Development Planned for Blighted Sites North of Downtown
Carraway Hospital closed its doors in October 2008 after being in business 100 years. Ten years later windows are broken, glass litters the parking lots and the grass is overgrown. Several proposals to redevelop the historic hospital site have died.
A few blocks away, the vacant former Kirby Middle School is in better shape, but Norwood residents say they want to see it redeveloped.
Both sites might be revamped into a mixed use project.
Corporate Realty is buying the Carraway site. The site is sandwiched between several neighborhoods near the northern edge of downtown — Norwood, Druid Hills, Evergreen and North Birmingham. Corporate Realty invited more than 8,000 residents from those neighborhoods to a meeting room at the BJCC on Tuesday. Several dozen flowed in for two hours, chiming in on what they want to see those spaces become.
Also on Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council approved selling Kirby Middle and an old armory site to a developer for $500,000. City officials say the company wants to build lofts and shops on the property.
For John Hilliard, chairman of the Birmingham City Council’s Economic Development Committee, new development means more dollars for the city — specifically job creation and tax revenue to help revitalize other communities.
While other plans for developing Carraway haven’t panned out, Hilliard says he believes this plan will move forward.
“They’ve already made an investment in the property, and you know how huge Carraway is,” he says.
Sherrel Wheeler Stewart,90.3 FM
Brian Wolfe of Corporate Realty talks with residents about redevelopment concepts for the former Carraway Hospital.
Corporate Realty is looking to develop the 50-acres site that includes the former hospital, professional buildings and parking lots.
Brian Wolfe, chief development officer for Corporate Realty, says the company is looking to capture the momentum for development around Downtown. That’s what it did with the Regions Field development and Baker’s Row.
More than $300 million is going toward expansion of the BJCC and a new stadium. Last year, a new Top Golf opened near Uptown.
“All those things helped build momentum on the north side of Birmingham, and this property, which is about 50 acres, is right in the middle of that.”
Wolfe says the Carraway site could be transformed similar to Atlantic Station in Atlanta. That’s where 130-plus acres that used to be a steel mill was redeveloped into hotels, shops and homes.
Kerry Woodruff, president of the Evergreen Neighborhood, says it’s time for change to happen with the Carraway site.
“Right now, it’s just blight,” he says.
Woodruff says north Birmingham communities need more amenities.
“Everybody always want to go to Hoover. We need something on this side of town,” Woodruff says.
Wolfe, the developer, says the company hopes to complete the purchase of the property in the second quarter of 2019. It may take three to seven years to complete the project, he says. The timeline will depend on the final concept and decisions about existing structures on the site, he says.
Viral global TikToks: A twist on soccer, Tanzania’s Charlie Chaplin, hope in Gaza
TikToks are everywhere (well, except countries like Australia and India, where they've been banned.) We talk to the creators of some of the year's most popular reels from the Global South.
Memory loss: As AI gobbles up chips, prices for devices may rise
Demand for memory chips currently exceeds supply and there's very little chance of that changing any time soon. More chips for AI means less available for other products such as computers and phones and that could drive up those prices too.
Brigitte Bardot, sex goddess of cinema, has died
Legendary screen siren and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has died at age 91. The alluring former model starred in numerous movies, often playing the highly sexualized love interest.
For Ukrainians, a nuclear missile museum is a bitter reminder of what the country gave up
The Museum of Strategic Missile Forces tells the story of how Ukraine dismantled its nuclear weapons arsenal after independence in 1991. Today many Ukrainians believe that decision to give up nukes was a mistake.
Jeffrey R. Holland, next in line to lead Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies at 85
Jeffrey R. Holland led the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a key governing body. He was next in line to become the church's president.
Winter storm brings heavy snow and ice to busy holiday travel weekend
A powerful winter storm is impacting parts of the U.S. with major snowfall, ice, and below zero wind chills. The conditions are disrupting holiday travel and could last through next week.
