Today’s guest columnist is Jay Taylor.
In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk about which Alabama city is the largest in our state.
Population wise, that debate’s laughable. The truth is, more than 21 percent of Alabama’s 5.1 million residents live in metro Birmingham.
But if you judge a city’s size by its skyline – and people often do – then you have to ask the question: are we slipping a bit in this category?
In the past couple of decades, we’ve made some great strides. In 2004 Operation New Birmingham (now known as REV Birmingham after a merger with Main Street Birmingham) identified its 12 most wanted buildings for renovation. These were mostly 12 giant eyesores at the time. The last one is expected to be complete soon.
There was already momentum. City Stages, sadly now a festival in our past, helped kickstart downtown’s revitalization.
We’ve also added a baseball stadium and football stadium, spruced up the BJCC and Legacy Arena, added nightlife, built countless residential buildings, increased greenspace – it’s a long list.
But we haven’t grown vertically in a long time. A really long time.
That wasn’t the case between 1982 and 1990. In less than 10 years we welcomed the Financial Center (17 stories), new Alabama Power headquarters (18 stories), Harbert Plaza (32 stories), and Shipt Tower (34 stories).
Since then, Mobile has added two buildings, including the largest in the state by a long shot. You can explore diagrams of Birmingham buildings and compare them with others in our state online.
Don’t get me wrong, I think our skyline is beautiful. But the thing is, when you approach Birmingham from the airport, how different is the view than it was 35 years ago? Until you near City Walk’s brilliant spectrum of colors glowing beneath the interstate downtown and magnificent Protective Stadium towering over Uptown, it hasn’t changed a whole lot.
In other words, we need an addition. A big addition. And we need it sooner rather than later.
Sure, in this new post-Covid economy, is there demand for a shiny, new office tower? I don’t know. And, of course, I’ve heard about FAA-imposed height restrictions. I can’t speak with authority on those, but I do know that the developers behind the proposed 68-story Shepherd Centre were confident that the restriction did not apply to the entire downtown area.
What I ask the powers that be in our city to ponder is the idea of creating an addition to our skyline that might not necessarily be office, residential, or hotel.
Think about how the Eiffel Tower sparkles in Paris.
Am I comparing Birmingham to Paris? No. I’m just saying, it might be nice to see a beautifully-designed architectural presence rubbing shoulders with our current skyscrapers.
Seattle has the Space Needle. St. Louis has the Arch. Toronto has the CN Tower. I know, I know. The naysayers must be salivating as they prepare to torpedo this idea by claiming I’m comparing Birmingham to some of these cities.
But ask yourself what kind of impact a simple structure can make when it stretches high above the horizon. Before you answer, remember how important the replica Saturn rocket is to the I-65 Huntsville Welcome Center.
Or, visit Florence, Alabama, for a meal at the newly-renovated 360 Grille. This rotating restaurant will offer you breathtaking views of the area. Imagine if we had that in downtown Birmingham, particularly considering the chefs we have in this city.
A skyline can define a city as much as anything else. We’ve gazed at ours with great pride the last few decades. But with all apologies to Vulcan, we need an addition right downtown that competes for tallest structure in the state – or at least Birmingham.
We have some talented architects here. I’d like to see what they can come up with. As the majestic Washington Monument in our nation’s capital proves, the design can be quite simple. But the possibilities are endless.
Do you like the idea, too? Let’s not kick it around for another decade. Instead, let’s start brainstorming now.
What addition would you like to see to the Birmingham skyline?
Editor’s note: You might consider reading about Vance Wesson’s totally unique idea–the Birmingham DNA Helix Tower.
Jay Taylor is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, Alabama. He has more than 30 years of experience working in advertising, journalism, marketing, and business. He renovated Kessler Lofts with his family and cofounded the startup TabX in Birmingham. Taylor previously served as president of the Central City Neighborhood Association. Today, he lives in Homewood with his wife and two children.
David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).
Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown..com.
Personally, I’d rather see all the major and beautiful current downtown buildings occupied and thriving first, as well as a fix to the 21st Ave Bridge. If Birmingham can take advantage of all of its beautiful old buildings and make downtown thriving and livable, this would be better than another tall, half-occupied tower. We are unique in that we have so many beautiful century-old buildings, and if we can capitalize on that we’ll be an inviting and lively city unlike any other.
A mixed use skyscraper 35 stories tall would cost about $400 million. I have to wonder if that makes sense (return on investment) but I’m open to a great argument.
I would rather do something about all of the failing schools in the city . I would also like the see something about all of the homcides
And not be number three in the country. Maybe that would bring in more business to fill m the vacant buildings .How many Fortune 500 companies have left the city ???
The cities of Mobile and Montgomery are part of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The RSA has constructed buildings where their members are. The City of Birmingham doesn’t use the RSA, so we don’t see many RSA investments.
So why isn’t the City of Birmingham part of the RSA?
You mentioned the construction of the new baseball stadium and new football stadium. The football stadium was necessary. The baseball stadium was not.
I beg to differ with my friend, Jay. Instead of a new tower with the inevitable massive parking decks nearby , downtown would benefit more from 3-6 story “in fill” buildings designed to complement (not replicate) the rich urban fabric we are fortunate to have. Continuous active retail like restaurants and stores would make downtown more appealing to pedestrians. Such Incremental development is also more feasible than another skyscraper.
look at Greenville South Carolina’s downtown, Falls Park on the Reedy, main Street, and West End. Phenomenal!
Yes! Thank you!
Let’s build The Block, that was proposed by Karlos Danby and his partners. 48 stories mixed use building.
