Vestavia Hills City Center

The Vestavia Hills City Center is a 450,000 square-foot shopping center on the west side of U. S. Highway 31 at its intersection with Kentucky Avenue in Vestavia Hills. It was created by redeveloping the existing Vestavia Mall and Vestavia Shopping Center and constructing a new strip shopping center to the south and a Vestavia 10 cinema multiplex to the west.

The $45 million project was developed by AIG Baker Shopping Center Properties. It opened in phases, beginning with a redevelopment of the existing shopping center, anchored by Stein Mart. The project won a "Deal of the Year" award in 2002 from Birmingham Business Journal. The remainder of the center opened in 2003 with the central portion anchored by the Rave Motion Pictures cinema and the southern section anchored by Publix Supermarket.

The city of Vestavia Hills contributed $5 million toward infrastructure improvements for the redevelopment. The pedestrian-friendly nature of the central "leisure center" was seen as complementing the city's Regional Walkways Master Plan.

The design of the central part of the development is unusual in that it incorporates part of the original mall structure, including its covered parking areas, which are connected to a landscaped open-air pedestrian mall above by stairs, elevators and escalators. The southern end of the multi-level building has balconies overlooking Canyon Road while the northern row of shops has above-grade parking which is accessed from Kentucky Avenue. The primary entrance drive continues the main axis of the pedestrian mall toward the highway, while the opposite end connects to the cinema multiplex via open-air escalators.

The potential for the center to become a destination for shopping and dining promised increased sales tax revenues for the city. And in fact, tax collections from the center have increased every year from $137,481 in 2001 to $1,919,387 in 2007.^1.

The success of the Vestavia Hills City Center has been tempered by high turnover and vacancy rates, especially in the pedestrian-focussed central section. AIG Baker's vision included white-tablecloth restaurants which would help the center attract after-hours users. Arman DeLorenz, a local restauranteur was recruited to the project and owned Nonna Rose and Brazil before both closed in 2006. Though AIG Baker agreed not to collect rent until the restaurants were profitable, DeLorenz charged that the owners had been slow to address maintenance problems and had done a poor job of marketing the shopping center, hastening their demise.

Bankruptcy

BBVA Compass Bank foreclosed on the development in 2010. Negotiations with Propst Properties, holder of the $40 million note, failed to result in a deal. AIG Baker Vestavia LLC, the holding company, subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The center's debts were purchased in October for $33.5 million by the San Diego, California-based Excel Trust, leaving AIG Baker in control of management and leasing.

Meanwhile, Alex Baker, CEO of AIG Baker, leased the 5,000 square-foot spot formerly housing May Furniture as the site of a corporate office for his Blackwater Management Group. Other former retail slots were similarly marketed for office use.

In 2017 Katz Properties of New York, New York purchased the complex from Shopcore Properties of San Diego for $60.25 million. The new owners planned a revitalization with new pedestrian-oriented tenants.

