News

It’s no secret that a thoughtfully designed university campus can go a long way to motivate students to reach their greatest potential. The intent of TurnerBatson Architects’ design of Highlands College — a Christian higher education institution in Birmingham –...

“What is it about Muscle Shoals, just a little village on the Alabama border? Why does that music come out of there?” asks English musician Steve Winwood in “Muscle Shoals,” the 2013 award winning documentary. “Each time a person went...

Being in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area gives Helena the best of both worlds, the ease and joy of small town living along with easily accessed urban amenities. In 2007, Business Week has named Helena the 13th “Best Place to Raise...

Breathing new life into old buildings has long taken place in Alabama. Cotton mills in Huntsville have found new purpose, including Lowe Mill located southwest of downtown. Home to over 200 artists, Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment Center is billed...

In the mood for a Parisian experience? No need to grab your passport and book a flight to France. Two new Birmingham destinations just might transport you to the Champs-Élysées. Bar La Fête, which translates to party in French, is...

Art in the street makes people happy. This simple sentence expresses the essence of murals, a special type of street art that tells the community’s story, engages citizens, boosts the local economy, fosters appreciation for the arts, and improves the...

Never underestimate the attraction of a public market. Crowds at the fish market in downtown Seattle’s Pike Place love a crazy tradition – employees throw fish through the air, caught at the counter and wrapped for customers. Not only is...

No disputing that parks greatly enhance the livability of a community. Place one in a wooded setting – particularly in such states as Alabama where sticky humidity lingers most of the year – and the park is bound to attract...

Preparation for the 2022 World Games held in Birmingham in July included security measures that would displace people experiencing homelessness who were living in areas designated as secured perimeter points. In response, community partners formed the Compassion Project to create...

Growth management is essential today as communities seek to control the location, impact, character, and timing of development in order to balance environmental and economic needs and concerns, writes leading growth management consultant Douglas Porter in “Managing Growth in America’s...