CityWalk BHAM laying down turf, portion to be ready before The World Games 2022 [Photos]

On Friday, March 25th, Bham Now photographer Jacob Blankenship visited CityWalk BHAM—the transformative park development under the new I-59/20 Bridge in downtown Birmingham—to get an up-close look at the progress. Earlier this month Bham Now reported that construction on the park was well underway, with crews pouring concrete and installing equipment to get the site ready for The World Games 2022.

Keep reading to learn more about CityWalk BHAM and when you can plan to visit.

Check out these new photos of CityWalk BHAM

When is the last time you’ve walked or driven by CityWalk BHAM? If you’re like me, it’s probably been a few weeks. At the beginning of March, I intentionally walked the ten-block span of CityWalk BHAM to see how the project was coming along. Now—just twenty-some-odd days later—it hardly looks like the same place.

Several sections of CityWalk BHAM look almost complete, with turf and various attractions—such as a children’s playground—firmly set in place. For the first time, it feels like those renderings we saw in 2019 are coming to life.

On April 1st, ALDOT released an update on CityWalk BHAM:

• Block A – Turf has been rolled; pickle ball court has been painted and netted; landscape is 95% complete, only things remaining are site furnishings, park benches, trash cans, etc.
• Block B – Medium station decorative metal panels going up; sliding barn doors being installed; sinks, water fountains going in at the medium station; graffiti proof coating being installed; continued work in the skate park, shotcrete being installed, landscaping progressing in Block B.
• Block C – Turf subgrade stone and drainage being installed; final turf installation about to begin. Landscaping progressing in Block C.
• Block D – Extra-large station restrooms and visitor center exterior panels being installed; electrical work in pump room for the fountain; landscaping in progress; 9th Avenue trench drain on western phase being installed; more concrete paving coming in the next week. Brick pavers being installed around the fountain; turf sub-grade installation ongoing.
• Block E – Flat work concrete paving, sidewalks continuing to be installed.
• Block F – Majority of flat work in Block F is complete; stage construction underway.
• Block G – Last pickle ball court asphalt being put down next week; sidewalk along north side of Block G is almost complete; most of the asphalt work complete; door installation at small station in Block G is in progress.
• Block H – Pond excavation is almost complete; Gavion basket walls will follow completion of pond excavation; playground installation is ongoing; structural steel installation ongoing at the large station.

Trust me, you ought to drive by and see it for yourself.

What is CityWalk BHAM and what can I expect?

Located under the brand-new I-59/20 bridge between 15th Street North and 25th Street North, CityWalk BHAM will be unlike anything Birmingham has ever seen before. Spanning ten city blocks, CityWalk BHAM will add new walkability and connect some of Birmingham’s coolest destinations, including Uptown, the BJCC, TopGolf and the new Protective Stadium. The park will feature space for food trucks, multiple outdoor spaces for community events and performances, a dedicated dog park, space for outdoor classrooms, farmer’s markets, a skate park and countless other recreational activities.

Once complete, the 31-acre park will be split up into eight sections: 

• A: (15th Street to 16th Street) Recreational Sports and Gathering Space — Plans include challenge course, amphitheater, civil rights story zone, recreational sports space with artificial turf, multi-use field, gathering space and a 1/4-mile walking trail.
• B: (16th Street to 18th Street) Food Trucks, Skate Park — Plans include a roller skating rink, food trucks, activity zone and a skate park.
• C: (18th Street to 19th Street) Performance Space, Outdoor Classroom — Plans include performance space, outdoor classroom and parking.
• D: (19th Street to Richard Arrington Jr Blvd) Central Plaza — Plans include an outdoor stage, central gathering space, green ribbon garden path, water feature, restrooms, security station and info desk.
• E: (Richard Arrington Jr Blvd to 22nd Street) Market Space — Plans for this block include a market space.
• F: (22nd Street to 23rd Street) Beer and Wine Garden — Plans include a beer and wine garden and a green ribbon garden path.
• G: (23rd Street to 24th Street) Dog Park — Plans include a dog park, pickleball, restrooms and parking.
• H: (24th Street to 25th Street) Gateway to City Walk with Pond and Playground — Plans include a gateway pond, greenspace, playground, restroom and pavilion.

Which part of CityWalk BHAM are you most excited about? Tag us @bhamnow to share your thoughts!