Northwest Quadrant Plan
Birmingham, Alabama
Development Strategies supported a multidisciplinary team to promote new investment and inclusive economic growth in Downtown Birmingham’s Northwest Quadrant. Community partners, including Urban Impact, REV Birmingham, Alabama Power, and the City of Birmingham, recognized the need to develop place-based strategies that could unlock the potential of the district, while ensuring that future investment is equitable and inclusive. In particular, the presence in the Northwest Quadrant of the Civil Rights District and Innovation District was critical to support and leverage.
Our Approach
Based on stakeholder and community feedback, there was a strong desire to ensure that 1) future investment did not displace long-standing Black-owned businesses, 2) the history of the Civil Rights District was celebrated and preserved, 3) there were dedicated resources to support Black entrepreneurs and startups, and 4) new housing development was affordable.
In order to pursue these community-supported goals, Development Strategies created an equitable development framework and action plan. The plan includes specific projects, funding strategies, policies, incentives, and other economic development tools to support mixed-income development while also establishing a framework for preventing displacement. The plan details investments in the community and public ream, with support for black-owned businesses and pathways to wealth-building within an inclusive entrepreneur and startup ecosystem.
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