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Dansby Foods, AMD + more join impressive list of tenants in the completed Iron Age Building
ByHannah Chambley
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The Iron Age Building’s list of creative and innovative tenants just keeps growing. The latest additions include a 14-year NFL veteran, a creative marketing agency, and a healthcare firm. Find out more about the full list of tenants, plus get an inside look and the complete renovation of the historic Downtown Birmingham building.
Restoration + Revitalization of Birmingham’s Historic Iron Age Buiding
The renovation of the Iron Age Building is finally complete. Headed up by CoreLinQ Innovations CEO Harsha Hatti, the Iron Age Project has been in the works since 2016. Its doors officially opened on July 1st, and Hatti, as well as the other tenants, couldn’t be more excited.
“We are so proud of the fact that as we near the end of this two and a half year journey the folks moving in are as proud of being in the Iron Age as I am to have rebuilt it. Our project truly represents the diversity and innovative mindset of Birmingham.”
Harsha Hatti
Previously, Hatti purchased the buildings at 214-216 and 218 20th Street North next door.
A Look at the List of Innovative + Creative Tenants
From cutting edge startups and innovative tech firms to creative branding agencies and award-winning restaurants, the Iron Age Building’s list of tenants is impressive. Get to know the 10+ tenants and hear what they have to say about the completion of the Iron Age Project.
Dansby Foods + The Ultimate Fan (TUF)
Is these two names sound familiar, you might have seen this recent Bham Now story where we gave you the scoop on both Dansby Foods and TUF. Here’s a refresher:
Founded by Birmingham native, NFL veteran and former Auburn University linebacker Karlos Dansby, Dansby Foods is a grocery store and a community development company whose mission is to educate and feed people to help them flourish. Dansby Foods is set to open in the 5 Points West Shopping Center later this year, and is already doing big things in Birmingham.
According to the TUF Chairman and CEO Teddy Holloway (also Dansby’s business partner), TUF is “a global sports, entertainment, business, and land development company, with an innovative “Build & Fill” approach to transforming economic distressed communities worldwide.” Its foundation is to unite athletes and entertainers with business and land developers to invest, design, build, manage, own, and operate businesses and land development projects at all stages of their careers.
Both companies will be headquartered in the Iron Age Building and plan to have an open floor plan that includes office space for both companies and a waiting area for visitors. According to Holloway, they plan to move within the next 30 days.
CoreLinQ
Hatti’s own company, CoreLinQ Innovations, will also have its own office space in the Iron Age Building. CoreLinQ’s mission is “to deliver high quality, value-generating products and services that are simple yet effective, innovative yet affordable, for the outpatient radiology and PET center markets, radiology billing and teleradiology companies and radiology consultants.”
Adelaide Matte Designs (AMD)
Marketing agency Adelaide Matte Designs, one of the latest additions to the list of tenants, has plans to officially move to the Iron Age Building on August 1. They already have their office furniture in the building and are looking forward to joining the other tenants at this central location.
“AMD is all about Birmingham and working with small businesses. We believe moving into the Iron Age building will only create more opportunities to work with local businesses.
AMD is extremely blessed and excited to be working in a building with incredibly talented business owners and entrepreneurs. We plan on making many waves with the other tenants and running the branding and marketing side of the building.”
Adelaide Matte, CEO of AMD Birmingham
Refined Bridal Boutique
Refined Bridal Boutique, the first tenant to sign on the Iron Age Project, was also the first to move in earlier this month. They are located on the ground floor and offer a mix of classic and modern wedding dress styles—a unique and exciting addition to the list of tenants.
“It has been very exciting to see the building completed and finally get to call it home for Refined! It’s a great group of office space tenants above us and we love being a part of the ground floor, alongside Brick and Tin and Bistro 218. To finally see such a gorgeous piece of history brought back to use downtown has been incredible!”
Christina Sloan, Owner of Refined Bridal Boutique
GLOW
We introduced you to GLOW last year when they first signed onto the Iron Age Project. Founded by Yazmin and Jim Cavale—whose company INFLCR will also be moving in—GLOW is a beauty-on-demand tech company that connects users to beauty services like spray tanning and blowouts via an app. Not only will the Iron Age Building be the GLOW HQ, but they will also have a beauty lounge where parties can hang while they get the GLOW treatment.
“… Big parties—like weddings, prom parties, and girls night out—can be held with ample room to stay safely 6 ft away from people. But comfortable enough where you can drink, eat and listen to music while your party is getting hair, makeup or spray tans done. There will be nothing like it in the South East.
