A look at projects around the county/corridor

Another new year brings with it new projects and plans in the U.S. 280 corridor, the city of Chelsea and Shelby County.

Here are a few things to expect in 2024.

Businesses coming to Chelsea

Mayor Tony Picklesimer said 2024 will be quiet for Chelsea from a municipal construction standpoint.

“Everything that’s been being built is finished, including phase two at the Chelsea Athletic Complex,” Picklesimer said. “We’re looking forward to nothing under construction from a city standpoint.”

Although there are no specific city projects, several new businesses, along with Chelsea’s first hotel, will be opening this year. 

The council recently passed an incentive package that will bring a Waffle House to Atchison Parkway, in the space with the new Scooter’s Coffee, and a new Tidal Wave Car Wash will be constructed there. Construction continues on the La Quinta Inn, and the project completion has been pushed back to summer 2024. 

A little farther down U.S. 280 East, at the Publix shopping center, the city’s fourth urgent care building is being built, and a Mavis Tire is also under construction.

Picklesimer said the new ABC distribution center on U.S. 280, just before Chelsea Park, had passed its final inspection in late November and will be in operation in time for the new year. 

What won’t be happening is the construction of a new post office. Picklesimer said it was very disappointing news that the postal services plans to remodel and renovate its current building instead of a new one.

Picklesimer added that the high-interest-rate environment continues and building has slowed in the city, both commercial and residential. 

“New home residential construction for 2023 is going to be sharply down, and I expect 2024 to continue down from previous levels,” he said. “We’ve still got some population growth and new businesses have come in, in the last year to 18 months. I think the growth of new businesses will outweigh what we lose in revenues from the building sector.” 

He added that the city revenue stream is good and a conservative budget was put in place to prepare for the possibility of a downturn in 2024. 

“I really don’t expect [the city] to take a hit,” Picklesimer said. 

Chelsea High School

The city is partnering with Chelsea High School on a new grandstand project, which should begin construction in May 2024. The Lady Hornets’ hitting facility is under construction and should be completed by February 2024. 

“The last thing on our master plan working on is the biggest ticket item — the second gym,” he said. “Discussion going on about it but not ready to put out for bid. Lots of things have got to be done on that.”

The city will continue to distribute Nick Grant funds to the schools, with a limit of $120,000 per semester. 

New park entrance, trails

Shelby County Manager Chad Scroggins said that the new entrance to Oak Mountain State Park via Belcher Road (at North Shelby Baptist Church) is anticipated to be open in early 2024. 

This entrance will allow park guests to enter on foot or bike and also will give access to the Forever Wild land that was previously purchased, which pushed Oak Mountain State Park to over 11,000 acres.

Thanks to a Recreational Trails Program grant, with additional funds provided by the county, more trails will be added to Double Oak Park this year, too.

“Since opening the park in October 2022, it’s been a very successful venture, and we will more than double the amount of trail currently existing out there,” Scroggins said. “I believe it will open up some new views and offerings for folks that visit the park and all construction will begin and end in 2024.” 

Other projects include park and rec grants awarded to three schools along the U.S. 280 corridor: Mt Laurel Elementary, Inverness Elementary and Oak Mountain High School.

Transportation

Scroggins said plans for the expansion of lanes on Interstate 65 should be completed and a bid package prepared for ALDOT by fall 2024. 

The project is expected to cost around $300 million. Shelby County will partner with Alabaster and Calera on the project, with the cities paying $1.75 million each and the county paying the majority of the $20 million cost. 

The goal is to create additional lanes on a heavily congested area of I-65 from exit 238 (Alabaster) to exit 231 (Calera). There are eight bridges in this stretch, six of which are over railroad crossings.

The highway department will also work on its annual repaving contract.

Jail expansion

The $26 million construction project at the Shelby County Jail will be the second largest construction project in the county’s history, after the water plant. 

Scroggins said the project will add 42 mental health and segregation spaces into the jail, along with remodeled health care facilities and new security access and controls. 

“The jail was originally constructed in 2005, and a lot has changed in the mental health arena,” he said.

The project should take around 12 months of construction once it begins.

Other county projects

The new Shelby County Water Services facility will be constructed off U.S. 280 in Westover, only a few miles outside of Chelsea. Engineering and operations will be moved there, while the billing office will remain at the 280 County Services Building. 

The county is partnering with the city of Hoover to create eight pickleball courts at Veterans Park, to meet the increasing demand for the sport. 

The Heardmont Senior Center will be getting upgrades, including a new pavilion and restroom area.

