Bham City Council Planning Committee to consider Southtown Court redevelopment rezoning

After years of announced plans and timelines the much-anticipated Southtown Court public housing complex redevelopment on Birmingham’s Southside is on the verge of becoming a reality.

Today, the Birmingham City Council Planning and Zoning Committee will consider the rezoning of two Southtown Court properties from “Multiple Dwelling” to “Mixed Use” at its February meeting. 

The Tuesday, February 2nd, Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting begins at 3:30PM. The public can attend the meeting virtually at the following  WebEx meeting  – LINK.

If the measure is approved by the committee and subsequently the city council, the rezoning will enable developers to redevelop the area into a mix of affordable housing, hotel, office space, retail and medical office space.

Transformational

Located in the shadow of St. Vincent’s Hospital on Birmingham’s Southside, the Southtown Court redevelopment has been years in the making.

“I have been involved with the proposed redevelopment of Southtown before I was elected to the Council (in 2017) in my prior role as President of the Birmingham Citizens Advisory Board,” said Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn. “I have been following the project closely and been involved in most of the community engagement and planning sessions.”

O’Quinn, who represents District 5 which encompasses the Southtown Court redevelopment, told Bham Now that many of his biggest concerns have been addressed, including  accommodating residents who want to return to Southtown after construction is complete. 

He added, “The project has support from the neighborhoods. We believe it is a transformational opportunity that will bring improved conditions for residents that want to return to the site but also bring in new amenities and economic opportunities for the city in general.”

Partnerships

Leading the redevelopment efforts has been Southside Development Co.  It has worked closely with the Housing Authority Birmingham District (HABD) and the city. Other partners include, Corporate Realty, BREC Development, SPM Property Management, Brasfield & Gorrie, A.G. Gaston Construction, Gensler and The Benoit Group.

To learn more about the Southtown Court Redevelopment,the Housing Authority Birmingham District has posted three videos on their website – Video 1, Video 2, Video 3 – that describe the project and answer questions residents might have about it.

Stay Tuned

If everything falls in place, the redevelopment is expected to take 18 to 24 months. Check back with Bham Now regularly for updates.

What are your thoughts on the Southtown redevelopment project? Let us know by tagging @BhamNow !