Cool News (Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Auburn: self-storage, property, counties)

[mcalumni01]

Originally Posted by magiccity3

Carvana eyes major project in Bessemer

"Carvana (NYSE: CVNA), a rapidly expanding online car dealer, is planning a automobile inspection and reconditioning center facility in Jefferson County that could create up to 400 jobs and represent a potential investment of more than $40 million.

The Birmingham Business Journal has learned the company is considering a large site across from Milo’s manufacturing operations on Morgan Road for the project."

https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingh..._news_headline

I think this was talk about with the mayor of Bessemer a couple months ago. Saw it on one of the news station. Of course he said he couldn't go into too much detail about the project. Or maybe it was something else..

[bhamblazer]

Originally Posted by GotLuv4Bham

Awesome news for metro Birmingham! The job announcements have really picked up lately for the area!

It's been said that we have all the ingredients to make a successful/growing city, but we just need a few job announcements. I think the revitalization of the area has laid the groundwork for economic development wins and a faster growing economy over the 2020 decade. It does seem like things are picking up on that front with Carvana, the new Amazon announcement, and continued growth at UAB (proposed 500 job project on Genomics research).

[magiccity3]

Originally Posted by bhamblazer

It's been said that we have all the ingredients to make a successful/growing city, but we just need a few job announcements. I think the revitalization of the area has laid the groundwork for economic development wins and a faster growing economy over the 2020 decade. It does seem like things are picking up on that front with Carvana, the new Amazon announcement, and continued growth at UAB (proposed 500 job project on Genomics research).

I agree with all this. It will be interesting to see how the jobs are filled. I have heard a lot of people are having trouble hiring because unemployment is so low. Wonder if it will result in more people moving in or more people changing jobs?

[MinivanDriver]

Originally Posted by magiccity3

I agree with all this. It will be interesting to see how the jobs are filled. I have heard a lot of people are having trouble hiring because unemployment is so low. Wonder if it will result in more people moving in or more people changing jobs?

With the metro unemployment rate now around 2.3% for September, something will eventually have to give.

[mcalumni01]

Originally Posted by bhamblazer

It's been said that we have all the ingredients to make a successful/growing city, but we just need a few job announcements. I think the revitalization of the area has laid the groundwork for economic development wins and a faster growing economy over the 2020 decade. It does seem like things are picking up on that front with Carvana, the new Amazon announcement, and continued growth at UAB (proposed 500 job project on Genomics research).

It all started when Jefferson county got back on their feet, sort of speak. When they were in the bankruptcy deal, nobody wanted to do business with the county. It had a bad reputation. Now that the county is trending up fast, these companies see that and realize that having a stable and viable county, which is the largest by residents, and the surrounding county that's around it, there are people here to do business in and around the metro.

[GotLuv4Bham]

Originally Posted by bhamblazer

It's been said that we have all the ingredients to make a successful/growing city, but we just need a few job announcements. I think the revitalization of the area has laid the groundwork for economic development wins and a faster growing economy over the 2020 decade. It does seem like things are picking up on that front with Carvana, the new Amazon announcement, and continued growth at UAB (proposed 500 job project on Genomics research).

Also, ground was just broken on the Grand River Technology Park in Birmingham! They are expecting 1,200 jobs on that site.

[bhamblazer]

Originally Posted by MinivanDriver

With the metro unemployment rate now around 2.3% for September, something will eventually have to give.

As far as people to fill the jobs, I think you'll start to see three things happening:

1. As better jobs come in, people who have been underemployed (working part time, but want full time) will upgrade their job situation. Could also apply to people that are overqualified (from a skills perspective) for their current role and change to a better job.

2. Improvement in the workforce participation rate as people who have been out of work for so long they've quit looking & aren't counted as unemployed re-enter the workforce. Part of this also needs to be solving the disability problem - there's far too many able-bodied adults on government disability that could be working and helping fill these job openings.

3. People from counties surrounding metro Birmingham (like Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Autauga, Talladega, Winston, etc) start moving closer to Birmingham as job opportunities continue to dry up in rural areas.


As far as population movement, I think you'll see number 3 happen before you see heavy movement of people coming from other states. Alternatively, maybe Birmingham can start doing better at retaining the out of state students that come to school at Alabama, Auburn, and UAB but that will require more white collar job opportunities vs manufacturing.

[MinivanDriver]

Originally Posted by bhamblazer

As far as people to fill the jobs, I think you'll start to see three things happening:

1. As better jobs come in, people who have been underemployed (working part time, but want full time) will upgrade their job situation. Could also apply to people that are overqualified (from a skills perspective) for their current role and change to a better job.

2. Improvement in the workforce participation rate as people who have been out of work for so long they've quit looking & aren't counted as unemployed re-enter the workforce. Part of this also needs to be solving the disability problem - there's far too many able-bodied adults on government disability that could be working and helping fill these job openings.

3. People from counties surrounding metro Birmingham (like Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Autauga, Talladega, Winston, etc) start moving closer to Birmingham as job opportunities continue to dry up in rural areas.


As far as population movement, I think you'll see number 3 happen before you see heavy movement of people coming from other states. Alternatively, maybe Birmingham can start doing better at retaining the out of state students that come to school at Alabama, Auburn, and UAB but that will require more white collar job opportunities vs manufacturing.

I think Birmingham has done a lot of work in that regard, working very hard on its livability over the past 10 years. The change has been stark.

[GotLuv4Bham]

Originally Posted by bhamblazer

As far as people to fill the jobs, I think you'll start to see three things happening:

1. As better jobs come in, people who have been underemployed (working part time, but want full time) will upgrade their job situation. Could also apply to people that are overqualified (from a skills perspective) for their current role and change to a better job.

2. Improvement in the workforce participation rate as people who have been out of work for so long they've quit looking & aren't counted as unemployed re-enter the workforce. Part of this also needs to be solving the disability problem - there's far too many able-bodied adults on government disability that could be working and helping fill these job openings.

3. People from counties surrounding metro Birmingham (like Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Autauga, Talladega, Winston, etc) start moving closer to Birmingham as job opportunities continue to dry up in rural areas.


As far as population movement, I think you'll see number 3 happen before you see heavy movement of people coming from other states. Alternatively, maybe Birmingham can start doing better at retaining the out of state students that come to school at Alabama, Auburn, and UAB but that will require more white collar job opportunities vs manufacturing.

Population will definitely rise here shortly.
1. Residential development is booming in the city center!
2. Job growth is trending upward.
3. Quality of life issues are being addressed (Birmingham's image is
getting better nationally and internationally)
4. Mayor Woodfin' s Birmingham Promise program will retain and
attract better students, which will naturally draw families.

[bhamguy]

I am looking forward to things coming to SW Jefferson County, as I live in McCalla. I am keeping and eye on things at exit 1. The lot is being cleared at the Letson Farms subdivision entrance. I was told that a hotel is opening somewhere in that area...I wondering if this is the location.