Early site work is under way on a $50 million project that’s expected to stimulate a number of developments in north Birmingham, Ala. Construction of a new amphitheater that can accommodate more than 9,300 guests is expected to be completed in time for a summer 2025 opening.
“The venue will be known as the ‘Birmingham Amphitheater’ until sponsorship is secured, which will mark another exciting new chapter for the facility,” said Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) CEO Tad Snider.
AMPHITHEATER page 6
Norfolk Southern Invests $200M for Upgrades Along 3B Corridor
Norfolk Southern Corp. said Aug. 2 that it plans to make upwards of $200 million in rail improvements along its 3B Corridor connecting northern and central Alabama to the Port of Mobile.
The Atlanta-based railway company said that the Alabama project involves constructing 21 mi. of new track as well as a mix of terminal and track-based infrastructure improvements to increase capacity on the 3B Corridor.
Made in Alabama, the online news site for the state’s Department of Commerce, noted that the investment effort positions Norfolk Southern to accommodate expected growth
in several sectors as the Southeast progresses as an economic powerhouse for the U.S. economy.
The 3B Corridor is strategically aligned with the Port of Mobile, which contributes $85 billion in annual economic value to Alabama, and represents an important segment of Norfolk Southern’s annual traffic, serving critical industries like agriculture, automotive, chemicals, forestry and steel.
The investments are expected to yield immediate returns when they begin to come online in 2025.
“Together with our customers, we are anticipating where markets are heading, and
positioning to deliver on their supply chain needs now and into the future,” said Alan H. Shaw, Norfolk Southern’s president and CEO. “These investments will bring immediate returns as they make rail an even more competitive part of our nation’s supply chain and expand our customers end-to-end solutions.”
Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair noted that the rail company’s investments are good news for the state’s economic growth prospects.
“We are grateful to Norfolk Southern for these investments in our state and for their support of our existing industries,” she said.
“This is proof that our open for business approach is attracting growth in our state among world-class businesses looking to locate or expand their operations.
“We look forward to the positive impact these enhancements will have on Alabama’s economic competitiveness and on the nation’s supply chain more broadly,” McNair added.
Alabama Recognized as Growth State
Norfolk Southern’s development plans include capacity projects in central and
Airbus Marks Progress On New Mobile Assembly Line
An expansion project that will double the production space at Airbus’ U.S. manufacturing facility in Mobile, Ala., is passing key milestones as it moves closer to a scheduled completion in 2025.
Made in Alabama, the online news site of the state Department of Commerce, reported that the European-based commercial aircraft manufacturer recently held a “topping out” ceremony for a new model A320 Final Assembly Line (FAL) under construction as the centerpiece of the expansion project, initially launched in 2022.
In addition, construction was recently completed on two new paint shops at Airbus’ Mobile site. Those facilities, located on the west side of the campus, enable Airbus to triple its monthly paint production, according to Birmingham-based HPM, the project’s program manager.
Construction also has been finished on A320 hangar bays and new employee parking lots, the latter of which is important since Airbus plans to add 1,000 jobs in Mobile as a result of the expansion.
The completion of these projects supports Airbus’ global commercial aircraft objective to reach a production rate of 75 A320 Family aircraft per month in 2027, Made in Alabama noted.
When Airbus’ expansion project is complete, Mobile will further strengthen its presence as a major player in the global commercial aircraft manufacturing sector.
“Our operations in Alabama play a significant role in the expansion of Airbus’ global industrial capacity,” said Daryl Taylor, senior vice president of commercial aircraft operations for Airbus in the United States. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact that this growth will have on our region for many years to come.”
Construction Rapidly Moving Along
The work to build the Airbus A320 FAL is proceeding on schedule at the company’s campus within the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, where A320 Family and A220 aircraft are produced.
With the structural steel for the new A320 FAL fully erected, the facility’s exterior skin is now being installed. Additionally, underground media channels and production
Airbus rendering
An expansion project that will double the production space at Airbus’ U.S. manufacturing facility in Mobile is passing key milestones as it moves forward on schedule for completion next year.
floor slabs are in progress to meet the plant’s “ready for jigs and tools handover” milestones later this year, Made in Alabama reported.
Meanwhile, currently contracted hangars and infrastructure are on track to be completed in the same time frame. In addition to the A320 FAL, structures now under construction include A320 hangar bays, an A320 gauging hangar, and an A220 quad bay hangar, along with an extension of the facility’s delivery center.
