BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Woodlawn’s redevelopment potential includes projects like a roadside café, a mix of shops by the “makers” who live there and even a marketplace for food trucks and pop-up shops, according to the visions from community leaders and a master planner.

REV Birmingham held a “visioning session” with community leaders and planners from Williams Blackstock Architects as part of its REVive Woodlawn initiative. The community gave its input into the kind of things they would like to see in Woodlawn.

Williams Blackstock took that input and looked at existing successes in Woodlawn, vacant buildings in the neighborhood, the main “gateways” into the community, traffic flow patterns and other factors to develop some ideas of what could happen.

Kyle Kirkwood with Williams Blackstock presented those ideas to leaders in the Woodlawn community earlier this month. The “wish list” includes several developments from the private sector (apartments and new businesses), the public sector (street improvements, public parks and institutional developments) as well as public-private partnerships (open-air market and business incubator). Among the highlights:

The “U.S. 11 Roadside Café” envisions vacant buildings on First Avenue North transformed into a two-story restaurant with patio dining created out of an adjacent building and the entire project bookended by new retail.

The “Maker’s Mart and Incubator” could take shape in the partial block between 55th Street North and 55th Place South. The project could combine a permanent public market in one of the vacant buildings with an outdoor farmers market along with crafts and items made by Woodlawn residents and artists. Other permanent retail like a coffee shop or sandwich shop could be part of the development.

The “Corner Market” is envisioned in what is now a vacant used car lot on First Avenue North. Low-cost, modular retail shops could be put in place there along with covered areas where food trucks could park and serve patrons in any weather.

An urban park and pavilion along with a mixed-use development could enhance Woodlawn High School, which Kirkwood considers the focal point of Woodlawn.

A “pump park” would provide an off-road oasis within the urban neighborhood for kids and adult looking to safely ride dirt bikes.

“These are ways to use economic development to connect the business district with the residential neighborhoods, the innovative present with the rich history,” Kirkwood said.

Community leaders indicated of all of the ideas that could become projects, the roadside café was one most worth pursuing.

“There are several initial small things that could be done to build enthusiasm and excitement in the area,” Kirkwood said. “Woodlawn already has several assets the community can build on.”

David Fleming, chief executive of REV Birmingham, agreed that Woodlawn is not a blank slate.

“We always like to look for those sparks you can throw a little gas on to make a flame,” Fleming said. “There are plenty of sparks to work with in Woodlawn.”

Bordered on two sides by interstates with a main street running through it gives Woodlawn some attributes other neighborhoods don’t have, he said.

“Woodlawn has a long history in Birmingham and there are plenty of things there to work with,” Fleming said. “It’s got good physical elements, historic buildings the village feel that people are attracted to these days.”

Fleming pointed to the traffic corridors, Cornerstone School, YWCA, Birmingham Dream Center, a cluster of music-related businesses and the ability of the Woodlawn Foundation to bolster and align efforts as reasons Woodlawn is emerging and ready for revival. Most crucial, however, are the people who have shown a willingness to be involved in Woodlawn, he said.

“Woodlawn has stable neighborhoods, which are important to latch onto and leverage,” Fleming said.

Fleming couldn’t say if any of the ideas will ever become actual projects, though some do seem viable. Just the process of thinking about what could be has value, he said.

“The good thing about planning and dreaming is you come up with ideas you may not have thought of before,” Fleming said. “While not all of those things are feasible in the short term or maybe even in the long term, it allows those in the community to dream.”