The Birmingham City Council has approved the rezoning of a downtown property that will allow for the construction of a five-story, multi-family apartment complex.

The 4.75-acre property, located at 2420 First Ave. S., is currently a construction yard, but developers plan to “raze and redevelop” the property into an apartment complex that will include 273 units and 253 parking spaces.

While the property’s existing M-2 (heavy industrial) district would allow for the intended use, developers requested a change to MU-H (mixed-use high) “because they want to add additional density to allow for more apartment units on the site,” city zoning administrator Calvin Abram said.

The proposal was approved by the city’s Zoning Advisory Committee in August; the Southside Neighborhood Association did not hold a meeting due to COVID-19 and deferred the decision to the City Council.

Tyler Bowers, a representative of TWG Development, told councilors that T.E. Stevens Construction, which now occupies the property, will be moving its headquarters to another location in the city. Construction on the new building is slated to begin in February or March, Bowers added.

The apartments will be primarily aimed at doctors, nurses and young professionals working in the downtown area, he said, though UAB graduate students and “empty nesters” would also find the accommodations appealing, he said.

District 5 Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said he was “extremely excited” about the project. “It’s going to be transformational for that First Avenue South corridor,” he said. “Anyone who has walked the Rotary Trail and used the Jones Valley Trail know that 2400 block of First Avenue South, there’s a little bit of a gap in connectivity there. …  I’m thankful you guys saw the opportunity to make something that’s going to be really great for the city of Birmingham.