a spokesperson for the general contractor, Wiggins Building Corporation. Phase 3, consisting of the renovations of 17,000 square feet on the ninth floor for Shipt, was expected to be completed by May. Demolition of existing offices on the floor has been completed. In Phase 4, the first floor in the former Wells Fargo Bank area will be renovated. Demolition has already begun in this area and construction is scheduled for completion this summer.
14. Demolition and excavation are underway at the site of a new $25 million arts campus for Red Mountain Theatre Company, according to a spokesperson for the nonprofit. The campus is located at 1600 Third Ave. S. adjacent to Regions Field. LIVEDesign Group are the architects. Brasfield & Gorrie is the general contractor. Harbert Realty Services will manage the project. Construction should be complete in summer 2021.
15. Repair work continues on the 36th Street Bridge in Wylam. The city of Birmingham began the project in January with completion expected in June. The road must be fully closed to allow for a full demolition and rebuild, according to a city news release. To see suggested detour routes, go to birminghamal.gov/wylambridge.
16. 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 health care 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.
17. 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.
18. 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. H2Real Estate is the listing company for the project.
19. Construction continues on a renovation of the former Business Engineering Complex at UAB, according to UAB Media Relations. Projected completion is August 2020. The facility will house the School of Education.
20. UAB said recently it expects to complete construction of the new $60 million Residence Hall 2020 on 10th Avenue South between 16th and 17th Streets by this summer, according to UAB Media Relations. The dorm will accommodate 720 undergraduates.
21. 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.
22. A renovation of the old Snoozy’s Bookstore on campus to house the UAB Honors College should be completed by May 2020, according to UAB Media Relations. The cost to renovate the two-story, 11,000-square-foot building is about $2.7 million. The exterior grounds will be landscaped as a courtyard.
23. Site work is underway on the new program services campus for United Way of Central Alabama, which is located at 3600 Eighth Ave. S. in Avondale. The renovation of the former Overlook Building at 3620 Eighth Ave. S. adjacent to the UWCA headquarters is expected to take about nine months, said a spokesperson for the nonprofit. The UWCA purchased the 35,000-square-foot building, formerly the offices of Ram Tool, in 2018. The organization has selected Stewart/Perry as its general contractor.