ALABAMA STATE EDITION
231
65
72 Florence
2
Huntsville
20 Decatur
72
565 59
43
A Supplement to:
231
431
31
5
Gadsden
78 59 Anniston
20
Birmingham Bessemer
82 Tuscaloosa
65 280
20 82 Auburn
80
85
Selma
Phenix City
Montgomery
82
March 4 2015
65
231
43 84 431 331
84
84 52
Vol. XXVIII • No. 5
31
45
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.”
Dothan
65 98
Mobile
10
Your Alabama Connection • Rich Olivier, Atlanta, GA • 1-800-409-1479
Development to Revitalize Inner City Birmingham By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
Created to bring new life to a seemingly forgotten area, The Park at Wood Station is being touted as one of the most innovative community development initiatives in Alabama’s history. The new, affordable housing development is part of a major revitalization effort in the inner city Birmingham neighborhood of Woodlawn. “The Woodlawn Foundation is investing millions to lay the groundwork for comprehensive revitalization, and is working with community residents to build a new Woodlawn,” said Winton Yerby, president, Hollyhand Development LLC, which serves as the developer. “I’m not sure any other revitalization effort in the state has benefited from that kind of commitment. The key player is the Foundation, funded by the Goodrich Foundation, but it’s truly a joint effort along with the city, local financial institutions, community groups and the Hollyhand team.” Doug Hollyhand Realty Inc. serves as general contractor, and Hollyhand Companies Inc. will manage the development. The project is placed within approximately 7.3 acres, and includes primarily two-story townhouse units in 15 buildings on a parcel spread across several streets between Georgia Road and 1st Avenue North and between 60th Street and 61st Street. The mix of two and three bedroom units will have roughly 1,700 sq. ft. (157.9 sq m) each. Amenities include a playground and a 3,200 sq. ft. (297.3 sq m) community building centrally located within the development. “We get remarks all the time from people across the city about how important and exciting the Park at Wood Station is,” Yerby said. “Woodlawn is a well-known historic neighborhood that dates from the 19th-century. Former Florida State Head football coach Bobby Bowden, along with many other famous people, grew up here. Woodlawn was once considered a very desirable area. It has historic old homes and a commercial center. Over time, like much of inner-city Birmingham, it has declined, but needs to come back so that other areas in the city can prosper, as well.” Originally settled by a group of farming families who entered the area in 1815, the city of Woodlawn was annexed into Birmingham in 1910. Woodlawn community neighborhoods include East Avondale, Oak Ridge Park, south Woodlawn and Woodlawn itself. “Blight impacts families, neighborhoods and whole cities and regions, so this effort can have ripple effects throughout the city,” Yerby said. “This project targets working families, and there’s a tremendous need in the city for good housing these families can afford. We’ve had over 400 inquiries for
Doug Hollyhand Realty Inc. photo
Created to bring new life to a seemingly forgotten area, The Park at Wood Station is being touted as one of the most innovative community development initiatives in Alabama’s history.
the 64 units. The Park at Wood Station is simply the first step in the Foundation’s housing strategy as future market rate phases are being planned.” Construction began in mid-2014, and work should be completed later this summer. Doug Hollyhand Realty is finishing final framing, with the first units expected to be turned soon. Site work, utilities and paving are nearing completion, all slabs are almost complete, seven buildings have been framed and are ready for sheet rock and three more buildings are being framed. The community building also is being sheetrocked. Once the buildings are framed, interior work proceeds with plumbing and electrical accessories, sheet rock, paint, trim, installation of appliances and bath accessories, floor covering and a final cleaning. Project leaders say site logistics have been challenging, since the site is spread out more than typical projects. Staying on the project timeline with inspections also is a concern when dealing with different city inspection rules and
Woodlawn Foundation photo
Clearing included all trees, brush, grass, debris and topsoil.
regulations. The property is the former site of many demolished single-family homes, and required removing debris prior to site work. Minimal grading was done at the start of the project. Approximately 1,700 cu. yds. (1,299.7 cu m) of dirt have been removed for undercutting, due to soil issues. “The main challenge was phasing of the site due to its footprint, but once it got started it really went fine, said see WOODLAWN page 2