Market Reports

By Henry Graham of Graham & Co. As a reminder to those who may have missed my colleague Sonny Culp’s article from last year, 2021 and 2022 saw the delivery of more than 10 sizable build-to-suits to the Birmingham/Central Alabama region. Such rapid growth in the industrial sector grabbed the attention of larger industrial developers that have generally allowed Birmingham to fly under the radar. Case-in-point, in the years from 2008 through 2016, the greater Birmingham metropolitan area was essentially devoid of any speculative industrial development. Instead, the pipeline of industrial projects was centered around owner-occupied spaces and the occasional build-to-suit related to the automotive sector or light manufacturing. On the tailwinds of the recent build-to-suit frenzy and COVID-fueled supply demands, Birmingham experienced a flurry of speculative activity in 2022 and 2023 as regional and even national developers like Scannell Properties tested the waters alongside Alabama-based industrial developers.   Along a half-mile stretch of Daniel Payne Industrial Boulevard that sits just north of the central business district (CBD) and not far from the intersection of I-65 and I-20/59, four Class A spec buildings came up in rapid succession totaling 737,000 square feet. Two of those buildings are now fully leased …

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By Chapman Brown of Marcus & Millichap Once renowned for its industrial prowess, Birmingham is experiencing a dynamic retail renaissance fueled by a convergence of local economic growth, strategic development initiatives and shifting consumer behaviors. As major retail projects come to fruition and submarkets heat up with investment activity, the city is poised for a transformative period that promises to redefine its retail landscape. Birmingham’s retail sector is intricately linked to broader economic trends both locally and nationally. Factors such as population growth, employment rates and disposable income levels significantly influence consumer spending habits and retail demand within the city. Additionally, the rise of e-commerce and changing demographics are prompting retailers and developers to adapt and innovate to stay competitive. These factors, combined with a diverse array of buyers and sellers, are driving retail investment activity. Institutional investors, private equity firms and real estate developers are among the key buyers, attracted by the city’s strong fundamentals and growth prospects. On the selling side, property owners and developers are seizing opportunities to unlock value and redeploy capital into new ventures. Several major retail projects are currently underway, poised to leave a lasting impact on the market. One notable project is The …

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By David Wilson of Berkadia Birmingham’s apartment market has softened, which is consistent with trends both nationally and regionally in other Southeastern metros. But the market remains healthy and balanced despite a bump in new construction. With total employment gains exceeding 18,000 in 2023, a substantial jump from the 5,500-person gain in 2022, and unemployment rate falling to 2.2 percent, the Birmingham economy is as strong as it’s been in over 10 years, and the economic outlook is very favorable.  The majority of population growth has been in the southern areas such as Shelby County, although a steady delivery of new Class A apartments in downtown Birmingham in recent years, and the opening of a Publix grocery in 2017 on the ground level of the 436-unit 20 Midtown development, is helping the city core to grow. Research by Berkadia Birmingham reveals 12 properties comprising 2,936 units are under construction in the Birmingham area, excluding Tuscaloosa. These properties reflect a cross-section of product types such as a purpose-built student property and an affordable Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) property. Four are in their initial site work phase, while another four are beginning preleasing. New developments In the thriving Highway 280 submarket, …

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By Brad Jones of Cushman & Wakefield/EGS Commercial Real Estate Despite ongoing challenges facing the national economy, Birmingham’s commercial real estate landscape remains steady and consistent. Over the past seven years, encompassing both pre- and post-pandemic periods, the overall vacancy rate for Birmingham’s multi-tenant office market has exhibited fluctuations like most markets, ranging from 12.9 percent in 2017 to 19 percent in 2023, according to research from Cushman & Wakefield/EGS Commercial Real Estate. However, for perspective, Birmingham’s year-end vacancy rate of 19 percent remains below the national average vacancy rate of 19.7 percent recorded in 2023, according to research from Cushman & Wakefield. Office leasing activity in Birmingham has maintained momentum, experiencing a notable 12 percent year-over-year increase from 2022. Total leasing activity for 2023 totaled 718,219 square feet. Class A transactions dominated with 564,681 square feet leased, indicating a continued preference for Class A office space (i.e. a flight to quality). This is good news for Class A product in this supposed period of economic slowdown. Office investment sales activity in Birmingham has, however, decelerated in the current economic climate. The impending ripple of debt maturities poses challenges for large institutional owners and creditors. At the same time, it …

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When we wrote about the Birmingham multifamily market last year, the main trends were job growth and in-migration to not only the Birmingham market, but the Sun Belt as a whole. The growth was described as “unprecedented,” which it certainly was, and investor optimism could not have been higher as cap rates plummeted and property performance continued to thrive.  Since then, the 10-year Treasury yield has risen nearly 200 basis points, inflation experienced nearly 6.5 percent growth last year and there was a more cautious optimism going into the fourth quarter of 2022. But what if we are not hitting a stopping point, rather moving back into a cycle of normalcy? Amongst the many major indicators for 2023, the common theme appears to be uncertainty.  Many notable factors such as debt and rising insurance costs have been a sounding board for this skepticism in the market. 2021 and 2022 proved to be nothing short of record-breaking in the multifamily sector. For Birmingham, our outlook is that the solid foundation it has built over the past few years, and the post-pandemic recovery boom it experienced, will show that the city is still poised for growth and has been fortunate to not …

