Urban Impact: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 08:30, 29 March 2023

Urban Impact Inc. (UII) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1980, whose mission is to preserve and promote business and tourism for an area on the western side of downtown Birmingham which includes the 4th Avenue Historic District, a center of black-owned business activity downtown during the decades of segregation. The group's offices are located at 1721 4th Avenue North, at the corner of 18th Street.

After Birmingham's segregation laws were overturned in the 1960s, the business district began to decline as businesses moved out to other areas of town and building owners declined to reinvest in the area. Urban Impact was established under contract to the city to manage a land bank which allowed business owners to purchase property in the area and to help overcome the problem of absentee landlords. The organization's development district includes the, "west side of 18th Street N to 15th Street N and north side of 2nd Avenue N to Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. (8th Avenue N)".

In addition to its economic development role, Urban Impact promotes tourism in the Civil Rights District by producing informational materials and coordinating tours, and organizes the annual Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival. As part of its efforts, the organization worked to put the district on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

In 2010 the organization's offices were located at 319 17th Street North, at the corner of 4th Avenue.

In March 2023 the Jefferson County Commission allocated $320,895.60 of its American Rescue Plan Act funds toward Urban Impact's planned culinary incubator in the 4th Avenue Historic District.

Executive directors

Nathan Hicks, 2010
Ivan Holloway, 2016–

This article is a stub. You can help Bhamwiki by expanding it.

References

Jackson, Aziza (February 15, 2010) "Urban Impact". Pavo
Stevenson, Tommy (February 14, 2013) "Small business, big history" Weld for Birmingham
Steere, Tim (April 21, 2016) "New leader tapped to spark development in civil rights district." Birmingham Business Journal
Phillips, Jasmine (August 23, 2018) "Spirit of Historic 4th Ave District Kept Alive with Jazz Festival" The Birmingham Times
Van der Bijl, Hanno (August 30, 2019) "How Ivan Holloway wants to impact the Civil Rights District." Birmingham Business Journal

External links

Urban Impact website

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Urban Impact Inc.''' ('''UII''') is a non-profit organization, founded in [[1980]], whose mission is to preserve and promote business and tourism for an area on the western side of [[downtown Birmingham]] which includes the [[4th Avenue Historic District]], a center of black-owned business activity downtown during the decades of [[segregation]]. The executive director since [[2016]] is [[Ivan Holloway]], and the group's offices are located at 1721 [[4th Avenue North]], at the corner of [[18th Street North|18th Street]].
+'''Urban Impact Inc.''' ('''UII''') is a non-profit organization, founded in [[1980]], whose mission is to preserve and promote business and tourism for an area on the western side of [[downtown Birmingham]] which includes the [[4th Avenue Historic District]], a center of black-owned business activity downtown during the decades of [[segregation]]. The group's offices are located at 1721 [[4th Avenue North]], at the corner of [[18th Street North|18th Street]].
 After [[Birmingham]]'s [[segregation laws]] were overturned in the 1960s, the business district began to decline as businesses moved out to other areas of town and building owners declined to reinvest in the area. Urban Impact was established under contract to the city to manage a land bank which allowed business owners to purchase property in the area and to help overcome the problem of absentee landlords. The organization's development district includes the, "west side of 18th Street N to 15th Street N and north side of 2nd Avenue N to Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. (8th Avenue N)".
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 In addition to its economic development role, Urban Impact promotes tourism in the [[Civil Rights District]] by producing informational materials and coordinating tours, and organizes the annual [[Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival]]. As part of its efforts, the organization worked to put the district on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in [[1982]].
-In [[2010]] the organization's offices were located at 319 [[17th Street North]], at the corner of [[4th Avenue North|4th Avenue]]. [[Nathan Hicks]] was then the executive director.
+In [[2010]] the organization's offices were located at 319 [[17th Street North]], at the corner of [[4th Avenue North|4th Avenue]].
+In March [[2023]] the [[Jefferson County Commission]] allocated $320,895.60 of its American Rescue Plan Act funds toward Urban Impact's planned culinary incubator in the 4th Avenue Historic District.
+==Executive directors==
+* [[Nathan Hicks]], 2010
+* [[Ivan Holloway]], 2016–
 {{stub}}
 ==References==
 * Jackson, Aziza (February 15, 2010) "[http://www.pavomag.com/story/urban-impact Urban Impact]". ''Pavo''
-* Stevenson, Tommy (February 14, 2013) "[http://weldbham.com/blog/2013/02/14/small-business-big-history/ Small business, big history]" {{Weld}}
+* Stevenson, Tommy (February 14, 2013) "Small business, big history" {{Weld}}
 * Steere, Tim (April 21, 2016) "New leader tapped to spark development in civil rights district." {{BBJ}}
 * Phillips, Jasmine (August 23, 2018) "[http://www.birminghamtimes.com/2018/08/spirit-of-historic-4th-ave-district-kept-alive-with-jazz-festival/ Spirit of Historic 4th Ave District Kept Alive with Jazz Festival]" {{BT}}
@@ Line 16: / Line 22: @@
 ==External links==
-* [http://urbanimpactbirmingham.org Urban Impact] website
+* [https://urbanimpactbirmingham.org Urban Impact] website
 [[Category:Nonprofits]]