John and Rele Evans
John and Rele Evans are continuing the legacy of their grandfather and father, who first developed the Lane Parke property more than 60 years ago. Construction is scheduled to begin on the development’s new retail phase in June. Photo by Keith McCoy.
The completed Lane Parke development has been years in the making. Talk of redevelopment started in the 1990s, the city approved its master plan in 2012, and construction began on the new apartments in 2013.
A slate of eight new restaurants and retailers coming to the development’s first retail phase was released May 1 following years of anticipation. A groundbreaking will be held for the retail phase in June.
Evson Inc.’s John Evans said they could have developed a tenant list sooner but they wanted to take the time necessary to focus on attracting unique boutique retailers.
“It has been a marathon, but we can see the finish line now,” he said.
For Evans’ family, ties to development started decades earlier. John Evans’ grandfather (his dad Rele’s father) first developed Lane Park apartments in 1948 and the current shopping center in the 1950s, and the Evans said they have always sought to continue both his legacy and that of Robert Jemison, who designed the village and was friends with the Evans family.
“[My dad] did everything for the long-term, in quality and service,” Rele Evans, John’s father, said. “Our decision process has always been to maintain the approach my dad had. We feel comfortable knowing it will be an asset for Mountain Brook.
“I’m delighted the concept has evolved to where it is now. The inn, retail and apartments are like three legs of a stool. They all support each other. We think aesthetically it’s going to add to what’s available to people who live here.”
The first retail phase will be 66,640 square feet in total. Most of the retailers announced are new to Alabama except those that are currently in Mountain Brook Village.
Two additional restaurant concepts are planned to neighbor these eight retailers but have not yet been announced, and Retail Specialists is waiting to lease three additional retail spaces in this phase to women’s or children’s clothing or accessories boutiques once construction begins.
The Evans worked with Retail Specialists to create a tenant mix to complement Lane Parke’s new Grand Bohemian Hotel, which is already accepting reservations for its October opening, and its apartments, which completed construction in January. The developers also wanted the tenant mix to complement Mountain Brook and the greater Birmingham community.
W. Mead Silsbee of Retail Specialists said they marketed the development as an extension of the village, not as its own property.
“It will feel like the village has always been this way once it’s all in place,” Silsbee said.
Once Western, Interiors by M&S and A’mano have moved into the first retail phase, the current shopping center from Western to Ollie Irene will be demolished. Smith’s Variety is moving to Crestline Village and Ollie Irene to another part of town. Construction of a new road, Jemison Lane, will be then completed to connect Montevallo Road to Lane Parke, alleviating traffic in the village and providing easier access to the hotel and shops.
Construction on the second retail phase will not begin until 2020, assming Rite Aid does not move before its current lease ends in 2019
Retail Specialists is Birmingham-based, as is the project’s architect, Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, and its contractor, Hoar Construction. The project’s financier is IberiaBank. John Evans said most of the construction for the development will take place within the property’s footprint and not affect traffic in Mountain Brook Village.
To learn more about the newly announced retailers, see page A23. To learn more about the development, visit laneparke.info.