HPM added that construction of additional support structures will extend beyond 2025.
“[We are] continually honored to work alongside the world’s most prominent leader in aviation manufacturing as they exponentially increase their production capabilities within the U.S.,” said HPM President Ryan Austin. “The opportunity to partner with Airbus in achieving their goals from the inception of the Mobile campus through every stage of its growth has been a rewarding experience for our team members in Alabama and across the company.
“Bright days are ahead for Airbus as they look forward to completing the FAL 320 program, which will double the size of the Airbus footprint in North America and catapult the
industry to new heights,” he continued.
Brasfield & Gorrie, the nationally-known Birmingham construction firm, is involved in building the new 360,000sq.-ft. A320 FAL, in addition to other structures within the expansion. The contractor laid more than 2,000 displacement piles and poured over 1,200 cu. meters of concrete for the foundation of the assembly line.
Since Airbus arrived in Alabama in 2012, Brasfield & Gorrie has carried out over a dozen construction projects for the European aerospace giant, Made in Alabama noted.
HPM’s relationship with Airbus began over 15 years ago with the construction of the aircraft maker’s Mobile Engineering Center, where engineers design interiors for Airbus aircraft.
From there, the HPM project team led the development of the original A320 FAL at Brookley. Later, HPM provided program management services for the A220 FAL, which came online in 2020.
AlabamaÊs Aerospace Sector Continues to Grow
Since beginning operations in 2015, Airbus’ Mobile facility has delivered more than 400 A320 and A220 passenger jets.
The Alabama plant has given Airbus a strategic foothold in the large North American market at a time when many carriers are replacing aging aircraft with newer, more fuelefficient models.
“Airbus’ ever-expanding footprint in Mobile has become the core of a rapidly growing aerospace cluster throughout the Gulf Coast. This continued growth is a big vote of confidence in the quality and caliber of its Alabama workforce,” said Angela Till, deputy secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Mobile remains on track to become one of the largest aerospace manufacturing hubs in the world, and I look forward to seeing Airbus reach future milestones at its Alabama home.”
As part of an effort to lure more aerospace manufacturing to the state, Till led a working team from her agency on a business development mission in late July to the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in England.
Norfolk Southern Plans to Construct 21 Mi. of New Track
from page 1
southwest Alabama, customer-specific projects in north Alabama and locations north of Mobile, yard upgrades in Wilton, and a series of grade crossing improvements throughout the region, according to Made in Alabama.
Already, Norfolk Southern is collaborating on an effort to allow a high-volume met coal customer to take advantage of the expanded 3B Corridor. The new premium met coal production facility, set to be developed in 2025, will help power global production of metals products, especially for essential infrastructure projects, for decades to come.
Another customer, Packaging Corp. of America (PCA), recently expanded its paper mill located along the corridor after having partnered with Norfolk Southern on the project to enhance efficiencies for both companies.
“Without Norfolk Southern’s investment in the region, we would not have been able to maximize the opportunity to ship more volume via rail,” said Ross Corthell, PCA’s vice president of transportation.
“The projects Norfolk Southern is planning and doing in the region are great examples of how [its] long-term strategy to invest in infrastructure, operate safely and efficiently, and market [its] service,
is designed to promote growth.”
With 1,300 mi. of track operated, Norfolk Southern serves 565 customers in Alabama and has more than 1,500 employees.
Moving Freight for Nearly Two Centuries
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Nearly 200 years later, it operates a customer-centric and operationsdriven freight transportation network.
Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern also assists its customers in avoiding
approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and the corporation originates more automotive traffic than any other Class I Railroad.
Norfolk Southern also boasts of having the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern United States. It serves a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as major ports in the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes.
Ed Elkins, who serves as Norfolk Southern’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, noted in a news release that his company’s emphasis on collaboration and innovation with its customers “means being deeply engaged from the beginning, working with customers to identify business needs and help develop solutions, staying engaged throughout the development process, and finally executing on the safe, reliable, efficient transport of their cargo.
“Our comprehensive approach is all about being there for our customers’ needs today and being ready to handle the next phase of their business tomorrow.”
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Crews Contend With Grade Elevation Changes On Small Site
AMPHITHEATER from page 1
“The amphitheater will round out the venues available at the BJCC, and it will complement the other investments that have been made in our facilities and in north Birmingham. This will not only benefit our local residents, but it will also bring people to Birmingham who will stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and shop in our stores.”
