It took the better part of two decades for Ingram & Associates to assemble the eight houses on Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook that would one day become a premier development site.
The $10 million condominium development known as The Manning held its ribbon cutting this summer in Mountain Brook. The project was more than 20 years in the making.
In 2013, Margi Ingram of Ingram & Associates approached Ron Durham about developing the property. Durham, who had developed more than $100 million in condominiums along the Gulf Coast, jumped at the opportunity. In June 2015, the property was purchased by Manning Partners, LLC, a development company led by Durham.
Durham assembled a development team that included Ingram & Associates to handle the sales and marketing efforts, BL Harbert International to serve as the general contractor and Barrett Architecture Studio to design the project.
Ingram said she spent years getting to know the property owners and working with all of the stakeholders in order to make the project come about.
“For years, this was kind of my pet project,” Ingram said in an interview with the Alabama Center for Real Estate. “Now it has given other people a place to thrive and enjoy.”
Ingram said a lot has happened since they approached the city of Mountain Brook about the project, including a sidewalk that was built from the property to the Birmingham Zoo and the opening of the back of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
“It all seemed to happen at the same time, but that’s real estate,” Ingram said. “Real estate is all timing.”
More than a decade ago, Ingram began buying the Mountain Brook lots, not really sure about what sort of project best fit the area. She knew she could not put individual houses on the properties. It would have to be some sort of condominium or multifamily project, but she also had to exercise patience, as she had to acquire the properties one at a time.
The first one sold for around $69,000, Ingram said, and the last lot sold for a half-million dollars.
BL Harbert International, working alongside Barrett Architecture Studio, led the customized construction efforts.
“We allowed the purchasers to customize everything inside their condominiums,” said Mark Wills, who served as project manager for the Manning. “It was a challenge keeping all of customization in check. Barrett Architecture was wonderful to work with throughout this entire job.”
Manning Partners was able to complete the project in one year once ground was broken. All of the residences were sold when the project was barely out of the ground.
Durham said Manning Partners “are pleased to have been a part of a project that will have a long-lasting legacy in the community. It is gratifying to be a small part in the redevelopment of Mountain Brook Village and the Cahaba Road Corridor.”
“This was a successful job. We could not be more proud of the final product,” Wills said. “It is always a pleasure to be working in your own backyard with community leaders and partners, who strive to create the best for Birmingham and Over the Mountain residents.”
Ingram said her company has a couple of potential projects in the works that could be announced in the near future.
