Original article written by Roger Sands for Forbes
Uptown is a district that anchors the northern end of downtown. Adjacent to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) in downtown Birmingham, Uptown boasts modern architecture, green spaces and attractions like The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Topgolf, Protective Stadium and City Walk.
“These assets are critical to Birmingham’s tourism industry and its ability to attract major concerts and events for our city,” says David Fleming, CEO at REV Birmingham. REV is a place-based revitalization and economic development nonprofit that is working to make the city of Birmingham a more vibrant place.
Uptown is where the fun happens, and Birmingham pride can be seen in full effect. From supporting your favorite team at the new Protective Stadium to watching world-famous musicians at the renovated Legacy Arena, Uptown is known for prime entertainment. In 2015, the Birmingham City Council voted to allow the Uptown district, including the BJCC, to become the city’s first “entertainment district” with visitors allowed to carry drinks outside. These venue investments have helped stimulate new interest in the Birmingham market and aided in bringing high value events to the region. Key successes include the return of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2023 and hosting the NCAA Women’s Basketball Regionals in 2025.
According to the Birmingham Business Alliance, Uptown has been experiencing significant growth. The Alliance was created to enhance job creation, community development, talent recruitment and tourism in the seven central Alabama counties of the Birmingham metro, also known as the Greater Birmingham Region.
As Birmingham focuses on creating Vibrancy Gaps to create congruent vibrancy throughout its nine distinct districts, the city’s Uptown district has experienced over $1 billion in recent investments. “All of this makes Uptown an important part of Birmingham‘s economic vitality and attractiveness,” notes Fleming. “However, the investment that has transformed Uptown in the public’s view is the addition of CityWalk.”
City Walk BHAM transformed the space under the city’s interstate into a vibrant “third space” for residents and visitors. A 31-acre public space developed underneath the reconstructed I-59/20 bridges, City Walk features a dog park, amphitheater, and other performance spaces, pickleball courts, playground area as well as space for fitness and food trucks. It’s also home to a skate park, the largest in the southeast and fifth largest in the U.S.
The Uptown District features eight dining options ranging from fine dining to a unique and modern coffee shop with cocktails in the evening hours. Currently under construction for the Uptown District is a 9,384-seat amphitheater just north of the current campus footprint. Set to open in 2025, the amphitheater will host a full concert line-up in the spring, summer and early fall enhancing the year-round excitement that is Uptown. The amphitheater will anchor The Star at Uptown, a mix-used development valued at around $300 million, featuring residential, retail, office, hotel and entertainment components.
The Uptown district was identified as one of the top six initiative areas to focus on in Birmingham’s most recent City Center Master Plan. This work, alongside development plans from the BJCC, is advancing the economic growth of Uptown. New restaurants in the area, upgrades to beautification and landscaping as well as to meeting facilities are keeping Uptown competitive and an attractive place for arts, entertainment and recreation. The district is intentionally well-planned and managed so the experience is user-friendly and can support many major events and attractions going on at the same time. With 3.3 million visitors to Uptown in 2023, Uptown visitors made up 9.5% of all visits to Downtown Birmingham.
Fleming adds, “The future for Uptown is bright as the landscaping and facilities refresh at the core of the district will make it a more attractive and appealing place. New restaurants coming will also encourage people to linger longer in Uptown and increase the vibrancy of place.”
