Mayor Woodfin unveils new partnership to drive investment into Birmingham Opportunity Zones

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Los Angeles Mayor
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin flanked by Mayor Stephen Benjamin(L) and Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles in front of the American Life Building site of an Opportunity Zone. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now

Today, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin unveiled the Birmingham Inclusive Growth (BIG) Partnership, a private sector-led, community-focused, city-inspired Opportunity Zone initiative with twin goals:

  • Elevate Birmingham residents’ quality of life
  • Produce tangible returns for investors.

The mayor’s  announcement was  made  at the historic Stonewall/American Life building downtown on 4th Avenue North, which is where a private investor will renovate the building into 140 workforce housing units.

“Opportunity Zones have the power to be a transformational tool for neighborhood revitalization,’’ Mayor Woodfin said. “Through the BIG Partnership, we will be able to identify local projects that enhance the quality of life of our residents. We will also be able to market to national investors, who would have never known about the opportunities in Birmingham.’’

Birmingham
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin flanked by Mayor Stephen Benjamin(L) and Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles (R) in front of the American Life Building site of an Opportunity Zone. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now

The BIG Partnership is an innovative structure that will drive investment into Birmingham’s 24 Opportunity Zones, designated in March of 2018 by Gov. Kay Ivey and certified by the U.S. Treasury. The designation came after the City of Birmingham secured 28 letters of community support.

The news conference held today included the Mayors Stephen Benjamin of Columbia, South Carolina and Eric Garrett of Los Angeles.

 

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Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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