The Walker County Development Authority held on Wednesday an on-site press conference announcing Heritage Landing – a landmark economic development project that officials say could catapult southeastern Walker County forward to its best days by building on its storied past.
Walker County Development Authority Executive Director David Knight hosted and emceed the event, which featured remarks from Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington, and Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed (R- Jasper).
“I’m pleased to visit Walker Co. to break ground on Heritage Landing, a 50-acre, multi-purpose development site,” Ivey said. “This state-of-the-art project is a win for rural Alabama and will be a catalyst for jobs, growth and so much more for our state.”
Local officials and project partners spanning the private sector, nonprofit world, and academia were also in attendance for the milestone in the region’s history.
“I believe today’s monumental announcement will be viewed long into the future as a launching pad to Walker County’s brightest days,” Knight said. “Upon completion, this property will be the premier site in Alabama for companies looking to relocate or expand their operations. “Coupled with a strong regional workforce and an unparalleled team of cross-specialty partners, this project could be merely the start of generational growth for our area,” he added.
Birmingham-headquartered Drummond Company is creating a state-of-the-art, 50-acre, multi-purpose development site that can seamlessly be customized and turnkey ready for retail, commercial, and/or industrial tenants to build out.
The property is contiguous and immediately adjacent to the I-22 corridor connection between Birmingham and Memphis. This prime location, right off of exit 78, is only a 15-minute commute from downtown Birmingham and a 25-minute drive from downtown Jasper. The site is adjacent to the Yerkwood community.
While the site sits off of the first interstate exit along the corridor within Walker County coming from the Birmingham area, the property location is also within the heart of historic Alabama coal mining communities that were established and flourished during the 20th century mining boom. Unfortunately, most have since ceased operations as a result of the coal industry’s diminishment in the region.
“This is an exciting day for Walker County, and I’m grateful to the partners who came together in a spirit of collaboration to make this possible,” Reed said. “We take a lot of pride in our community’s legacy in the coal mining industry, so the fact that Heritage Landing will bridge our unique history with the future makes it even more powerful. Our area is home to God-fearing, honest, hardworking men and women who want to provide the best possible life for their children and their children’s children.
“Much like Huntsville has Redstone Arsenal and Tuscaloosa County points to Mercedes-Benz, I believe that this project will open the door to modern opportunities allowing families across Walker County and West Alabama to live, work and worship in safe, strong communities,” Reed added. “I appreciate the exemplary leadership of Gov. Kay Ivey, Sen. Richard Shelby, and Rep. Robert Aderholt in partnering with our local officials to ensure that Walker County has the ability to grow and prosper for decades and decades to come. My colleagues in the Alabama Legislature and I will continue to proactively support Alabama’s 21st century mining industry and the ability of rural Alabama to blossom.”
The project was sparked by the Alabama Department of Labor’s Abandoned Mine Land Program’s planned restoration of a pre-1960 non-reclaimed mine site through funding from the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcements’ (OSMRE) Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program that would reclaim the site’s abandoned mine spoil and eliminate 3,000 feet of abandoned mine high wall.
However, the Drummond Company – with the backing of local, regional, state and federal partners – did not want to stop at simply reclaiming the land once mined by companies that no longer exist. They saw the opportunity to both honor the past while providing a springboard to the future; that bold vision is now turning into a reality thanks to a major financial investment from Drummond and other project partners in addition to the newly announced $3 million federal grant from OSMRE and ADOL for reclamation purposes.
“Today is a pioneering moment in the storied history of a place that helped power economic progress across our state, nation, and world,” remarked Richard Mullen, CEO of Drummond Company. “Walker County was where it all began for Drummond Company, and Heritage Landing exemplifies our continued commitment to cultivating a strong future for families and communities in the region. We wholeheartedly believe that this project represents a strategic investment in the latest evolution of Walker County and the surrounding area. Thanks to the group of partners involved in this endeavor, the best is yet to come.”
Phase 1 of the project is anticipated to be completed by the first half of 2024. In addition to supporting 16 full-time construction jobs, Phase 1 is expected to create 100 direct jobs and 30 indirect jobs. The 50-acre site will be fully graded. Thanks to Alabama Power Company and other partners, the site will have full utility access, from electric to water, sewage, and high-speed broadband internet access. The property is also near a Class 1 rail line, in addition to being a stone’s throw from I-22 and easy drives to I-65, I- 59/20, and Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
“I cannot emphasize enough how big of a day this is for Walker County and my district in particular,” District 4 Walker County Commissioner Steven Aderholt said. “Families in our area simply want a shot at the American Dream – they want to be able to work hard, earn an honest day’s living, and provide a good life with even better opportunities for their children. This project is a major step towards making that dream a reality, and I would like to personally thank Drummond Company for their legacy of investment in Walker County.”
This project is consistent with other economic strategy programs of Walker County and the Birmingham Metropolitan Area regarding the potential for a long-term boom along Alabama’s portion of I-22, which is currently – like much of Alabama northwest of Birmingham – comprised of generally underserved communities.
