Mayfair, Hollywood residents share love of neighborhood

UPDATE: A previous version of this story included a wrong first name for Deanne Vail. The Star apologizes for the error.

Multiple neighborhoods in Homewood are known for their walkability, sense of community and centrality to shops and other institutions in the community.

For some neighborhoods in Homewood, however, it wasn’t always that way.

When Deanne Vail and her husband moved to the Mayfair neighborhood in 2003, the community had small cottage houses that were “a little overpriced at the time,” she said.

When families in Mayfair decided to have more children, they would move to other cities in the community that still had a small-town feel but bigger houses with better prices, such as Vestavia Hills or the Brookwood Forest area in Mountain Brook, she said. Vail and her husband, on the other hand, decided to risk investing in the community.

“We understood why people were leaving, but we also understood that investment into Homewood had to start somewhere,” Vail said.

She said they decided to donate the cottage-style house they lived in at the time and build their current home in the same location, after searching for another home for three years without finding a community quite like Mayfair.

They loved that Mayfair provided “big-city amenities wrapped up in a small town,” she said.

They loved their house being five to 10 minutes from downtown Birmingham and the sense of community they felt with their neighbors, which became more like family, Vail said.

Over time, Mayfair saw young families building homes of their own and investing into the community because they fell in love with Homewood and its potential, she said.

“Instead of someone having one child and making it work and then moving because they’re having a second child, you started seeing people investing back into Homewood,” Vail said. “You started having all of these single family homes being built and occupied with families with more than one child.”

Today, Vail loves Mayfair for its added walkability due to more sidewalks and that her business office, Homewood Family and Cosmetics Dentistry, is just a block away from her house. She also enjoys their close proximity to downtown Birmingham, since her children go to college out of state and they can access the international airport, she said.

“I wouldn’t live anywhere else,” Vail said.

Marian Bloomston, owner of Off Central and Ad Momentum in the Rosedale area, lives in Mayfair as well.

Bloomston is one of the residents who has remodeled her home and has also seen other homes bought and flipped. She has no plans to move anywhere else.

“We love it,” Bloomston said.

Mayfair has definitely gotten younger over the years, Bloomston said.

In the future, Mayfair may look more and more like neighboring Crestline Village, Bloomston said her husband tells her.

“I do think it will keep its charm,” she said.

Hollywood resident Corey Hartman has had similar experiences in his own neighborhood of 16 years.

Hartman said he loves that Hollywood is a centrally located, diverse and involved community of people with different belief systems and perspectives on certain issues that coexist.

“We know each other,” Hartman said. “I know everyone on my street and interact with them. We have a diversity of opinions and viewpoints, but we know how to coexist and respect each other. That’s definitely a plus and a blessing, and it's something you don’t see everywhere these days.”

Hartman said the school system allows children to learn a variety of perspectives in a “cooperative environment where everybody tries to do the best they can to contribute.”

“We like the fact that our school system is thoughtful about all sorts of things, including mascots and making sure things aren’t offensive to people and that they are inclusive to a wide variety of folks,” he said.

Like in Mayfair, Hartman said he’s seen families getting younger along with older properties being redeveloped.

Though Hollywood has seen some changes, Hartman said, the neighborhood has mostly stayed the same.

“I think the good thing about Homewood — Hollywood at least — is that it doesn’t really change that much,” Hartman said. “That’s one of the good things about it. The fact that you still have solid folks that live there, who are willing to be cooperative, friendly neighbors that look out for you and help out, I don’t think that changes. … I honestly don’t think I could live anywhere else in Birmingham.”

Hollywood also has Shades Cahaba Elementary School to boast in. The oldest school in the city school system, Shades Cahaba has transitioned from a high school to a grammar school to its current state as a K-5 school.

“Being a part of such a historical community roots us in that history as well,” Principal Wendy Story said. “The school has helped ground the community and the community has helped ground the school.”

While the school is associated with the Hollywood area, it has a rich history in the Mayfair and Rosedale neighborhoods as well, Story said.

In the past, Shades Cahaba hosted a reunion for its high school graduates, which was fun. It’s no longer done given those people’s ages, Story said, but the school has interviews on file with graduates from the 1940s and 50s.

The school plays a role in the community both in education and in events, hosting a winter festival each year, supported by Homewood businesses.

The school is a special place, Story said.

“It’s the most precious community of humans that I’ve ever been privileged to be a part of,” Story said. “The kids are kind and giving; they want to help others. Parents are generous with their time and want to make sure we have what we need to support students.”

While it may not be the case across the country, Story said educators feel valued and loved by their community at Shades Cahaba.

City Councilor Jennifer Andress lives in Hollywood and has been there for about 20 years.

“It is just breathtakingly beautiful,” Andress said.

More sidewalks have been added as time has marched on, and Andress said she is working on getting pedestrian crossings across U.S. 31 as well.

Andress said she is surrounded by young kids and by those who have lived in the neighborhood for decades.

The Hollywood neighborhood also includes the now mostly-vacant Brookwood Mall property, which is owned by developers who have not yet brought redevelopment plans to the city.

Andress said it will be important to make sure the developers work well with neighboring property owners.

The once-vibrant mall area now includes just a few restaurants and the Brookwood Office Center, which includes OHenry’s Coffee and office space. The interior mall is closed as the city and the public await what might come in the future.

Councilor John Hardin also lives in Hollywood. He’s seen people redeveloping homes over the years, but the increasing price of homes has caused the loss of middle-income residents, he said.

While Edgewood might be more “close-knit,” Hardin said Hollywood has a good vibe and people work together and help each other.

Andress said she has no plans to leave the area.

“If I ever get tired of living here, something is wrong with me,” she said.