Big news for downtown Ensley – revitalization is on its way

Some great news for downtown Ensley.

Yesterday, Mayor William Bell unveiled a $40 Million Public Safety Municipal Complex planned for downtown Ensley.  According to the Mayor’s office, the plan would create the first ever Public Safety Municipal Complex for the City of Birmingham pulling Municipal Court,  Birmingham Police Department Administration and the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Department Administration to one location. The plan will involve public and private funding.

The Complex will be built in phases with phase 1 being Municipal Court,  phase 2 being Police Administration and phase 3 being the Fire and Rescue Administration. The proposed complex will be located in the 500 block of 19th Street in Downtown Ensley. Plans include renovating and incorporating the 10-story, 50,000 square foot Historic Ramsey McCormack Building and includes new retail opportunities and a parking deck along with green space.

“We have looked at several plans over the last several years but none of them really made that impact that this project will make for this community. Our goal is to bring jobs, retail opportunities and opportunities for significant growth back to downtown Ensley,” said Mayor William Bell in the press statement.

More than just a municipal complex, the city of Birmingham is teaming up with the Bethel Ensley Action Task, Inc. (BEAT) in a public/private partnership to revitalize downtown Ensley. BEAT has plans to develop a mixed use development adjacent to the proposed Public Safety Municipal Complex that will include new residential, retail and open space opportunities.

“People have to eat, people need to shop and people have got to do things. We need all that to create an economic vitality that has been long missing in this community,” Mayor Bell stated at the November 30th press conference announcing the Ensley revitalization plans.

Checkout new stories about this important community revitalization project at:

WIAT CBS 42 – Ensley business owners react to Mayor Bell’s plans for Ensley revival

Birmingham Times –Mayor Bell Announces $40 million Public Safety complex for Ensley