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 …
MCCALLA, ALA. — Graham & Co. Inc. has arranged the $32.3 million sale of a 303,730-square-foot distribution and manufacturing facility in McCalla, about 20 miles southwest of Birmingham. The seller, an entity doing as AMR REIT Prestige Industrial II LLC, developed the property in 2022 as a build-to-suit for Lear, a Tier 1 auto parts supplier. Located at 6700 Jefferson Metropolitan Parkway, the property is situated on nearly 25 acres within the Jefferson Metropolitan Industrial Park along the I-20 corridor. The facility features 32-foot clear heights, ESFR sprinklers, 45 dock-high doors, a 185-foot truck court and 21,000 square feet of office space. Sonny Culp of Graham & Co., along with Doug Longyear of Cushman & Wakefield, brokered the transaction.
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, …
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 …
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — Cove Capital Investments has acquired Eastwood Village, a 130,056-square-foot retail center located in Birmingham. Tenants at the property, which was 96 percent occupied at the time of sale, include Ross Dress for Less, Five Below, Office Depot, Michaels, Party City and Starbucks Coffee. The acquisition marks the newest addition to Cove Capital’s DST portfolio, which includes 89 properties totaling 2.1 million square feet throughout the country. The seller and sales price were not disclosed.
AUBURN, ALA. — Auburn University has broken ground on a $63 million residence hall project along Haley Concourse on the university’s campus in Alabama. The 371-bed community will house first-year students upon completion, which is scheduled for summer 2026. The 125,651-square-foot development will feature amenities including multipurpose communal spaces and kitchens, group study rooms, laundry facilities on every floor and bike storage. The community will also be home to housing department offices and a storm shelter. The development team for the project, which is targeting LEED certification, includes Niles Bolton Associates and Rabren General Contractors.
GULF SHORES, ALA. — An affiliate of Birmingham-based Oakley Group has sold Marbella, a 96-unit apartment community located at 1910 E. First St. in Gulf Shores, a city near the Alabama-Florida border. Atlanta-based Arcan Capital LLC purchased the property from an entity doing business as OG Marbella LLC for an undisclosed price. The buyer also assumed a HUD-insured loan previously executed by Berkadia. Andrew Brown and Craig Hey of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller in the transaction. Situated on a 4.8-acre site, Marbella features one- and two-bedroom residences, as well as a clubhouse, pool, outdoor gathering spaces and grill stations.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — Hoar Construction has topped out the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Medicine’s new $128 million Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility in downtown Birmingham. Located along 7th Avenue South, the building will total 346,000 square feet across 11 stories. In addition to 136 patient beds, the facility will comprise two levels of administration, conferencing and mechanical space and four floors of parking. Construction, which began in May 2022, is scheduled for completion in early 2025.
HUNTSVILLE, ALA. — Merit Bank has opened at The Range, The Beach Co.’s 49,229-square-foot office building located on Governors Drive in Huntsville. Merit Bank now occupies the third floor of the property, which spans roughly 17,433 square feet, in addition to a first-floor retail branch, with a total 20,000 square feet of occupancy. The Range features a common-area courtyard, high-speed Gigabyte internet and walkability to nearby restaurants, entertainment and retailers. The building is also situated adjacent to The Foundry, a 340-unit multifamily and townhome community, and STOVEHOUSE, a mixed-use development.
BESSEMER, ALA. — Graham & Co. has sold a Class A warehouse located at 4251 Turin Drive in Bessemer, about 15 miles southwest of Birmingham via I-20. The Birmingham-based developer broke ground on the 187,200-square-foot facility in 2021 and completed construction in June 2022. Barber Cos. purchased the facility from Graham & Co. for $17 million. Situated along the Lakeshore Parkway corridor, the rear-load warehouse features 32-foot clear heights and 31 dock-high doors. The property is best-suited for one or two tenants and offers proximity to nearby industrial distributors including FedEx, Dollar General, Amazon and Lowe’s Home Improvement. John Coleman and Matthew Graham represented Graham & Co. on an internal basis in the transaction, and Gifford Taylor and Merrimon Epps were Barber’s internal representatives.