Birmingham, Vestavia and Jefferson County pool resources to widen Liberty Parkway

Liberty Parkway will be widened to four lanes as a part of a redevelopment project and cooperative agreement between the two cities and Jefferson County.

Development In Liberty Park

Last week the Birmingham City Council approved an agreement with Vestavia and Jefferson County to form the Liberty Park Area Public Road District.

Contributions

The Liberty Park Joint Venture (made up of Liberty Park subdivision officials and business owners) is funding 58 percent of the project or $2.4 million. Birmingham will contribute 5 percent ($224,000) to the roadwork portion of the total capital investment.

Vestavia Hills agreed to contribute 13 percent and Jefferson County agreed to contribute 8 percent. Encompass Health, Corporate Realty and other groups are also contributing.

According to the City of Birmingham, the roadwork totals more than $4.1 million.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said the city and its residents will benefit from improved traffic flow on Liberty Parkway. He added that the roadwork  will help attract more corporate headquarters to Liberty Park, including two lots (14 acres) that are in the Birmingham city limits.

Liberty Parkway Master Plan

Vestavia Voice reported in July of 2017 that the road widening is one part of a large master plan redevelopment project.

“The area known as ‘the 700 acres,’ adjacent to the new HealthSouth headquarters … will begin getting some of the amenities … that residents have been long awaiting.”

HealthSouth Corporation is now Encompass Health Corp. and employees are set to move into the building in April.

Encompass Health is the result of the union between HealthSouth Corporation and Encompass Home Health & Hospice. They offer facility-based and home-based patient care through a network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies.

Liberty Parkway’s 700 Acres

For the Liberty Park redevelopment project, plans include retail and commercial spaces, as well as condominiums and town homes.

Developers told Vestavia Voice that they hope to make the area a “one-stop shop.”

“We had positive reviews after the development was discussed at the annual homeowners’ association meeting,” said Shawn Arterburn, Liberty Park Joint Venture’s vice president of development in 2017, while planning for the project.

“Lots of questions, lots of concerns that hopefully were addressed. I think (it’s) unanimous excitement over something they’ve all been hoping for.”

Time Will Tell

Birmingham, there’s so much development happening. What do you think about Birmingham pitching in for this roadwork? Will it help spur economic development on the city’s acreage within the project?