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Before we look at the current happenings in the Birmingham industrial market, it is worth glancing into the rearview mirror of the last 24 months or so. 2021 and 2022 saw the delivery of 10 notable industrial build-to-suit projects. Some were announced in 2020 before pricing surges. The last delivery of these projects was completed in fourth-quarter 2022, an automotive project on the west side for Lear Automotive Seating oriented toward Mercedes-Benz.  This unprecedented streak of projects totaled 3.3 million square feet. In addition to Lear, tenants included: Lowes, Mercedes-Benz, Motion Industries, TSF Sportswear, Samuel, Son & Co., Amazon (two) and FedEx Ground. Interestingly, two of these facilities are now available for sublease and were never occupied by the tenant. And as of this writing, there is not a single industrial build-to-suit announced or under construction.  What did follow the noted build-to-suit wave were six speculative (or partial speculative) projects. The first one delivered — the first phase of Crossroads Commerce Center in the Central submarket — spanned 186,000 square feet, and the twin second phase was recently completed. The two phases are now 75 percent occupied, demonstrating market demand shown in other Southeastern markets in mid-2022 and prior.  In …

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Birmingham’s office market is facing many of the same challenges our peer markets are encountering. Lingering economic uncertainties have created a very cautious environment. Most tenants and business owners I speak with are either cautiously pessimistic or cautiously optimistic about the economy.  Regardless of which side is right, economic projections for 2023 have caused a general slowdown in deal flow as decision makers have become more guarded with business decisions and commitment levels.  Is there cause for concern in Birmingham? Historically, Birmingham’s office market has remained stable during challenging times, dodging the extreme highs and lows as markets ebb and flow nationwide. Birmingham’s office market consists of approximately 19 million square feet of multi-tenant inventory across five submarkets, four of which have Class A inventory.  Fundamentals, subleases As of fourth-quarter 2022, the occupancy rate for Birmingham’s office market sits at 83.8 percent. For the same period over the last five years, the occupancy rate has only slightly fluctuated year-over-year, ranging from 86.1 percent in fourth-quarter 2018 to 83.8 percent in fourth-quarter 2020. The current rate is at 83.8 percent, illustrating consistency throughout a very problematic time for the office sector.  Birmingham’s office sublease inventory is rising, but again, not to …

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While the Birmingham market never fluctuates too heavily in either direction, it typically remains relatively stable compared to national trends. Such has been the case with the effects of COVID-19. Birmingham is well-positioned for a return to the office, thanks in large part to our economy’s heavy makeup of local and regional businesses. Most smaller businesses have been in the office for some time, while large national enterprises still wrestle with what normal operations will look like moving forward. General market information Birmingham saw some positive absorption in 2021, with the occupancy rate holding steady at 81 percent, around the historical average. Birmingham comprises approximately 20 million square feet of office space with five main submarkets. Midtown, comprising mostly mid-size, Class A office buildings, remains the strongest submarket with an occupancy rate over 92 percent and rental rates in the mid to high $20s per square foot ($24.12 per square foot average). The Central Business District has seen companies leave for suburban submarkets like Midtown and Highway 280/Interstate 459, however the occupancy rate of 78 percent has remained relatively stable over the past couple of years, with rents in the low to mid $20s per square foot ($21.07 per square …

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Like many of the markets within the Sun Belt, Birmingham’s economy remained relatively resilient through the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its share of small business and restaurant closures, leasing activity is back to par, and owners continue to see steadily rising rental rates — up 3.1 percent over the last 12 months — as tenant demand continues to be robust. Retail absorption over the last 12 months is a healthy 400,000 square feet compared to -510,000 square feet a year ago, which is a phenomenal 909,000-square-foot change just 18 months out from the emergence of the Coronavirus and effective shutdown of the U.S. economy. As Americans return to whatever the new normal is deemed to be and retail conditions continue to rebound, Birmingham is poised and ready to stake its claim in the South’s hierarchy of bourgeoning retail markets. Over the course of retail’s revival during the last 12 to 15 months, development has picked up throughout the Birmingham MSA, fueled primarily by build-to-suit projects for established chains in rapidly expanding suburban markets like Hoover. Stadium Trace Village, a master-planned, mixed-use development at Interstate 459 and Ala. Highway 150, has been one of the most recent projects to …

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The Sun Belt is experiencing unprecedented growth with in-migration trends setting the stage for further expansion and bolstering in-place multifamily product. This includes Birmingham, which has weathered COVID-19 well not only from an employment perspective, but from a rent growth perspective too. The latter is not sustainable without the former, and local capital investments point to more tailwinds. Birmingham has been on the move, adding 60,000 jobs since April 2020 and becoming the primary driver of economic growth in Alabama. With the influx of new jobs, the city has surpassed its pre-pandemic peak and as a result, the city’s rent growth has outperformed the national average for several years. There was a short period where downtown rents and velocity fell off during the pandemic, but it came back fast and strong. Riding the tailwinds One notable example of in-migration, both investment and population wise, was when Landing announced it would be relocating its headquarters from San Francisco to Birmingham. Landing is a tech startup that provides access to a network of fully furnished apartments, and its move to the city is expected to create more than 800 direct, full-time jobs. The announcement was exciting locally as Birmingham presumably wouldn’t have …

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