Chalk up another little victory for Birmingham's quickly emerging Triangle District with the construction of the 735 Forest Ave. building.
The three-story, mixed-use structure will house space for retail (first floor), office (second floor) and residential (third floor). The 16,500 square feet of new dense, urban building is undergoing construction under the direction of Birmingham-based Mosher Dolan Cataldo & Kelly.
The Forest Avenue Bistro will occupy the ground floor space. The restaurant will be run by Brian Polcyn who also owns the Five Lakes Grill in Milford. Mosher Dolan Cataldo & Kelly will occupy the office space on the second floor. There will also be 11 lofts on the third floor.
The building replaces three old single-family homes that had recently housed businesses until the developer razed them to make room for the project. The streets surrounding the new building will also be rebuilt in a downtown style that emphasizes walkability and openness.
"They will be brought up to Birmingham standards," says Jana Ecker, planning director for the city of Birmingham.
The building, one block removed from Woodward Avenue next to the new AAA building, is the latest addition to the city's Triangle District.
The area bounded by Woodward Avenue, Adams Road and Maple Road (just east of downtown) is experiencing development pressure yet lacked a clear vision and framework for growth until recently when the City Commission approved the Triangle District plan. The new master plan is expected to spur development on surface parking lots and underutilized lots that will create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly and mixed-use district.
Source: Jana Ecker, planning director for the city of Birmingham
Writer: Jon Zemke
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