Birmingham
Has More
Innovators
The Switch is downtown Birmingham’s innovation district – where big ideas drive economic growth and strengthen the vibrant identity of the district.
The Switch is an emerging district that is fueling a vibrant innovation-based ecosystem. It’s the place for innovators and startups to go for information, resources, and community.
Where trains once drove, innovation now flows.
Railroad tracks used to crisscross the historic 14th Street Switchyard. Many of our structures still curve to frame where rails once were.
Now, ideas, information and energy are what flow through the area as we build The Switch – Birmingham’s destination for innovation.
Where is The Switch?
Who is behind The Switch?
Our city’s innovation ecosystem is anchored in The Switch with partners like
- Alabama Power, an electric utility committed to encouraging and supporting economic growth throughout Alabama
- Birmingham Bound, an initiative to build up the Magic City’s tech ecosystem and make Birmingham the place to grow and scale a tech company
- Birmingham Business Alliance, an economic development agency working to help businesses start, stay and succeed in the Greater Birmingham Region
- Innovation Depot, one of the largest technology incubators in the Southeast
- REV Birmingham, a place-based revitalization and economic development nonprofit
- TechStars, Alabama’s only energy tech focused accelerator
- Tech Birmingham, a nonprofit working to strengthen and advocate for the region’s technology ecosystem
- Urban Impact Inc., a nonprofit organization committed to removing barriers for Black entrepreneurs
Why locate in The Switch?
The Switch is the epicenter of innovation in Birmingham. Now is the perfect time to locate, launch and grow your business here. The Switch has:
Opportunity
Adjacent to the historic City Center, The Switch is primed and ready for redevelopment. This emerging innovation district is in an opportunity zone, hub zone and qualifies for other economic development-related programs.
Gigabit Internet Connectivity
The Switch welcomes internet power users with the infrastructure to support their innovative needs.
STEM Jobs
The Switch has an ever-growing number of STEM jobs in close proximity to your business.
Walkability
On the south side of The Switch is the Parkside district, making more than 2,000 residential units and Birmingham’s award-winning Railroad Park easily walkable. On the north side of The Switch is the historic Civil Rights District and Fourth Avenue Business District, which attracts international visitors. To the east is the historic City Center, which is home to many renowned restaurants and bars.
Easy Transportation Access
The Switch has easy access to area expressways, the airport, public transportation and the Central Business District.
The Switch in the City Center Master Plan
The 2020 Birmingham City Center Master Plan identified The Switch as a “Strategic Opportunity Area” and included several renderings envisioning what under-utilized buildings could be. See what an investment in The Switch could do:
Learn More
Want to learn more about becoming a part of The Switch?
The Switch News
The Switch Business Improvement District
Did you know The Switch is part of Birmingham’s Business Improvement District (BID)?
A BID is designated by ordinance as a district where property owners formally pool their resources to provide supplemental services to build on those provided by the city—sidewalk sweeping, trash removal, security, special events, marketing programs, etc.
It’s paid for by those property owners via a special assessment. Think of it as a homeowner’s association for a district. Those extra services can make districts more competitive by creating a cleaner, more attractive district and giving it a distinctive identity.