The 11-acre project is the result of an 18-month effort to unite a wide range of community partners to develop a plan to finance the amphitheater. To make the project possible, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau agreed to forgo a portion of the lodging taxes from the BJCC’s Sheraton and Westin hotels as a part of the funding formula for the amphitheater’s construction.
In addition, the BJCC will use amphitheater-based revenues and its own funds for the annual ongoing debt service. The city of Birmingham, Jefferson County and Live Nation each contributed $5 million upfront to reduce the amount borrowed by the BJCC.
The amphitheater will be located in the Druid Hills neighborhood near the former Carraway hospital site, which has been idle and deteriorating for 15 years. It’s an important anchor in Corporate Realty’s larger mixed-use redevelopment plan that will bring other entertainment, dining, retail and residential options to the Druid Hills neighborhood.
“As excited as we all will be to have a new place to see concerts, I’m most excited about what this will do for all of our northside neighborhoods,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “This will be an anchor that will spur other development that will improve the quality of life for residents in the area and for the city as a whole.”
The amphitheater project effectively expands the offerings of the Uptown Entertainment District and is a significant catalyst to drive activity in and around the BJCC footprint. The venue will host approximately 20 performances each summer, including a wide variety of festivals, gatherings and special events for the community.
The location marks the start of a transformation, expanding the downtown central business district north of the BJCC. Top Golf is situated between the amphitheater and Protective Stadium, and officials are collaborating with the city to create a safe, pedestrian-friendly connector between the venues.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place in June. Mayor Woodfin, Birmingham City Council members, government officials, Live Nation, BJCC board members and the community turned out to show support for the undertaking, which will create approximately 300 jobs.
Stone Building Company serves as general contractor on the project. Meredith Environmental was selected for demolition, while grading and utilities work is being performed by SDAC, one of the fastest growing minority-owned contractors in the Southeast.
The biggest construction challenge for crews is the tight project schedule, necessary to facilitate next year’s summer concerts. Stone Building is currently working on building foundations, walls and underground utilities, while SDAC is finishing out site retaining walls and storm piping.
SDAC is responsible for excavation of the entire site, demolition of underground utilities, curb and gutter and city streets, as well as site retaining walls and foundations, storm piping (approximately 3,200 linear ft.), three underground storm detention systems, sanitary sewer main lines and laterals (approximately 2,000 linear ft.), erosion control, topsoil stripping and spreading, grassing and traffic control.
The 11-acre project is the result of an 18-month effort to unite a wide range of community partners to develop a plan to finance the amphitheater.
B & H Construction’s work has included approximately 1,200 linear ft. of 20-in. diameter ductile iron pipe for the water main under city streets, as well as temporary asphalt patching and traffic control.
Meredith Environmental was responsible for erosion control, the demolition of six buildings, including slabs and foundations, the teardown of one building slab and foundations, demolition of site retaining walls and foundations and minor grading.
Action Environmental work has included the removal and offsite disposal of a 10,000-gal. fuel tank, along with
removal and offsite disposal of an oil water separator and piping, filter system and hose reel system.
There are approximately 60,000 cu. yds. of dirt to be cut to fill on site, with roughly 40,000 cu. yds. of excess dirt to be hauled off site. Early on, some unexpected unsuitable soils were encountered by workers and removed from the job site.
The amphitheater property is complex, due to the grade elevation changes on such a small site.
The grading package was considered crucial, as it was the first major package of work released. It was important to have the site completed to allow the general contractor package to take over and carry out construction.
Weather has not been a major factor so far, although crews have had to deal with several rain days. They were able to overcome lost time by working longer days and some weekends.
Heavy equipment being used at the job site includes excavators, mini-excavators, backhoes, skid steers, dozers, roller compactors, articulated dump trucks, trench compactors, tandem dump trucks and front-end wheel loaders.
The venue will be owned by the BJCC and operated by Live Nation, under a development agreement executed prior to the start of construction. For Snider and others, the project is time and money well spent.
“The amphitheater will be a really special venue that Birmingham can be proud of,” he said. “Due to its proximity to the residential areas of Druid Hills, Norwood and Fountain Heights, we carefully considered the sound direction and orientation of the facility. One great benefit to the design is that guests will be seated in the amphitheater and have the ability to view the downtown skyline.” CEG
(All photos courtesy of SDAC.)
Stone Building Company serves as general contractor on the project. Meredith Environmental was selected for demolition, while grading and utilities work is being performed by SDAC.
