REV Birmingham

REV Birmingham is an economic development organization founded on November 15, 2012 with the merger of Operation New Birmingham and Main Street Birmingham. It is supported by private donations, revenues from programs, and public funding in the form of allocations from the City of Birmingham's general fund ($725,000 in 2015) and federal grants.

The organization's purpose is to promote "catalytic development" (services to real estate developers and management of properties owned by REV), small-scale and large-scale business growth and retention, and revitalization of the City Center as well as neighborhoods and commercial districts across the city. Until 2016 the organization also promoted "racial harmony" through its maintenance of a long-standing "Community Affairs Committee".

Wherever feasible, the organization focuses its efforts on facilitating implementation of development plans such as "Blueprint Birmingham" and the Birmingham Comprehensive Plan. REV's "Co.Starters" program works with potential start-up businesses. It manages an "Urban Food Project" and the Zyp bike share program as community development projects.

REV Birmingham is headed by David Fleming. The organization's name, one of 743 pitched by Big Communications, is intended to combine "forward motion" with "revitalization".

In 2018 REV Birmingham was contracted by the City Center District Management Corporation to manage and operate the Birmingham City Center Business Improvement District, including the CAP security patrol service. Those services were expanded to the Five Points South entertainment district and "The Switch" in 2024.

In 2024 REV Birmingham was awarded a $1 million grant from the PNC Foundation to create a micro-equity program to benefit small businesses founded by historically underrepresented entrepreneurs.

References

• Walsh, Alex (November 15, 2012) "REV Birmingham, product of ONB/Main Street merger, debuts." The Birmingham News
• Poe, Ryan (November 16, 2012) "Newly dubbed REV Birmingham set sights on growth." Birmingham Business Journal
• Owens, Cody & Sam Prickett (May 18, 2016) "Deconstructing REV: Part One." Weld for Birmingham
• Beahm, Anna (January 26, 2018) "REV Birmingham to manage CAP security team." The Birmingham News
• O'Leary, A. J. (March 1, 2024) "PNC Foundation grants $1 million to Birmingham nonprofit." Birmingham Business Journal
• Gann, Heather (March 11, 2024) "REV expands business district to include Five Points South and The Switch." AL.com

External links

• REV Birmingham website