By Erica Wright
The Birmingham Times
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, recently recuperating from a COVID-19 diagnosis that left him in quarantine and a short stay at Princeton Baptist Medical Center, on Monday gave his annual State of the Community address during a virtual livestream from City Hall.
The mayor, who delivered his remarks on Martin Luther King Day, said he was deeply moved and humbled by the outpouring of love and prayers and messages of support he received during his recovery.
“Two weeks ago, I was in a hospital bed undergoing treatment for COVID pneumonia in my left lung, like you I was already acutely aware of the danger of COVID-19 that had just taken a personal toll on my family with the loss of my grandmother, but in that hospital room, I found myself experiencing it in a new and disturbing way,” said Woodfin. “I was aware of the many other patients in that wing of the hospital facing similar and, in many cases, much more dire circumstances than me . . . I was reminded how we all face this challenge together and how we support each other with the simple act of wearing masks and social distancing.”
The mayor also spoke of the toll the disease has taken on the city beginning in March.
“When our small business community and hourly workers felt the bitter impact of COVID-19’s effect on our economy, we knew we had to move swiftly to keep them afloat. Most of these businesses only had 10 or so days of cash on hand,” he said. “At the time, it was not clear when or if they would receive federal assistance and so we moved with intent to establish a public private partnership known as Bham Strong. Our community can only be as strong as our small business owners and wage workers. When they suffer, we all suffer.”
With the help of Bham Strong nearly 100 small businesses were sustained and hundreds of displaced workers were able to pay their utility bills, buy food and hold out longer through the Bham Strong Service Core, he said.
The pandemic also hit city finances but the administration continued on with a list of priorities, he said. Those included:
Neighborhood revitalization: He and his administration remain committed to reinvesting in Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods through street resurfacing, sidewalk repair and more, he said.
“Neighborhood revitalization starts with stabilization and more than 1,100 blighted houses have been demolished and in the last year, we reduced the backlog of condemned structures by more than one half,” he said. “After years and even decades of talking, this past year we saw real movement toward rejuvenating key commercial hubs in our neighborhoods.”
Redevelopment: Rebirth at the former Carraway Hospital site, with an estimated $340 million mixed-used development will create a walkable district with retail, restaurants, office space, a hotel, outdoor entertainment venues and more.
“I was born in that hospital, grew up in North Birmingham and the residents of this area deserve this shot and will see an unprecedented investment that will provide housing, new business growth and jobs. Now more than ever, Birmingham’s growth is set to rejuvenate our neighborhoods,” said Woodfin.
He also pointed to the Ramsay-McCormack site in Ensley, where work is currently underway as a catalyst for redevelopment of the Ensley Business District and the overall area; demolition of the old Century Plaza Mall in Crestwood which will now give way as a hub for logistics with the opening of an Amazon Distribution Center.
Education: Five hundred recent Birmingham high school graduates started their first year of college as a part of the Birmingham Promise program, which provides work experience and college tuition for Birmingham City Schools students attending a two-year or four-year public Alabama college
“If the city is only as strong as its most needful neighborhoods, then as a people we are only as strong based on the opportunities we provide for our young people,” he said. “ . . . we can’t talk about progress without supporting our greatest resources which is our emerging workforce.”
“Just imagine an entire generation with no student loans and an opportunity to return to Birmingham with a degree to purchase a home or start a business. I look forward to announcing the new partners in this public private partnership, but as a city this is where we must continue to go investing in our youngest generation,” he said. “The Promise is yet another face of the community uplifting each other.”
In the midst of city wide initiatives there has also been social upheaval as a result of the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police office in May,
“I vividly recall the night of May 31 when the fury that erupted nationwide over the unjust killing of George Floyd made its way to our streets,” said Woodfin. “I remember walking the streets of our city seeing the damage firsthand and as we moved to secure our community and help those whose windows were shattered and livelihoods hung in the balance, I was so struck by the spirit of our city. Strangers stood side by side with public works employees to cleanup debris and helping small businesses reopen and showing kindness to those shaken by the unrest.”
Birmingham’s spirt has been on display the last 10 months and the city is stronger because of it, he said.
“As a people, we all have been tested by a pandemic and the economic hardship it has created, by systemic racism which brought about civil unrest and reached a boiling point over the summer and . . . and just a week ago, a constitutional crisis brought about by those provided with misinformation to drive a deep wedge between Americans for their own personal gain,” he said. “We have indeed been tested and I believe as a city, we are stronger and closer because of it.”
