Spire Alabama Metro Operations Center

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The Spire Alabama Metro Operations Center, formerly the Alagasco Metro Operations Center or Metro Work Center is a 25,000 square foot facility and vehicle parking and service lot located between 11th and 14th Street along 1st Avenue North. Constructed in 2015, the project replaced a former Alagasco Downtown Operations Center at 410 10th Street South which was sold to UAB for remote parking. The new building was designed by Williams Blackstock Architects and won a 2016 Merit Award from AIA Birmingham.

Construction of the center required the demolition of a Birmingham Southern Railroad freight depot which stood vacant on the site. Some of the brick and other materials salvaged from the demolition were to be re-used in the design of the new center. After that site plan won approval from the Birmingham Design Review Committee, the activist group "I Believe in Birmingham" began seeking alternatives to demolition of the depot building. Ultimately Alagasco determined that the entire property would be needed for its operations and concluded negotiations with the group.

Some of the salvaged materials from the depot were donated to Rickwood Field for use in reconstructing the stadium's batting building.

The new building opened in August 2015. Approximately 200 employees work from the facility.

References

  • Tomberlin, Michael (July 23, 2013) "Alagasco to build two operations centers in East Birmingham and downtown" The Birmingham News
  • Tomberlin, Michael (January 9, 2014) "Alagasco plans Metro Operations Center near Railroad Park." The Birmingham News
  • Tomberlin, Michael (April 1, 2014) "Alagasco will demolish historic Birmingham train depot for larger operations center, more jobs." The Birmingham News
  • Poe, Kelly (August 28, 2015) "Alagasco's new office opens, brings 200 workers downtown." The Birmingham News