Communicating Vessels’s owner, Jeffrey Cain, says the 55th Place Arts location will be the site of the label’s general operations, serving as a hub for the company’s record promotion, radio promotion and planning with artists. “It’s a place where people can come together and collaborate, commiserate or strategize the next move.”

“Communicating Vessels is exactly the kind of business we had in mind when we conceived of 55th Place Arts,” said Main Street Birmingham Interim Executive Director Elizabeth Barbaree-Tasker. “We think businesses that encourage young creatives to see Woodlawn as a home will soon drive demand for more development in the area.”

Main Street Birmingham, Inc. (www.MainStreetBham.org) is a nonprofit agency working to foster neighborhood commercial district revitalization. In partnership with the City of Birmingham, the program targets nine urban commercial districts to spur economic and job development.

At Main Street Birmingham, she will be dedicated to its Urban Food Project, working to create and support foot-related businesses that address a lack of access to healthy foods in Birmingham’s urban “food deserts.”

“Since we’ve worked so closely with Taylor, we know she is the perfect addition to the Urban Food Project. She brings a knowledge of the local food economy, the players and the challenges. And she knows what the solutions need to be and how to achieve them,” said Main Street Birmingham Interim Executive Director Elizabeth Barbaree-Tasker.

“As an avid gardener, I am passionate about celebrating locally sourced food. I couldn’t be more pleased to contribute to Main Street Birmingham’s efforts,” said Huff.

Huff begins working at Main Street Birmingham on February 9.

Main Street Birmingham, Inc. (www.MainStreetBham.org) is a nonprofit agency working to foster neighborhood commercial district revitalization. In partnership with the City of Birmingham, the program targets nine urban commercial districts to spur economic and job development.

Local, national, and international experts in green design and transportation, intelligent technologies, environmental sustainability, health and livability, economic development, and government and public policy will join forces on Thursday, February 16, at the inaugural UAB Sustainable Smart Cities Symposium to share their ideas for making Birmingham a model of smart growth, healthy living, and sustainability.

Birmingham Mayor William Bell will present opening remarks and discuss the City’s successes and future plans for developing a smarter Birmingham. UAB President Carol Garrison will also speak. UAB Provost Linda Lucas, Ph.D., and UAB School of Business Dean David Klock, Ph.D., will moderate a panel discussion that will include keynote speakers:

Cathy Crenshaw, President and CEO of Sloss Real Estate

Oscar E. Diaz, Co-founder and President of Global Solutions Dynamic Plus (GSDPlus)

Frank Franklin, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus of the UAB School of Public Health

Manuel Olivera, Regional Director of the C40 Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI)

Enrique Peñalosa, Former Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia

Carlo Ratti, Director of MIT SENSEable Labs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The daylong symposium, which will take place at UAB Alumni House at 1301 10th Ave. South, is hosted jointly by the UAB School of Engineering, the UAB School of Business, and the UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center. Co-sponsors include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, GSDPlus, and the National Institutes of Health. The event is free and open to the public. Online registration is available at www.UABSSC.org through Monday, February 13.

And then there’s the “mainstream media.” FOX6′s Good Day Alabama welcomed ABC’s Coby Lake and Main Street Birmingham’s Elizabeth Barberee-Tasked last week to talk “Occupy,” and a reporter from ABC 3340 popped by the brewery for a quick interview too. We have three and a half weeks left in the contest. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

Judges will give preference to businesses that incorporate food, the arts, retail or that drive foot traffic to the area in some way. “We are looking for a business that will compliment the brewery, a business we can share customers with,” said Coby Lake, one of the owners of Avondale Brewing Company.”

“This is a great example of the kind of innovation that is happening in Avondale and surrounding neighborhoods. Main Street Birmingham is proud to be partnering with merchants and residents who are investing in making their communities better,” said Main Street Birmingham Interim Executive Director Elizabeth Barbaree-Tasker.

Interested applicants can enter the contest online at MainStreetBham.org or at AvondaleBrewingCompany.com.

Main Street Birmingham, Inc. (www.MainStreetBham.org) is a nonprofit agency working to foster neighborhood commercial district revitalization. In partnership with the City of Birmingham, the program targets nine urban commercial districts to spur economic and job development.

Here’s another on new signage coming to 55th Place Arts from the Birmingham News’ Mike Tomberlin…

And here’s a great post on the Construct Birmingham blog (if you don’t follow it, you should) about 55th Place Arts and another great project coming to Woodlawn!

City Arts is a new concept boutique presenting an eclectic mix of art, handmade crafts and unique clothing and jewelry created by local artists. The owner, Brooke Fleming, chose the Woodlawn location for her new venture after working with Main Street Birmingham business coaches. “I am intrigued with the idea of creating something beautiful where there has been nothing.  Everything about the concept, from the location, to the furnishings, to the artwork carries this theme. Not only do I want to create a gallery here to display the lovely work of local artists, but I want to set a stage for collaboration among artistically minded people,” said Fleming. Artists whose work will be displayed include Claire Cormany, Cory Bordonaro, Jill Marlar, Heather Williams and Christy Turnipseed.

55th Place Arts is a row of buildings in Woodlawn that has been re-imagined and revitalized as space for studios, offices and galleries for arts-related enterprises. Funded by the City of Birmingham and grants from the Daniel Foundation, the Goodrich Foundation, the Hugh Kaul Foundation, the Susan Mott Webb Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, the project is a Main Street Birmingham redevelopment initiative. “City Arts is a perfect example of the kind of entrepreneurship we want to foster in Woodlawn and around the city,” said Main Street Birmingham Interim Executive Director Elizabeth Barbaree-Tasker. “Arts often lead the way in redeveloping urban commercial districts and we are seeing that hold true in Woodlawn.”

Creative professionals interested in viewing spaces can contact Main Street Birmingham by phone at 205.595.0562, by email at leasing@mainstreetbham.org or online at MainStreetBham.org.

Main Street Birmingham, Inc. (www.MainStreetBham.org) is a nonprofit agency working to foster neighborhood commercial district revitalization. In partnership with the City of Birmingham, the program targets nine urban commercial districts to spur economic and job growth.

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