Birmingham connects city center with LEDs to celebrates railroad history

Birmingham has been through a period where many of its residents avoided the downtown and other downtrodden areas. Over the course of the past few decades, the city has strived to encourage development downtown; indeed, the city center area has attracted restaurants and entertainment venues along with increased occupancy in office space.

Rather than hide it, Birmingham decided to highlight the railroads," given the important role the lines played in the city's history. Moreover, in the downtown area the four underpasses were constructed in the 1930s with Art Deco style. In 2010, the city opened the new urban park called Railroad Park that lies parallel to the tracks between 14th and 18th Streets, across the railroad from city center. The park includes nine acres of open lawn along with lakes and recreational facilities, and serves as a concert and entertainment venue.

 

Birmingham is now looking for funds and ideas for the three other underpasses in the immediate area of Railroad Park. Regions Field was a blockbuster success in its first baseball season with an architecture modeled after the historic Sloss Furnaces company from Birmingham's past. LEDs and LightRails have added to the momentum building in the downtown area, and demonstrate the benefits of LED-based public art.