“We are trying to increase efficiency and do things that are more customer service friendly,” Scroggins said. “We continue to find ways to make it easier for people doing any kind of business with the county. The goal is to make it more convenient for our citizens.”

Shelby County Schools

Shelby County Schools facilities and maintenance coordinator Barbara Snyder shared some of the projects that were recently completed or will be completed in 2024 at schools along the U.S. 280 corridor.

Inverness Elementary recently completed new hallways and upgraded security measures. At Oak Mountain Elementary, the special education restrooms have received new vinyl tile, lighting and improved ceilings.

Oak Mountain Middle’s window replacement project was set to be bid out after the holidays and the project will be completed in 2024. Oak Mountain High School will see a number of projects under construction in the new year, including a canopy connecting the commons to the new fine arts facility; renovating the former fine arts area to make space for driver’s education, locker rooms, athletics and physical education; and new vinyl tile in 15 classrooms.

Chelsea Park Elementary’s eight-classroom addition and new gym are under construction and should be complete before the 2024-25 school year. This summer, Chelsea Middle will receive new front office flooring, repainted classrooms and new lights and ceilings in the band room.

Chelsea High School has construction planned on expanded parking, new paving, a new entrance facade and a fieldhouse and concession stand.

“All four are tentatively planned for 2024,” Snyder said. “They come with a lot of moving parts since they have city involvement.” 

Snyder added that the school district is committed to doing a $1 million lighting update inside of all the school buildings. Projects are currently underway at Oak Mountain High School and Chelsea High School.

“Over our five-year capital plan, this is planned for every one of our campuses, we just started with the high schools,” Snyder said.

Economic development

58 INC, which serves as a leader for business recruitment and retention and workforce initiatives across Shelby County, will host a series of eight events this year discussing the growth and success of innovative local companies. 

President and CEO Amy Sturdivant said

this series is thanks to a grant through the Innovate Alabama Network, which the county received along with its first designation as an Innovative Community. 

In addition, 58 INC will continue Beakers & Brews, which was held three times in 2023, in collaboration with Hoover’s economic development team and the Birmingham Business Alliance. 

“The events give biotech companies a chance to come together and network,” Sturdivant said.  

58 INC is also co-hosting business roundtables and talking with major employers together with the Shelby County Chamber, she said, as well as attending trade shows and recruitment activities on behalf of communities in Shelby County to recruit new retail, hospitality, corporate and industrial companies.

Sturdivant said 58 INC will continue trying to fill storefront, office and industrial vacancies in shopping centers along I-65 and U.S. 280.

They will also be collaborating with Shelby County’s three Main Street communities and with Hoover’s Meadowbrook Innovation Ecosystem study.

A full events calendar

Several new and returning events will be held in Shelby County in 2024.

Kendall Williams, the county’s tourism and events manager, said the county is a destination for those seeking outdoor recreation. 

“Once people visit, usually for the first time because of an event, they are amazed at the trails and outdoor spaces we have to offer and choose to return to discover and explore more,” she said. 

The events slated for 2024 include:

April 13: MammothMarch at Oak Mountain State Park. The event challenges participants to hike 20 miles in eight hours across picturesque trails. The 2023 event sold out at 1,200 participants, and 2024 has increased the number of participants to 1,400, with only a few hundred spots remaining. 

May 8-12: Regions Tradition at Greystone Golf & Country Club. This senior PGA event brings over 10,000 visitors to Shelby County each year.

May 17-19: XTERRA North American Championship. The award-winning trails of Oak Mountain State Park are set to host the second stop of the XTERRA World Cup, the XTERRA North American Championship triathlon, and the live-broadcast Short Track race.

 May 18-19: National Indoor Soccer League Playoffs and Championship at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena. The postseason games will welcome the dedicated fans of indoor soccer for a championship weekend.

June 7-9: BUMP N Grind 30th Anniversary at Oak Mountain State Park. The annual fundraiser supports BUMP in its mission to build, preserve, maintain and ride trails in

the Birmingham and surrounding area. The members and volunteers help keep trails open to mountain bikers.

June 27-30: DC Elite’s Stars Over Alabama softball showcase at Chelsea fields, Calera and Pelham. This event will feature more than 135 softball teams from across the Southeast and more than 60 college coaches. It will bring 3,000 visitors to Shelby County.

 September 27-29: Birmingham Bash at Dunnavant Valley Fields, Calera Eagle Sports Complex, Heardmont Park, Veteran’s Park (Alabaster) and Municipal Park (Alabaster). The largest youth sporting event in the history of the state will include 440 teams from nine states. 

Oct. 18-19: Alabama Bass Trail Championship at Lay Lake.