Carraway Hospital star — Photo via Abandoned Southeast

The Carraway Star, one of Birmingham’s most treasured landmarks, will be preserved, according to Corporate Reality, the developer of the old Carraway Hospital site.

Along with the preservation of the iconic sign, Corporate Realty announced today the new name and identity of the 52-acre mixed- use development.

The new development will be called… The Star Uptown.

The development’s logo will feature the Carraway Star against a Birmingham skyline backdrop.

“When we began working on this development, the first thing people wanted to know was what we planned to do with the star,” said Robert Simon, president and CEO of Corporate Realty. “That star was one of Birmingham’s most recognizable landmarks, and it meant something to people. We want to honor that past even as we build a new future at this important site.”

Work Begins in early 2022

Corporate Realty’s Robert Simon addresses the Rotary Club of Birmingham about The Star Uptown Development. Photo is a screenshot from the Zoom meeting of the Rotary Club of Birmingham October 6, 2021 meeting

In late 2020, Corporate Realty finalized the purchase of the property. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2022.

As reported in Bham Now, the City of Birmingham has allocated up to $13 million in incentives to redevelop the site.

“We see this project as a residential project first,” Simon told members of Rotary Club of Birmingham at their weekly gathering.

He added that they intend to build between 44 to 48 market rate homes and reconstruct the original hospital building into 180 workforce housing units.

The new development will also feature:

Offices
Shops
Restaurants
Entertainment venues

In total, the project will take up to 5 years to complete.

Working Closely with the Neighborhoods

The Star Uptown logo. Photo via Corporate Reality

Corporate Realty developed a vision for the property by working closely with nearby residents and the Evergreen, Druid Hills and Norwood neighborhoods who are invested in revitalizing the area.

“This name and this vision are the result of literally years of conversations and meetings with neighborhood groups, city councilors, city staff and many others with an interest in what happens at Carraway,” Simon said. “We all have the common interest in removing this blight and making sure the property is once again a shining star for the surrounding community and for Birmingham overall.”