BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Birmingham’s Norwood neighborhood has been listed among the nation’s best historic neighborhoods by a familiar name in home preservation and restoration.
This is the sixth year the site has compiled a list ranking the nation’s best historic neighborhoods.
Categories include: best bargains, best for first-time homeowners, best for retirees, easy commute and best city living.
The review told readers they could expect to pay from $20,000 and up for a fixer-upper in Norwood and $120,000 or more for a move-in ready home.
The article gave an overview of the diverse styles in the community just north of downtown and the renewed interest in recent years to revitalize the homes there.
“And their investment has paid off; the area received historic designation from the city of Birmingham in 2012,” editors wrote. “Locals are now building on the area’s shiny new image, turning three vacant lots into community orchards and gardens, and hosting a weekly farmers’ market along the serpentine Norwood Boulevard, which winds through the neighborhood.”
The farmers market and gardening project mentioned in the article are initiatives of the Norwood Resource Center.
“We’re very excited to have that recognition of this neighborhood and all the wonderful assets that we know it has,” Melodie Echols, the group’s executive director, told AL.com in an interview. “It’s not only for Norwood, but for Birmingham, because we are a Birmingham neighborhood.”
Norwood was developed in 1912 as a counterpart to Highland Avenue and was populated by wealthy members of the city’s business and industrial community.
Tom Creger, vice president of the Norwood neighborhood, said the national attention could only help in the gradual revitalization. The listing confirms what Norwood supporters already knew, he said.
“We’ve said all along that this was a neighborhood to watch,” he said.
A century after its creation, the conditions of the homes are as diverse as their styles. Some are completely restored, some remain in varying stages of renovation and several stand beyond repair, burned out or fallen in.
Still, evidence of revitalization is abundant. Ladders and construction materials are just as common in yards as plyboards securing long-darkened interiors waiting to be restored.
“When you make a real estate investment, it’s the biggest investment we make, and a lot of thought has to go into it,” Creger said. “Being recognized by a national magazine might make it a little easier for people to say ‘yes.'”
There’s plenty of work for those interested in coming to Norwood.
Creger, who has lived in the area about seven years, estimated about 30 houses have been lost since then because of decay. Those historic properties could have been saved if an owner had taken them over before the homes declined beyond repair.
Echols said the Norwood area is a blend of newcomers who have bought and renovated homes, as well and long-time residents who have maintained their properties and helped strengthen the community.
“That’s the beauty of what’s going on here. We have some strong and involved long-term neighbors who have welcomed newcomers” Echols said. “It’s a combination of the old and the new working together. A lot of people are concerned about gentrification when neighborhoods are revitalized, but this is an example of how change can happen organically and in a healthy way.”
This Old House editors also marveled at Railroad Park, which is not within easy walking distance, but not too far away by vehicle on First Avenue South.
The review spent nearly as much space marveling at the linear park as it did describing Norwood.
“Built along a former rail viaduct, the park boasts nine acres of lush lawn, along with walls and seating areas made partly from bricks and other materials unearthed during its construction,” the article continues. “Here, you can find the perfect spot to sit for a spell before wending your way home.”
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