By Tony Tamburello

Birmingham has changed dramatically in my lifetime.

Downtown revitalization, mixed-use development, and reinvestment have turned stagnant areas into hubs of activity. Much of this progress comes not from flashy reinvention but from undoing past mistakes that pushed people away.

From a city once defined by decline to one defined by possibility, the question now is simple: will this generation choose Birmingham?

I grew up about 30 minutes south of Birmingham, in a place where the city was rarely spoken positively. Even those who relied on Birmingham framed it as a place to leave, not stay.

That mindset did real damage. Over time, families moved outward, investment followed them, and population loss became normalized. What began as hesitation slowly turned into generational distancing from the city itself.

Birmingham was shaped by urban renewal policies, redlining, interstate construction, and displacement that fractured neighborhoods and prioritized metro convenience over city stability. These choices reshaped perception: fear replaced familiarity, and avoidance replaced engagement. Today, many older metro residents view Birmingham through the same outdated lens, those who grew up downtown, left, and haven’t returned for decades. Further limiting Birmingham’s growth by discouraging the very thing the city needs most: people choosing to stay, invest, and build lives here.

Meanwhile, Birmingham has worked deliberately to correct past mistakes. Historic buildings once threatened by demolition have been preserved and repurposed, letting the city lean into its identity. The city’s unique mix of architecture exhibits progress by repairing past neglect, not replacing it, and invites new generations to breathe life into these spaces.

Further revitalization is especially apparent in how students encounter and engage with the city today.

UAB actively redesigns students’ perceptions by placing them directly in the city, teaching its history, culture, and opportunities. Programs like Blazer Beginnings give students firsthand experience that will replace long-held stigmas, letting them engage with Birmingham during a period of visible redevelopment.

As a UAB student, I see this momentum firsthand. The campus is expanding, and the city is changing rapidly. Apartment construction across Birmingham is up nearly 200 percent year over year, and thousands of new hotel rooms are expected by 2026. While the city doesn’t market itself loudly, downtown living and long-term investment are attracting young adults, though their participation will be key to avoiding oversupply.

This shift is seen in who is choosing UAB. In Fall 2025, the university reported a total enrollment of 20,868 students, including 2,526 first-time freshmen. Of those new freshmen, 2,074 were Alabama residents. Fall 2024 saw 1,605 in-state first-time freshmen enroll.

In one year, UAB saw nearly a 30% increase in young Alabamians choosing to start their adult lives in Birmingham.

This influx highlights generational change. Many older residents watched Birmingham decline; young adults today are watching it rebuild. This moment is forging new expectations for how leadership approaches the city.

Mayor Randall Woodfin, born in 1981, occupies a generational cusp that bridges older leadership and the next generation of Birmingham residents. His perspective allows him to speak across all age groups while resonating with young newcomers who value authenticity, urban life, and long-term opportunity over suburban distance.

In 2025, Birmingham recorded its lowest homicide rates in more than a decade. That progress coincides with the generational swing in leadership within city institutions, including the appointment of the youngest police chief in Birmingham’s history, whose enforcement strategies mark a departure from approaches that once deepened division.

Challenges remain. Projects like the northern beltline and large-scale data centers raise environmental concerns, and decision-makers must consider whether these projects create a city where residents can thrive or simply serve regional convenience. How Birmingham handles these choices will determine whether people stay or continue to leave.

For decades, population loss has defined Birmingham’s trajectory. Reversing it requires more than development alone. It requires people to choose the city.

Today, that choice is in the hands of a new generation. Young adults moving to Birmingham, experiencing it firsthand, and deciding to stay are rewriting the city’s story. With old stigmas fading and downtown opportunities growing, population growth is the final piece of Birmingham’s social and economic revival.

It is Gen Z that will determine whether Birmingham simply rebuilds – or truly comes back.

Tony Tamburello is an Honors sophomore at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Design with a minor in Civil Engineering. His academic interests include historic revitalization, urban planning, and using design thinking to improve Birmingham’s downtown.

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).

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