New funds could mean more grocery stores coming to Birmingham
Birmingham, AL – The City of Birmingham has announced a $2 million spending plan for grocery store recruitment.
The city recently refinanced its bond debt with the Commercial Development Authority (CDA), which yielded about $12.9 million in recovered funds. These monies are to be strictly used to stimulate economic development in the city and will fund several projects.
The $2 million will be used to lure at least two grocery stores of national, regional, and or local reputation, with high priority on areas in West Birmingham and other underserved communities.
“I am excited about the potential of residents having access to stores brimming with fresh vegetables, fruits and meats,” said Cornell Wesley, director of Innovation and Economic Opportunity for the City of Birmingham. “We see the value in investing in our communities and believe grocers will too.”
The next steps include:
- establishing a city-wide supermarket program that, among other things, identifies multiple potential sites, determines any needed development assistance, and simplifies the review process for grocery retail; and
- leveraging analytics to create customized recruitment presentations for local, regional, and national chains as well as identifying community spending trends.
The Birmingham City Council approved the funds last week.
