BL Harbert talks Southside VA clinic, other Alabama projects

Above: The $60 million clinic and parking deck for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Birmingham is one of BL Harbert’s projects. (contributed)
It has been just a little over a year since ground was broken on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs clinic on Birmingham’s Southside, and the project’s general contractor is in the final stages of an early completion on the project.

Vestavia Hills City Hall is one of BL Harbert’s recent projects. (contributed)
Birmingham-based BL Harbert International will wrap up the $60 million Molasky Group/Graham & Co. development in the next few weeks, according to Dan Price, vice president at BL Harbert’s Nashville office.
“This new VA Facility will provide ease of access and a new state of the art medical clinic for our Veterans who have sacrificed so much for each of us,” said BL Harbert U.S. Group President Gary W. Savage. “The late Bill Harbert, Sr. was a Veteran of World War II and he would have been extremely proud of this facility, the services it will provide and the fact that BL Harbert International is serving as the general contractor.”
The project includes the clinic as well as a 2,317-space parking garage.
“BL Harbert was pleased to construct this facility for the Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Savage. “Our veterans have so bravely served our country in many capacities around the world to ensure our freedom. Helping to meet their healthcare needs through construction of a state-of-the-art healthcare facility is an honor we embrace.”
The project has already made an impact on development in the immediate area and is expected to lead to other real estate development projects in the future.
The VA clinic is just one of a number of projects BL Harbert, a member of Alabama Center for Real Estate’s Corporate Cabinet, is working on in Alabama, including some big ones in the Birmingham area.
BL Harbert has completed construction of the new City Hall in Vestavia Hills and has partnered with Gray Construction on the $1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz expansion in Vance.
Price talked about these projects and what folks can expect to see from BL Harbert in the near future.
ACRE: What impact does the VA project have on Southside?
Price :First and foremost, let me say, we were honored to serve as the general contractor for the new VA Clinic. This state-of-the-art healthcare facility will provide ease, accessibility and convenience for our Veterans who have so bravely served our country. I think the most important aspect of the new VA Clinic is that it will serve as a real gateway to the city and to the medical district, at the Eighth Avenue exit from the Red Mountain Expressway. When you consider what was previously on the site, which was an abandoned facility, this state-of-the-art facility is going to be a beautiful greeting for people experiencing Birmingham and coming to the health care district of Birmingham.
ACRE: BL Harbert has been ramping up its health care resume of late. Why is health care such an important sector to get into today?
Price: We’re really known for quality, and we seek out clients who are looking to build high-quality projects. For a lot of clients, cost is a prime consideration. What we like about health care is the fact that projects are built with longevity and durability as a primary focus. We are really competitive with that type of construction.
The market has been depressed over the past few years, especially compared to where it was in 2007. However, we now see growth in health care, especially when it comes to community-based clinics. We have a good resume for that type of facility. We think health care, in general, is going in a direction that will allow us to highlight our strengths.
ACRE: Being in the health care epicenter of the Southeast, what role does BL Harbert’s Nashville office play in that strategy?
Price: We started this office a little over three years ago, and the intent was for this office to be the health care hub for our entire company. Timing wasn’t great. Health care was sort of on the decline. Thank goodness now it’s turning around. Last July (2014), we revamped our strategic plan for the Nashville office and decided to make it a full-service regional office to serve all markets, not unlike our Birmingham or Greenville offices. We’re still very much focused on health care, but we’re also focused on higher education, on-campus athletic facilities and commercial construction.
ACRE: BL Harbert is known for its work overseas with embassy projects. How important is it for your company to get these projects in Birmingham and in Alabama?
Price: Our embassy work is absolutely incredible, and it’s a real strong suit for our company in a lot of ways, but we’re growing quickly in several markets across the U.S. as well. We are experiencing growth in our community-based work, and we love it. It’s fun to serve the communities in which we live. The Vestavia Municipal Complex is one that was very personal to us. Our office is three miles away, and we have a lot of employees who live a stone’s throw from that site. It’s fulfilling to build something like that, that will serve our community for years to come. I can’t tell you how important that is.
ACRE: What sectors will BL Harbert be focusing on the next 12 to 18 months?
Price: On the health care front, we’re going to be looking more for community-based clinics and large-scale renovation work. On the commercial side, we’re focusing on real estate developers, higher education, manufacturing, and leveraging our experience in athletic facilities within higher education.
Bryan Davis is the research/media coordinator for the Alabama Center for Real Estate housed within the Culverhouse College of Commerce at the University of Alabama. He can be reached at 205-348-5416 or at bkdavis@culverhouse.ua.edu. The Alabama Center for Real Estate‘s core purpose is to advance the real estate industry in Alabama by providing relevant resources in the areas of research, education and outreach.

BL Harbert has partnered with Gray Construction on the $1.3 billion expansion of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance. (contributed)