Block 268, the former Sherman Industries property, situated off the western edge of Birmingham’s Parkside district, is finally moving closer to redevelopment as a multi-family complex.

A proposed five-story, 335-unit structure and its accompanying five-story, 530-car garage, poised to sit along Interstate 65, received conceptual approval from the city’s Design Review Committee during its first meeting of 2026.

The property, a former ready-mix concrete plant located at 1100 Second Ave. S, is currently under contract with an unnamed developer, according to reporting by the Birmingham Business Journal. The sale is expected to close later this year, allowing this proposal the opportunity to move forward.

This is not the first time the site has received interest; in 2022, two different proposals, one for 300 units along with a hotel and retail, and another for 315 residential units, did not move forward. Unlike previous efforts, the concrete silos currently on the property would be removed to take advantage of the full 4.1 acres, rezoned MUD in 2022 and the result of merging two parcels to allow for projects like this to take shape.

Fifth Dimension Architecture must return to the committee for approval of the demolition and the project’s final design.

The Sherman Concrete Multifamily project, as presented by Fifth Dimension’s Stephanie Britton, is slated to include a leasing office, package and mail rooms, a coworking space, bike storage, and a clubroom on the first floor with a roof terrace on the fifth. The development also intends to follow landscaping guidelines for the adjacent Parkside district overlay, despite being one block outside of its current formal western edge.

While the committee appreciated the architectural references to the silos currently on the property, described by Britton as “modern industrial,” they suggested she consider the building’s “engagement with the public realm” and consider enabling ground-floor space with the flexibility to allow different types of public-facing retail options later.

January Committee Decisions by Neighborhood

Avondale Park

• Reconstruction of the side deck following fire damage and construction of a new rear addition. – 46th St. S. – The committee approved as presented, including conditions requested by the local neighborhood committee and agreed to by the applicant.

Forest Park

• Side addition to a single-family residence – Overlook Rd. – The committee approved as presented

Midtown

• Conceptual approval for multifamily development – Second Ave. S. – The committee approved as presented.

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Twice a month, the City of Birmingham’s Design Review Committee convenes to discuss plans to make alterations to structures that fall within one of the city’s many historic and commercial revitalization districts. In these districts, approval from the Design Review Committee is required before permits can be obtained. This recap of Design Review includes the decisions made at the January 14, 2026, meeting.

As outlined in the application process, the committee’s decisions are binding, and applicants are responsible for carrying out the plans as presented and approved. Any deviations from the approved plans shall not be undertaken without a return to the committee for approval.