What happened to the plan to redevelop Brookwood Village?
Momentum for a plan unveiled last year to redevelop Brookwood Village appears to have stalled. Last October, Colliers International | Alabama and Arlington Properties announced plans to transform the property into a retail and dining lifestyle destination with high-end apartments. They also brought their plans to residents in a series of public meetings. However, Homewood city officials say there has been no action on the plan since last fall. There is nothing with the city at this moment, Homewood City Councilwoman Jennifer Andress said. Andress chairs the citys planning and development committee. Andress said at this point any further plans would have to go through the planning process again. Attempts to reach Colliers International | Alabama was not immediately successful. A representative of Arlington Properties said the developers of the project have not provided the company any new information on it. The plan presented last year involved revamping the property between Macys and the former home of Belk through a two-year construction process, incorporating existing properties, such as Macys and Target. The COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown was particularly unkind to Brookwood Village, prompting an exodus of tenants such as Jasons Deli, Cocina Superior, Brio Tuscan Grille and Books-A-Million. Andress said she liked several aspects of the plan, such as green spaces, a trail, a hotel with convention space, and a focus on local retailers. Brookwood Village lies in Mountain Brook and Homewood, and Andress said both communities, as well as Jefferson County leadership, aim to work together to make sure any future plans will be successful. Weve all got a great relationship, and we want to see a project that will impact both communities equally well, she said. This is not the first redevelopment plan involving Brookwood Village over the past few years. One was announced just three years ago. The mall, which opened in 1974, has experienced the same diminishing fortunes seen by brick and mortar retail and shopping malls around the country. In addition, Brookwood Village now competes with several nearby shopping centers that did not exist when it opened, including The Summit, Cahaba Village Plaza and Lane Parke. Brookwood Village later had a $35 million remodeling in the late 1990s, which added a streetscape with dining, and a $20 million renovation after Cypress Equities bought the 816,000-square-foot mall from the former Colonial Properties Trust in 2015.