Interesting subject and many interesting responses.
Whatever might stop or at least slow the invasion of the surrounding natural landscapes, ridges and valleys would be good. Preserving the old buildings is special and should continue. Fill empty spaces. Increase safety as Mayor Woodfin is doing. Increase the population in center of the city.
Add this difficult one with respect to time and cost. Build a new outstanding airport in a better location. Connect it with quick transit to city center.
By the way, it is the beauty of those high rise towers in Mobile that appeals as well. It is a sign of intelligent decisions.
The question about RSA is good too. Why not? They were the investment source of Mobile’s towers.
A lot of very interesting responses. With all of the growing(and projected growth over the next 10 years) population in the downtown city center, it would be awesome to have an incredible lifestyle venue for residents and tourists alike to visit while they are in downtown. We have had a venue like that to open in the past 30 years in the city limits since the Summit(yes it sits in Birmingham). Let’s put something upscale in Birmingham, i know we can support it. And lets not make it cookie cutter like everything else. I know how everyone hates that the Birmingham Grand Central Terminal was torn down. Well they say everything comes back around again. We should build it and model it after the Grand Central Terminal with plenty of shops and restaurants and quick access to the airport and the multi-model facility downtown. It would be awesome and would tie in with the theme of our founding, our rich railroad history, and current successes like Rotary trail, Railroad Park, Protective Stadium, and Regions Field. We could possibly even include an amazing Railroad museum in the structure and have a restaurant that allows you to eat in vintage railroad cars. Just a thought!
Having a debate about the most populous city in Alabama is a losing proposition for anyone in the BHM metro. It’s akin to these small towns dotted around the nation paying whatever magazine or club to help promote their town…then low and behold the headline of “Anytown, AL name as one of the top 10 must places in the south.”
My point is simply that it is something for someone to pat themselves on the back about, but in reality no one cares.
Why does BHM need a new fixture on it’s skyline? What difference does it make? Atlanta has 3 different skylines…3! And it doesn’t make a bit of difference about how anyone feels about Atlanta.
I am a big proponent of “Bloom where you are planted”. If you are a developer then develope the city. If you are an educator then teach students. If you are a care giver then provide loving care to people. The point is simple….Do you are are meant to do and do it well. BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED.
A lot of commenters have obviously not read the article – it’s not a new OCCUPIED tower (another building): it would be akin to the Space Needle, the Gateway Arch, the CN Tower, or the Washington Monument. More than 90% of the public (that doesn’t live in St. Louis) doesn’t even know what downtown St. Louis looks like without the arch, which underscores how powerful that is for defining a city. I think it would be a good morale boost and a tourist draw. There has been no significant construction downtown since the 80s (almost 40 years ago); meanwhile, Nashville looks different every single time I drive through there (do they have “Atlanta envy” or something?)
Bear in mind that the commenters here are not an accurate cross section of Birmingham and many are more or less “crabs in a bucket” when it comes to anything new being proposed. “There goes more of our taxes.” Anything that is worth doing costs money and being risk averse has cost Birmingham a lot of developments that went to other cities in the past. Something needs to be done. I’ve lived in a lot of places, and even places that were insignificant decades ago appear to be challenging Birmingham in this way. Memphis has the same skyline issue, but at least they have tourism.
As a UAB grad I feel as if UAB is much like our Government. We all should think about effective and efficient leadership. Our country is bankrupt by any accounting method. we need to prioritize needs and return on our investments. Growing bigger is not always better
As an Alabama native who spent 40 years in Atlanta and other major cities as an architect of huge and/or tall buildings, I’m taking deep breaths as I write this.
One of the great beauties of this city (Birmingham, and I’m downright joyful to be back) is its gradual growth.
I’m not against new construction and beautiful landmarks, and a rooftop restaurant – or public space – *could* be a delight.
But before we add a tall tower as a status symbol, let’s please be sophisticated enough to first investigate and talk about market needs/demand, location, access, parking, neighborhood impact, and street-level amenities. And share the results of these studies with the public. Lest we end up with a very tall empty building that plunges brutally into its sidewalks and develops into a source of ridicule.
There is so much more to architecture and planning than wanting a fresh skyline.
Nashville here again. I beg to differ with JS above, who asked whether Music City has “Atlanta envy.” I’ve never observed that in our nine years here. The relentless building adding to the downtown skyline has more to do with demand than with civic psychology. Nashville does benefit from being a tad further from Atlanta than Birmingham—if, as they say, familiarity breeds contempt. If anything Nashville seems more interested in what’s going on in Los Angeles, where the two vie for talent and business in the music industry, or in the cities it competes directly against in the AFC South—Houston, Indianapolis, and Jacksonville.
But let me add something else when comparing skylines: housing. I can’t speak for Atlanta, but Nashville’s domestic architecture skyline is growing as steadily as its high rises. All the new single family homes, townhouses, and condos—many of which are visible from the interstates and other major arteries—give a real sense of prosperity to the city. I’m afraid I don’t see that in Birmingham’s domestic skyline. If we still lived in Birmingham, as we did for 25 years, I would be much happier to see a slew of new single family homes rising alongside the interstates going west, north or east from downtown, than a new office tower or a “signature” DNA helix. That would tell me that the people of the city are doing well in their household wealth. Isn’t that what matters most in the final analysis?
I have often imagined a larged ferris wheel in the skyline of Birmingham, “The Iron Wheel.” Based on quick estimates, looking at ferris wheels around 300-400 ft tall, it might be able to pay for itself over several years.