Officials see positives in potential Trinity overhaul

When Trinity Medical Center left Montclair Road for U.S. 280 and became Grandview Medical Center in 2015, it left behind a million square feet of unused buildings on 79 acres. And people in both Mountain Brook and Birmingham were concerned it would be tough to find new tenants.

“My concern was that it would sit for years and be a sore sight as you drive down Montclair,” said Suzan Doidge, executive director of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce.

The property’s future also “weighed on residents’ minds” in Crestwood, added Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn. 

“They’ve looked across town to Carraway and imagined a similar fate,” said O’Quinn, referring to the long-vacant former Carraway Hospital in Norwood.

But the Trinity campus may be turned into an upscale mixed-use community called Trinity Heights by Berman Enterprises of Maryland.

Developer Ben Berman announced in May he wants to bring in apartments, condominiums and a senior-living facility, as well as a hotel, offices, retail, eateries and entertainment, such as an upscale bowling alley or movie theatre.

Berman signed contracts on the land and buildings in January and is currently determining whether the project is feasible. At press time, Berman said he hoped to make a decision by the end of September.

City officials in Mountain Brook and Birmingham seem largely in favor of the project.

Trinity Heights residents would likely do some shopping in Mountain Brook, especially Crestline, according to Mountain Brook City Manager Sam Gaston. Doidge said she was “thrilled” by the proposal and also believes the new residents would spend money in Mountain Brook.

However, Doidge worries that retail and restaurants at the site could also draw customers away from Mountain Brook. “I don’t know that it will be a win-win for us,” she said.

An influx of customers from Trinity Heights could also “compound” parking issues in Crestline, according to Gaston. 

“But that’s the only negative I see,” he said, noting that he sees Trinity Heights as an “overall positive.” 

There would be increased traffic on Montclair and surrounding roads, according to Mountain Brook City Planner Dana Hazen. However, Hazen said she trusted the city of Birmingham would require the developer to use “sound traffic engineering” and “mitigate those effects.” 

O’Quinn said he hopes Trinity Heights will move forward. Area “residents seem to be pretty much uniformly pleased that the property’s value and potential appears to have once again been recognized,” he said. His only concern is “the project’s potential to drive interest in the adjacent large swath of forested hillside,” an area O’Quinn would like to see preserved.

Berman received a warm reception when he presented to about 80 residents at an April meeting of the Crestwood South Neighborhood Association, according to neighborhood president Elizabeth Murray. “90 percent of [those attending the] meeting were in favor,” she said.

Berman said in June that the site has a great location near Mountain Brook, Crestwood, downtown Birmingham and the airport, as well as “amazing” hilltop views.

Along with the “bones” of the property — the buildings Berman can repurpose — “This is an opportunity that is very exciting,” he said.

Berman said he’s looking for third-party developers of good quality to handle some project components, such as the hotel and condominiums.

“For this project to be a success, we need others to step in,” he said. Berman also plans green space and an expanded hiking trail

He said in June it was too early to determine if he’ll seek financial incentives from the city of Birmingham. However, the project will require partnership with the city regarding “zoning and entitlements,” Berman said. 

At press time, he said he expected to formally approach the city by the end of July.