Logan Reid
Carraway Hospital was a medical facility in Birmingham, Alabama. The hospital closed in 2008 and the site was purchased by Lovelady Center, a non-profit women's rehab center, in 2011. The center planned to convert the 47.3-acre campus into a multi-use development but was unable to do so. In 2018, Lovelady Center sold the property, now consisting of 50 acres, to Corporate Realty Development. The new owners plan to build a mixed-use development with residential, retail, office, hotel, and entertainment components.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of acres | 47.3, 50, 52 |
| Location | 1600 Carraway Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama |
| Founder | Dr. Charles Newton Carraway |
| Year founded | 1908 |
| Former names | Norwood Hospital, Carraway Infirmary, Carraway Methodist Medical Center, Physicians Medical Center Carraway |
| Number of beds at closure | 617 |
| Year of closure | 2008 |
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What You'll Learn
Carraway Hospital closed in 2008
Carraway Hospital, originally known as Norwood Hospital and most recently called Physicians Medical Center Carraway, was a 617-bed hospital located in Birmingham. The hospital was founded by Dr. Charles Newton Carraway, who began his medical profession in the Birmingham district as a young doctor. He built a 16-bed infirmary adjacent to his home in Pratt City and later moved to a new site in Norwood in 1916 or 1917, naming it Norwood Hospital.
In 2001, the hospital began courting buyers, and after negotiations with several groups, it was purchased by a group of doctors bidding as Physicians Medical Center LLC in 2007. The new owners changed the name of the hospital to the Physicians Medical Center, and, for the first time in many years, the hospital turned a profit in June 2008. Unfortunately, this success was short-lived. By October of the same year, the hospital was unable to make payroll, and it officially closed its doors on October 31, 2008, after 100 years in business. The closure came about as the new investors could not keep the hospital out of bankruptcy.
Following the closure, there were various attempts to reopen the hospital. In 2009, a South Korean investment firm, Shinsegae, proposed to buy and reopen the hospital as a training centre for nurses. This plan, however, never materialised. In 2011, The Lovelady Center, a non-profit women's rehab centre, purchased the property for $6 million. They planned to convert the campus into a multi-use development, but this project also did not come to fruition. The site was then sold in 2018 to Corporate Realty Development, which began planning a mixed-use development called The Star at Uptown.
The former Carraway Hospital site spans over 50 acres, with various redevelopment plans being proposed over the years.
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The site is over 50 acres
The site of the former Carraway Hospital in Birmingham is over 50 acres. The hospital, which was located at 2401 15th Ave. N, closed in 2008 after 100 years in business. The site runs along Carraway Boulevard, between 13th Avenue North and 20th Avenue North.
Most of the site is zoned institutional and would require rezoning before it can be redeveloped. In 2011, the site was purchased by The Lovelady Center, a non-profit women's rehab center. However, the deal fell through as the facility was too big for Lovelady to manage and it was difficult to secure the site, leading to vandalism.
In 2018, Lovelady sold the property to Corporate Realty Development, which began planning a mixed-use development called The Star at Uptown. The development will include residential, retail, office, hotel, and entertainment components. Corporate Realty plans to demolish most of the buildings on the campus due to years of vandalism and exposure to the elements, although the existing parking decks will be reused.
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It was sold for $6 million in 2011
Carraway Hospital, originally known as Norwood Hospital, was a 617-bed hospital located in the Norwood neighbourhood of Birmingham. The hospital was founded by Dr. Charles Newton Carraway, who began his medical profession in the Birmingham district as a young doctor. In 1908, Dr. Carraway built a small 16-bed infirmary adjacent to his house in Pratt City, which was named Carraway Infirmary.
In 1917, he bought a large plot of land in the Norwood neighbourhood and moved the hospital there, which became known as Norwood Hospital. The hospital received $200,000 in federal funding in 1949 to add a nursing wing. In the 1940s, Charles Carraway donated the hospital to the Methodist church, and it was renamed Carraway Methodist, with Carraway remaining as CEO and chairman of the board.
The hospital expanded in the 1950s and 1960s, but it ran into financial trouble in the 2000s and closed in 2008. The hospital officially closed its doors on October 31, 2008, after 100 years in business. In 2009, a South Korean investment firm proposed to buy the vacant hospital and reopen it as a training centre for nurses, but this plan never materialized.
