Family Fun Center / Birmingham Crossplex — Birmingham Family Fun Center (Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects / Birmingham Design Review Committee)

Two years ago we learned about the Family Fun Center—a promising addition to the Birmingham CrossPlex in Five Points West. Today, the project took a big step forward with approval from the Design Review Committee.

Read on to learn more about this exciting project and check out the renderings.

An exciting addition to the Birmingham CrossPlex

In 2022, Mayor Randall Woodfin announced his plans to build a city-owned Family Fun Center at the Birmingham CrossPlex property in Five Points West.

After nearly two years of planning, the Family Fun Center took a big step forward during today’s meeting of the Design Review Committee.

Approved by Design Review Committee

Birmingham Design Review Committee — Ian Halsey of Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects presenting at today’s Design Review Committee meeting. (Pat Byington / Bham Now)

The design for the Family Fun Center was approved by Birmingham’s Design Review Committee during their weekly meeting on Wednesday, June 26.

“Today is a great step forward for the Family Fun Center.

We have been working on this project since 2022, and during that time we’ve had several community engagement opportunities in Five Points West.

We’ve recieved very positive reactions on the project, and I think everyone is excited to get this project off the ground.”
Eric M. Clementi, Associate Principal, Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects

Here’s what we know about the Family Fun Center + renderings

Intended to be the focal and connective point for a future mixed-use development, the Family Fun Center will be an entertainment destination for the Five Points West community.

The 35,000-square-foot, one-story building will offer a wide variety of activities and venues, both indoor and outdoor.

Inside, you’ll find:

Bowling lanes
A roller skating rink
A bounce zone
A food court
A video gaming center
A table games center
A rentable event space
An E/A Sports Center

The outside portion of the Family Fun Center will include 25,000 square feet of outdoor venue space for:

Pickleball
Bocci ball
A playground
An adult exercise area
A multi-purpose green

In addition, the City of Birmingham has emphasized the need for several sensory rooms to ensure inclusivity for all guests.

The Birmingham Family Fun Center will be located on roughly five acres at 2340 Crossplex Boulevard, a site that was previously home to the Alabama State Fairgrounds and the Alabama International Raceway.

“We couldn’t have asked for a site with more history behind it. As we began investigating the site, we learned about the Birmingham International Raceway, the Alabama State Fairgrounds and the Ensley Steel Mills that were located here.

We want our design for the Family Fun Center to resonate with the important history of this location.”
Eric M. Clementi, Associate Principal, Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects

What part of the Birmingham Family Fun Center are you most excited about? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!