Ensley Redevelopment

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The Ramsay McCormack Building Site Redevelopment 

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Mayor Woodfin and Ensley District Developers Launch Redevelopment of Ramsay-McCormack Building Site

October 1, 2020 – Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and Ensley District Developers (EDD) announced the start of the redevelopment of the Ramsay-McCormack Building in the Ensley Business District. The project will be the catalyst for redevelopment of the business district and overall Ensley community.

“For decades, the Ramsay-McCormack Building symbolized Ensley’s thriving business district. Sadly, in more recent years, it has only signified blight,” Mayor Woodfin said. “That’s why I’m so excited about this project – the Ramsay-McCormack Building site will very soon symbolize revitalization in this cherished neighborhood. We will focus investment not in a building alone, but through a comprehensive plan in the community.”

The redevelopment of the historic Ramsay-McCormack Building site will begin with a deconstruction of the original 10-story structure. The process is estimated to take up to 75 days. Materials salvaged from the existing building will be used in a new five story, 30,000 square foot structure in order to reflect its historic architecture style. Those materials will support character-defining features such as integration of the bricks, some marble, some terra cotta and overall architectural design. Like the original building, the new construction will be the tallest building in Ensley.

EDD will guide the reconstruction with a focus on creating a multipurpose use for the building designed to drive additional foot traffic in the Ensley Business District. The vision for the community redevelopment plan is the creation of a logistics hub, wrapped in an entertainment district. Existing logistics firms and newly recruited firms will attract the investment and the workers to stimulate the economy.

Two tenants have already publicly committed to leasing space in the completed project. Innovation Depot will bring its extensive and impressive track record of accelerating the growth and development of tech firms, which will bring workers to the area and increase foot traffic. Birmingham Promise, Inc. will open its headquarters in the building.

“The Ramsay-McCormack building is an icon in Ensley. For years it has sat dormant, looming over the community as a relic of days gone by. But that will soon change,” City Councilor John Hilliard said. “I am so excited to see this major economic development happening in the Ensley community. This project will serve as an anchor for the continued growth and resurgence of one of Birmingham’s most historic communities, one that helped make Birmingham a major industrial hub. No longer will we have to gaze upon a big empty building wondering ‘what if.’ I’d like to thank the mayor’s team and all of our partners who have helped make this a reality. When I came into office, I made it a priority to improve the economic outlook for my district and this project is a huge step in that direction.”

“The redevelopment of the Ramsay-McCormack site will be a beacon for the Ensley neighborhood, much like its predecessor building. This project coupled with the Woodfin administration’s additional revitalization strategy will support new and exciting opportunities,” Irvin Henderson, a principal of EDD, said. “These actions will support new and existing businesses. The enthusiasm and consumer interest will bring customers to the businesses and increase the traffic of the area, which will support a healthy climate for entrepreneurism and encourage positive investment.  This is the formula for revitalization.”

The new construction will be registered as a United States Green Building Council LEED Silver v4 office building.  It will be the first privately developed LEED v4 office building in the Birmingham market and one of only five LEED-rated new construction office buildings in the entire Birmingham market.

“The majority of the LEED-rated buildings in Birmingham have been developed by UAB and other institutional organizations in neighborhoods that have not suffered from long term disinvestment.  This offering in Ensley will usher in a new vision for the redevelopment and reinvestment in the Ensley Community,” said Carlton Brown, a principal in Ensley District Developers and one of the founders of the Green Building Council.

EDD has worked with MWBE (minority and women-owned business enterprise) firms in the predevelopment process of the Ramsay-McCormack Building site and will continue to solicit MWBE proposals for the construction, development and operation of the building.  The architecture firm chosen is Charles Williams & Associates. Dragon Energy Consulting is the LEED consulting firm. Bhate Geosciences has provided environmental services.

The original Ramsay-McCormack Building was completed in 1929. The City of Birmingham acquired the building in 1983. The city called for proposals for the catalytic redevelopment of the historic Ramsay-McCormack Building and other signature properties owned by the City of Birmingham in Ensley’s historic business district in February 2019.  The city had previously issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for private developers for renovation plans in 2018. Those initial proposals were rejected.

EDD entered a contract with the city in Fall 2019. The estimated completion date of the redevelopment of the Ramsay-McCormack site is near the end of 2022.

 

More About the Ramsay McCormack Building Site Redevelopment 

April 2020: Ramsay-McCormack Redevelopment Plan Approved 

Oct 22, 2019: Council Approves, Mayor Signs Contract to Spearhead Revitalization of Ensley’s Ramsay-McCormack Building

Oct 14, 2019: Ensley District Developers to Lead Ramsay-McCormack Redevelopment 

Meet the Team Behind the Ramsay-McCormack Building Site Redevelopment

City of Birmingham Launches Façade Improvement Pilot Program to Support Redevelopment

Ramsay McCormack Building – The RFP Process

The City of Birmingham called for proposals for the catalytic redevelopment of the historic Ramsay McCormack Building and other signature properties owned by the City of Birmingham in Ensley’s historic business district in February 2019.  The city had previously issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for private developers for renovation plans in 2018. Those initial proposals were rejected.

At the corner of Avenue E and 19th Street, the Ramsay McCormack Building anchors the commercial district in Ensley. The 10-story building completed in 1929 is a contributing structure to the Downtown Ensley historic district and is on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to the Ramsay McCormack Building, the request for RFP included multi-phase developments for the former Western Police Precinct (616 19th Street, Ensley) and the Western Health Center (1701 Avenue D, Ensley), as well as other nearby parcels.

The City of Birmingham solicited proposals for redevelopment to harness the historic building’s potential as a catalyst for further development in Ensley. The city and its partners have surveyed and listened to community residents, business owners and property owners and gathered feedback from developers who reviewed the first proposal request. The city has used that information to develop a more refined RFP that is more in line with both the desires of the community and the realities of the project.

The Mayor’s Office and the Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity represent the interests of the city as owners of the Ramsay McCormack Building and other area properties; as well as representatives of the residents of Ensley and Birmingham and their desire for economic growth and opportunity. Through the BOLD grant process, REV Birmingham secured a contract with the city to act as project manager in helping the city to select a development team and assist that team in accomplishing a redevelopment that is financially feasible and represents the needs and desires of the community.

Click Here to View the RFP