Alabama NewsCenter — Efforts to save Birmingham’s historic Powell School boosted by City Council committee action

By: Mark Kelly

Powell School has occupied the southwest corner of Sixth Avenue and 24th Street North in downtown Birmingham since 1887. Unused and decaying steadily for more than 20 years, the distinctive red-brick Victorian structure faces a tightening timetable for hopes of saving it from demolition.

Those hopes are being boosted by a trio of local real estate developers who say they are committed to preserving and renovating Powell School if a tenant or tenants can be identified. A critical step in that process came this week when the Economic Development & Tourism Committee of the Birmingham City Council voted to recommend to the full council an action that will clear the way for a project to proceed. The item is expected to be on the council agenda at its Feb. 28 meeting.

“I’m optimistic,” said Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, a member of the committee and the representative of the council district where the school is located. “The future of Powell has been on my radar for a long time, but the window is closing on being able to salvage a very historic building. Our action today contributes to the likelihood of that happening.”

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