Cool News (Birmingham, Powell, Lakeview: loan, financing, engineers)

[GotLuv4Bham]

Originally Posted by 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.

UAB's new hospital should definitely jumpstart that area!

[magiccity3]

WSJ article on self-storage facilities yesterday focuses on our city:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/towns-t...se-11572346802

[cherokee48]

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.

It's been a very good week for the city, Amazon coming to Hooper City and Carvana coming to Bessemer both bringing a number of good jobs to the area is great news. I agree with this assessment. This is emblematic of #1 and I'm hopeful that #2 and #3 are starting to happen in earnest.

[bhamblazer]

Also announced today:

The bonds have been sold for US Steel to move forward with their new furnance in Fairfield. They will invest $215M and create 150 new jobs.

[TimCity2000]

think this is next to the old rogue tavern space:

New bar concept: Neon Moon opens in Birmingham in November 2020

[mcalumni01]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

think this is next to the old rogue tavern space:

New bar concept: Neon Moon opens in Birmingham in November 2020

It's amazing how the entertainment atmosphere (restaurants, bars, social lounges, festivals, sports, national chains) has taken off since 2013. And to be honest, I don't think it will be slowing down anytime soon. People says "birmingham is oversaturated or has reach it's peak". There are so many different concepts of entertainment for all age group in the city. Whatever type of environment you want, it's here. If not, best believe someone knows and it's on the horizon coming.

[bhamblazer]

Cook-Out bought property in Southside (3rd Ave S and 24th St S) and will be opening another location there:

https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingh...irmingham.html

[magiccity3]

Walking around downtown today I noticed that the Commerce building on 1st Ave N was being worked on, first time I have noticed it in awhile. Hopeful that the Hilton project there is going to get going in earnest soon.

[GotLuv4Bham]

Somewhere around 4000 people will be in our city's hotels, restaurants, and retail establishments! Nice win for the city of Birmingham!


https://www.al.com/business/2019/11/...onvention.html

[bhamblazer]

Bayer Properties officially moved their office to the Retail Specialists building on Magnolia Ave. That's another step forward for David Silverstein's project to redevelop that property for condos and a hotel.