Tenants

Former Vestavia Mall

• 700 Montgomery Highway
  • 1st floor
    • Suite 100: Myrick Gurosky & Associates / Doulos Partners, former location of Andrew's Sport & Fitness
    • Suite 106: Collage Designer Consignment, former location of Milestone Books
    • Suite 112: Panera Bread
    • Suite 120: Pigtails & Crewcuts, former location of Coldstone Creamery
    • Suite 124: Flower Buds, Inc., former Christmas & Co.
    • Suite 138: The Fitting Touch (-2009)
    • Suite 140: High Level Marketing, former location of Buffaloe's American Grille, Calypso Joe's, Local Restaurant and Bar, Zeekee Interactive
    • Suite 148: ITAC Solutions, former location of May Furniture
    • Suite 149: Constructores Para Cristo
    • Suite 156: Bradford Building Co., former location of Yanni's (2003-2004), Dale's Southern Grill, Myrick Gurosky & Associates
    • Suite 160: Mia Moda
    • Suite 164: The Standard (2023–), former location of Painted By U
    • Suite 170: European Kitchen
    • Suite 174: Rick & Bubba Broadcast Plaza and Teleport
    • Suite 178: Samurai Japan, former location of Sekisui
    • Suite 186: Blackwater Resources, former location of Parkside Home & Garden and May Furniture
    • Suite 188: First Watch, former location of Nonna's
    • Suite 190: The Great Greek Mediterranean cafe (Anil Patel & Anand Prajapati 2024–), former location of Janie Mac's, Zoe's Kitchen
    • Suite 193: Jim Davenport's Pizza Palace (2022–)
    • Suite 194: Mark Ricketts physician, formerly 'N Vogue Salon & Spa
      • Suite 194A: Taco Mama
  • 2nd floor
    • Suite 208 (11,300 sf): Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama DreamLab (opened 2024)
    • Suite 210: Alabama Vein Center / Movement Mortgage
    • Suite 230: Prescription Aesthetic And Wellness Spa, former location of A Medi Day Spa
    • Magic City Railroad Club
• 708 Montgomery Highway, former Rite-Aid pharmacy (2008–2017)
  • Suite 101: former location of TrustCare medical clinic (2021–2023)
  • Suite 108: Chopt salads (2021–)
  • Suite 116: Crumbl Cookies (2021–)
• 716 Montgomery Highway
  • Suite 100: Starbucks (2002–)
  • Suite 108: Moe's Southwest Grill (2002–2021)
• Canyon Road
  • 1944: DL Salon, MGT Imports, Super Suppers
• Kentucky Avenue
  • 1911: AMC Vestavia Hills 10, formerly Rave Motion Pictures
  • 1919:
    • Suite 100: Mugshots Grill & Bar, formerly New Orleans Food and Spirits
    • Suite 113: former location of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Prescription To Fitness
    • Suite 115: former location of Asian Cuisine
    • Suite 121: Jimmy John's, former location of Sneaky Pete's Café, Giano's Italian Restaurant

Publix strip

• 784 Montgomery Highway
  • Publix supermarket
• 790 Montgomery Highway
  • Suite 100: Head Start Hair Care, former location of Style America
  • Suite 102: China Ben, former location of Fuji Hibatchi Express
  • Suite 104: Masaman Thai Kitchen, former location of Future Wireless
  • Suite 106: Game Stop
  • Suite 108: Therapy South, former location of Phoenix Salon Suites
  • Suite 110: Charles A. Brock, physician
  • Suite 112: Huntingdon Learning Center, former location of B. A. Framer
  • Suite 114: Tricia's Baby Station
  • Suite 116: Results Physiotherapy, former location of Mr Clay's Barber Shop
  • Suite 118: Jewel Source
  • Suite 120: Sips N' Strokes
  • Suite 124: Curves for Women
  • Suite 128: Royal Nail
  • Suite 131: U.S. Tae Kwon Do Academy
  • Suite 132: Orangetheory Fitness, former location of Wine Cellar
  • Suite 134: former location of Firehouse Subs, Kool Korner Sandwiches
• 796 Montgomery Highway: AT&T wireless

Notes

1. Singleton - October 15, 2008

References

• Nicholson, Gilbert (March 7, 2003) "Vestavia shopping center gets $45 million makeover." Birmingham Business Journal
• Wilkinson, Kaija (October 14, 2005) "Vestavia Hills City Center accentuates the positive." Birmingham Business Journal
• Wilkinson, Kaija (June 23, 2006) "New tenants boost Vestavia Hills City Center." Birmingham Business Journal
• Singleton, William C. III (October 15, 2008) "Tax revenues up, but vacancies persist." The Birmingham News
• Cooper, Lauren B. (April 27, 2010) "AIG Baker puts Vestavia Hills City Center in bankruptcy." Birmingham Business Journal
• Cooper, Lauren B. (October 15, 2010) "Excel Trust buys loan on Vestavia City Center for $33.5M." Birmingham Business Journal
• Godwin, Brent (November 21, 2017) "Huge Vestavia mixed-use property purchased in $60M deal." Birmingham Business Journal
• Coker, Angel (December 28, 2017) "New owner to redevelop prominent Vestavia commercial center." Birmingham Business Journal

External links

• Vestavia Hills City Center website