What’s next for the demolished Banks High School site in South East Lake?

It’s been nearly five years since the City of Birmingham demolished the aging Banks High School in South East Lake. Despite efforts from the City to find a developer willing to repurpose the vacant property, the site of the former school still sits empty.

About Banks High School

In the mid-1950s, the Birmingham Board of Education approved plans for a new high school in the Birmingham Public Schools System. Located at 721 8th Street South in Birmingham’s South East Lake neighborhood, the new school was named Banks High School—after then-superintendent L. Frazier Banks—and graduated its first class in 1961.

Fun fact: Drawing inspiration from its Jets football team, Banks High School acquired a U.S. Air Force F-86D Sabre through a loan from the Alabama Air National Guard. The Korean War–era jet was suspended above a school entryway, where it stayed until the campus closed in 2007.

In 1990, the school was converted from a high school to a middle school, with enrolled students transferring to either Woodlawn or Huffman High Schools. After years of dwindling enrollment, Banks Middle School closed its doors for good in 2007.

After closing, the Banks High School site sat vacant for over a decade. In 2019, the City of Birmingham issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), seeking a developer to purchase and repurpose the 23-acre property. Despite the City’s efforts, no developer was found.

In March 2021, Birmingham City Council unanimously voted to demolish the structure; the demolition began in July.

What’s next for the Banks High School site?

Although the Banks High School structure was demolished in 2021, the City of Birmingham has not stopped looking for an entity to redevelop the property.

According to Birmingham City Councilor Hunter Williams (District 2), the site is ripe for redevelopment—in fact, the City left the building’s cement foundation intact when demolishing the school structure.

“That was done intentionally, because it leaves a ‘blank canvas’ that a developer can utilize to expedite the redevelopment process. Another unique aspect of the Banks site is its location. The site is along one of the main arteries into the Roebuck Springs neighborhood, so a development there would be able to utilize the high frequency of residents traveling to and from the neighborhood.”

Hunter Williams, Birmingham City Councilor, District 2

Although several developers have expressed interest in the Banks High School site, there are still some obstacles.

“We’ve run into two main roadblocks with the site: groups that are interested in the Banks property don’t have the financial capacity to complete a redevelopment, and groups that do have the financial capacity want both the Banks property and the Board of Education site across the street.”

Hunter Williams, Birmingham City Councilor, District 2

According to Councilor Williams, the City of Birmingham is open to selling the Banks property at below market value to help incentivize investment from a developer.

“For the City of Birmingham, its not about getting top dollar for a piece of property—its about encouraging vibrant neighborhoods where people want to move and live and raise their children.

Since the site would be more attractive to a developer if they have both sides of the street, we hope to work with the Birmingham Board of Education to develop that property as a whole and create a catalyst for growth in the area.”

Hunter Williams, Birmingham City Councilor, District 2

Despite the delays, Councilor Williams is optimistic about the future of the site.

“This is a project that is a priority for both myself as a Council member and the Mayor; we’ve had many conversations about the Banks High School site, and he has assured me that it’s a priority for him as well.”

Hunter Williams, Birmingham City Councilor, District 2

What do you want to see happen with the Banks High School site? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!