Nonprofit hub at former Vestavia Hills Elementary to open in spring

After being purchased by a former educator and her husband in 2024, the former Vestavia Hills Elementary School Central campus is beginning to take shape as the upcoming nonprofit hub.

The planned space, dubbed “Hub in the Hills,” will serve as a “hub and gathering space for things like local nonprofits and a church plant,” founder Ammie Akin told the Vestavia Voice.

Now, Hub in the Hills is expected to officially open this spring. Here is what we know about the new nonprofit hub.

Quick background on Vestavia Hills Elementary Central

After 30 years of use as a school for fourth and fifth grade students in the Vestavia area, the school system acquired Gresham Elementary School. Renamed Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge, the new school replaced Vestavia Hills Central Elementary and the campus was vacated.

According to the Vestavia Voice, the $1.2 million sale to the Akin family was approved by the Vestavia Hills Board of Education on Nov. 2, 2024. It includes the school and the office building that sits in front of it, but not the track and soccer field.

Progress and fundraising so far

The hub will use the existing school space for the facility itself, although according to the Vestavia Voice, the 7,400-square-foot building in front of the school was town down to make way for additional parking.

Interior construction will begin this month, and the site work and parking lot are expected to be complete by the end of February, Akin said.

“We are really excited to see it all come together and take shape.

“I think visually a lot of the work that has happened over the last few months may feel a little slow, but there has been so much work going on behind the scenes that may not be visible. It is very exciting to know that soon the interior work will be completed.”

Ammie Akin to the Vestavia Voice

Much of that behind-the-scenes work for Hub in the Hills has involved fundraising. As of Jan. 5, the project has secured about $4.5 million in donations and low-interest impact loans from donors and partners, Vestavia Voice reports.

When all is said and done, the project is estimated to cost about $8 million.

Partners

Hub in the Hills has three organizations that will lease space within the facility:

• Alabama Game Changers — serves students with learning difficulties
• Redemption Hill Church — plans to meet on the weekends
• Unless U — offers continuing education opportunities to adults with developmental disabilities

According to Hub in the Hills, a shared space packs in several benefits for nonprofits, primarily financially, but also by allowing collaboration:

• 30-50% of a nonprofit’s budget is committed to facility costs
• Sharing spaces can cut costs by up to 40%
• Nonprofits in shared spaces enhance impact by up to 25%
• Investments in shared spaces support multiple organizations, multiplying the effect of every dollar

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