In 2011, The Lovelady Center, a non-profit women's rehab centre, purchased the hospital property for $6 million. The Lovelady Center planned to spend $15 million over three years to convert the 52-acre campus into a multi-use development, including a rehab centre, a hotel, an emergency room, a pharmacy, and a long-term medical care centre. The project was named "Metro Plaza." However, this project also did not come to fruition due to various challenges, including community opposition and the need for rezoning.
In 2018, The Lovelady Center sold the property, now described as a 47.3-acre or 50-acre site, to Corporate Realty Development, which began planning a mixed-use development called "The Star at Uptown." This development included residential, retail, office, hotel, and entertainment components. Corporate Realty applied for rezoning of the property and requested tax abatement incentives from the City of Birmingham.
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The building was demolished in 2022
Carraway Hospital, originally known as Norwood Hospital, was a 617-bed hospital located in the Norwood neighbourhood of Birmingham. The hospital was founded by Dr. Charles Newton Carraway, who began his medical profession in the Birmingham district as a young doctor. Over the years, the hospital expanded and became a leader in medical care, adding groundbreaking departments such as the Level 1 Trauma Centre and the hyperbaric oxygen therapy department. Unfortunately, the hospital faced financial difficulties in the early 2000s and closed its doors in 2008 after 100 years of service.
After the hospital's closure, there were various proposals for the site, including plans by a South Korean investment firm to reopen it as a training centre for nurses. However, these plans fell through, and in 2011, The Lovelady Center, a non-profit women's rehab centre, purchased the property. The Lovelady Center intended to convert the campus into a multi-use development, but this project also did not come to fruition due to challenges in managing the large facility and opposition from area residents.
In 2018, Lovelady sold the 47.3- to 52-acre property to Corporate Realty Development, marking a new phase for the site. Corporate Realty had grand plans for the former hospital campus, envisioning a mixed-use development that would transform the neighbourhood. Their proposal, dubbed "The Star at Uptown," included residential, retail, office, hotel, and entertainment spaces. Recognizing the site's historical significance, Corporate Realty intended to preserve the iconic blue star that had adorned the hospital's roof during Christmas in 1958 and remained a beloved Birmingham landmark.
However, the building's deterioration due to vandalism, vegetation growth, and mold growth meant that it could not be saved. In 2022, the structure was demolished to make way for the new development. While it was a difficult decision, as expressed by Brian Wolfe of Corporate Realty, it presented an opportunity to create something new and exciting for the community. The demolition of the building marked the end of an era for Carraway Hospital but also signaled the beginning of a revitalized future for the site.
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The site will be redeveloped
Carraway Hospital, a 617-bed hospital located in the Norwood neighbourhood of Birmingham, closed its doors on October 31, 2008, after 100 years in business. The site, which spans over 50 acres, has been the subject of various redevelopment plans since the hospital's closure.
In 2011, The Lovelady Center, a non-profit women's rehab centre, purchased the hospital property for $6 million. The Lovelady Center planned to convert the campus into a multi-use development, including a rehab centre, a hotel, an emergency room, a pharmacy, and a long-term medical care centre. However, this plan faced opposition from the surrounding neighbourhoods and ultimately did not come to fruition.
In 2018, The Lovelady Center sold the property to Corporate Realty Development, which began planning a mixed-use development called The Star at Uptown. This development includes residential, retail, office, hotel, and entertainment components. Corporate Realty applied for rezoning of the property and has requested tax abatement incentives from the City of Birmingham. The plan also includes the demolition of most of the existing buildings on the campus, with the exception of the iconic blue star, which will remain as a part of the site's history.
The redevelopment of the former Carraway Hospital site is expected to catalyse the area into a sought-after district, easily accessible to all parts of Birmingham. The site's central location and proximity to interstate routes make it an attractive prospect for potential buyers and developers.
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Frequently asked questions
The former Carraway Hospital site in Birmingham is over 50 acres.
Corporate Realty Development purchased the site from the Lovelady Center in 2018.
The new owners plan to demolish most of the buildings and build a mixed-use development with residential, retail, office, hotel and entertainment components.
