This month the National Civic League named the city of Birmingham as an “All-America City” during a conference in Denver. Not such a bad place to call home if you are a new homeowner in Hoover or Birmingham or looking to buy your next home in Ross Bridge golf community.
For the first time in 42 years, Birmingham is back as “All-America City” boasting a thriving culinary scene featuring nationally known chefs and restaurants. The city offers an exciting night scene complete with craft breweries, an entertainment district and a new downtown stadium with a view of the Birmingham skyline.
“This is a great honor for the city of Birmingham. Our delegation worked many long hours to see that Birmingham’s story was told and told correctly,” said Mayor William Bell. “We are thankful that the National Civic League jury recognized that Birmingham is ’50 years forward,’ [referencing the 50th anniversary of major civil rights events in 1963] and we look forward to working to prepare the city for the next 50 years, the next generation.”
The new title reflects significant community planning and change over the last five years and the award recognizes several communities each year who have demonstrated innovation, inclusiveness, civic engagement and collaboration to address local challenges.
“The All-America City distinction is a well-deserved honor for the City of Birmingham.” This validates to the world what people in Birmingham already know—this is a great place to live and work—and it will be a useful tool to entice companies to relocate and expand in our region,” said Fred McCallum, president of AT&T Alabama and the 2011 chairman of the Birmingham Business Alliance.
The complements don’t stop there. Even national publications have recognized the city’s contribution to its community and residents. According to an article published by The New York Times, “National Geographic Traveler recently mentioned the city’s renaissance, and Forbes cited it as an up-and-coming city for young professionals. NBC’s Today Show featured Birmingham as an attractive travel destination because of its history and affordability, and Zagat has highlighted a restaurant scene that includes chef Frank Stitt’s flagship Highlands Bar and Grill.”
If you recently moved to Ross Bridge, be sure to check out your new hometown’s Sidewalk Film Festival which was recently named as one of the nation’s top movie events by USA Today. Looking for a special family outing? Take a trip to the Alabama Theatre, built in 1927, and named as one of the 10 most beautiful theatres in America by the cultural website, Flavorwire.