With all of the hotels, events and venues downtown it benefits us greatly to be in this location—not to mention being above Refined and collaborating with them. Our goal is always to be innovative and cutting edge and this building definitely helps us reach that goal.”
Yazmin Cavale, GLOW Co-Founder
They are planning to host a formal open house on August 14 and 15. The event will be broken into time blocks so influencers, vendors and clients can enjoy the space and learn about GLOW while practicing social distancing.
INFLCR
Jim and Yazmin Cavale co-founded GLOW in 2016. Then, just a year later, Jim founded INFLCR—a content delivery platform and app “for sports teams to store, track and deliver content across their network of athletes, coaches, former athletes, and other brand ambassadors.” Both started in Innovation Depot, and now the two companies will be back together, just a floor apart.
“It’s brought everything full circle. INFCLR and GLOW are now back together in one building. It’s really cool to be on the 3rd floor, and then for GLOW to be right below. My wife and I can carpool to work, and work on things with GLOW together like we used to back at the beginning.”
Jim is even more excited to be surrounded by so many diverse companies.
“I think the culture in the building will mirror the mix of all the cultures of the businesses individually. And that’s just going to create what I believe is the most beautiful part of this country—diversity.
I don’t just mean from an age standpoint or a race standpoint. I mean from an industry standpoint. All of the different industries that these businesses are serving create different cultures. And now those cultures are going to mix and create a beautiful, unique culture of its own. I’m really excited about that.”
INFLCR is finishing the design phase and plans to be moved in full before or by Labor Day.
brick & tin
For Mauricio Papapietro, owner of brick & tin, the revitalization of the Iron Age Building and other surrounding spaces in Birmingham’s city center has been over a decade-long journey.
“The Iron Age has always had great potential and I’m pleased to see it realized… It’s very satisfying to see more entrepreneurs enter the downtown scene. Every new business that brings more life to downtown is good for everyone.
We’ve come a long way but there is still a lot of progress that needs to be made for downtown to be a truly vibrant market that can sustain itself and the businesses that continue to pop up. This is a step in the right direction.”
Mauricio Papapietro, Owner of brick & tin
Currently, brick & tin’s downtown location is closed due to COVID-19. With two locations, they have been able to survive by continuing to operate from their Mountain Brook location. Papapietro explained that while they do have every intention of reopening their downtown location, now is not the time.
“The businesses that have persevered and stayed open through the pandemic have seen drastic drops in revenue. I don’t think it would be wise to open now and further splinter the diminished revenues that businesses downtown are sharing.
It is my desire that as many of the homegrown, independent and locally owned businesses located downtown survive as possible.”
Mauricio Papapietro, Owner of brick & tin
CODE-R Productions + The Atomic Agency
CODE-R Productions, a concert and event promotion company, is another impressive addition set to move into the Iron Age Building by the end of July. They have a few local clients you might recognize including Iron City, WorkPlay and the Lyric Theater.
“We obviously love the location but the architecture and the thoughtful design of the building are sure to inspire creativity and forward-thinking which is important to us and imperative to the success of our business.
The list of other tenants is diverse and very exciting. We look forward to getting to know everyone and to learn more about their individual businesses. We see a tremendous opportunity for many of us to be able to work together in a number of capacities.”
Todd Coder, Founder of CODE-R Productions
CODE-R Productions will also share a space with The Atomic Agency, a creative marketing agency focused on finding kick ass digital marketing solutions.
Digital Fulcrum
Another new tenant is Digital Fulcrum, a firm that provides digital communication services as well as way-finding. They will begin moving their technology into the Iron Age Building in the first week of August.
“We are most excited about the opportunity to be a part of Birmingham’s past and it’s future by being located in the Iron Age Building. Just as they were a part of what Birmingham was becoming in the eighteenth century, this project represents what Birmingham is becoming in the 21st Century.”
Frank Woodson, President and CEO of Digital Fulcrum
Other tenants include French restaurant Bistro 218 which moved into the Iron Age location in 2012, and healthcare firm Evocare.
We’re so excited to see the project finally completed and the inspiring tenants moving in. Check out this story to learn more about the project and the history of the Iron Age Building.
What other Birmingham developments are you looking forward to? Let us know on social at @BhamNow on Facebook and Instagram, or @Now_Bham on Twitter.
