Birmingham Expands Housing in Star Uptown and Smithfield-College Hills Areas

Construction on the $340 million Star Uptown mixed-use neighborhood is set to begin in Spring 2026 on the site of the former Carraway Hospital, with 64 cottages and townhomes expected for residents by early 2027.

These projects arrive as Lakeview and Parkside neighborhoods see rapid growth from new multi-story residential developments tied to investments in Avondale Park and Railroad Park. The timing raises direct questions for people already living nearby about traffic, school capacity, and access to parks and transit.

Targeted Grants Shape Mixed-Income Housing Plans

The Smithfield-College Hills-Graymont area is undergoing revitalization with a $50 million federal grant to build 920 mixed-income apartments across seven sites. Residents in these neighborhoods have watched earlier blight removal efforts turn empty lots into housing, and the new units could change rent levels and property values along the corridors that connect downtown to the western side of the city.

Local detail from city planning documents shows the grant supports seven separate apartment clusters rather than one large complex, which spreads construction activity across multiple blocks in Smithfield, College Hills, and Graymont. This approach keeps work zones smaller but extends the period when equipment and deliveries affect streets in those specific neighborhoods.

Numbers Tied to Spring 2026 Start

Star Uptown carries a $340 million price tag and a schedule that places the first 64 cottages and townhomes online by early 2027. The project replaces the long-vacant Carraway Hospital grounds with a mix of housing and commercial space, a change that will alter the daily route many residents use between downtown and the northern neighborhoods.

City records list the federal grant for Smithfield-College Hills-Graymont at exactly $50 million for 920 apartments. Those figures come from the same planning summary that tracks seven development sites, giving residents a concrete count of new units rather than general promises of growth.

People living near Avondale Park or Railroad Park can track permit filings through the city planning department to see when multi-story buildings move from proposal to active construction. Checking those records early lets residents prepare for changes in parking, noise, and bus routes before work crews arrive.