After years of work, Patchwork Farms sees ongoing development

Years after the city of Vestavia Hills bought the Patchwork Farms property, there are only two parcels of land yet to be fully developed, with one set to break ground next year, City Manager Jeff Downes said.

While the property was bought during the Scotty McCallum administration and put on the market for sale under previous Mayor Butch Zaragoza, the property yielded “stagnant” revenues, Downes said. This led the city to take the property off the market and begin working with Daniel Corp. in 2014 to develop the area. At that time, the only business in the area was Lifetime Fitness, Downes said.

In the past few years, that investment has paid off with increasing revenues, Downes said. The economic development has “paid great dividends” for the city, he said.

Revenue from Patchwork Farms can be split into two categories: one-time collections and recurring revenues.

Downes said the city has received about $2 million in one-time revenues from Patchwork Farms, while recurring revenues yield more than $1 million a year. The development also puts about $700,000 per year into Vestavia Hills City Schools, he said.

Patchwork Farms’ revenues are one of the reasons the city has brought in such high revenues in recent years, Downes said.

However, he said he recognizes some things about the development have not been positive for everyone who lives there.

“It hasn’t come without a cost,” Downes said. “We have cut-through traffic with development. … We recognize that change is difficult.”

Still, Downes said he believes the benefit has outweighed the cost.

One of the recent developments is a 270- unit luxury apartment complex. While there are often concerns about schools overflowing with students, Downes said thus far, only 32 students have been added to the system from the complex.

Chris Reebals with Christopher Architecture and Interiors said his company is developing two lots of mixed-use development, with a luxury hotel featuring 31 high-end condominiums and 15,000 square feet of retail space and two restaurants.

Reebals, who lives in the area, said he enjoys living and working in Patchwork Farms, and the company’s development is going great, with construction expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2020.

The other parcel is owned by Blackwater Real Estate, with an aim to develop the parcel for retail, Downes said.

Other businesses quickly filled the area, including Cahaba Ridge Retirement Community, Publix, Aspire Physical Therapy and Medjet.

“All of these create a magnet to the area,” Downes said.

In terms of property taxes, Downes said the retirement village, Lifetime Fitness and the apartment complex are among the top 10 property tax payers in the city.

The city has also sought to fill any economic leaks, where residents travel to other cities to purchase things, Downes said.

In addition to the business side of Patchwork Farms, Downes said a nature walk helps connect various parts of the development to the Blue Lake area, which is also being primed for future development.

Downes said he hopes the success of the Patchwork Farms development spreads to the Blue Lake area.

Among the businesses in Patchwork Farms, there have been some good openings and some modest openings, Downes said. The development offers a good mix of opportunities, from exercise to shopping and other business, he said.

Despite the city being split so wide, Downes said the city works to make sure no part of Vestavia is left out.

“We have to ensure we have enough employees, staff and capital to provide the services that are demanded,” Downes said.

While being 19 miles wide causes some issues, Downes said the city creates “beats” and work zones, and relies on mutual aid from other fire departments, to cover all of the city.

Also, the economic development strategy for each area is different, Downes said, with “very unique” geography across the city.

“What works on [U.S.] 31 may not work in Patchwork Farms or Liberty Park,” Downes said.

Having one high school helps create a sense of unity for all Vestavia residents, he said. “We can bond over our kids.”

Downes said the city works to create unity without making each part of the city uniform.

“Unifying the city is a goal, but you can unify without losing the unique characteristics of each interesting area of the city,” he said.