The Edge development gains city approval, coffee shop/dessert bar tenant

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Monday was a good day for developer JJ Thomas. His Green Springs Highway project — The Edge — officially got its first signed tenant when the Homewood City Council gave final approval to the project.

Thomas told The Homewood Star the first tenant is Baba Java.

“It’s a coffee shop out of Hoover,” he said. “They’re also doing a Popbar store. It will be a combined store – Baba Java and Popbar.”

Popbar sells frozen desserts and gelato on sticks. Baba Java also has agreements for co-branding with Popbar at a new location coming to Meadow Brook soon and a future location planned to open next year in downtown Birmingham at the former Powell Steam Plant. The original Baba Java is in Riverchase, and a second location was opened in Montevallo in February.

The Edge is a mixed-use development at 815 Green Springs Highway across from the McDonald's restaurant. The developer is taking two existing buildings and turning them into about 6,300 square feet of mixed-use space for food and beverages.

Thomas will add about 5,000 square feet in the development for retail. Additionally, it will have around 5,000 to 8,000 square feet of outdoor turf/stage/entertainment space and another 7,000 square feet of covered seating.

Responding to a question from Councilman Nick Sims, Thomas said there is no plan for vehicular access from the Columbiana Road side of the development. On the east side of The Edge will be a sidewalk “for strollers and walking.”

“We’re getting the permit, and we’ll start painting the buildings later this week,” Thomas said. “We hope to finish and turn it over to the tenants at the end of the year. These are the two existing buildings. There’s a new building that won’t be ready until May.”

The Homewood City Council also on Monday:

  • Granted a sign variance to Ashley Mac’s at 1831 28th Ave. S., Suite N101. The company recently rebranded, and the variance allows its logo to be 10 inches taller on its sign.
  • Accepted the bid of $583,060 from JJ Morley Enterprises for repair and restoration of the City Hall parking deck. Money for that project will come from the fiscal 2024 city budget.
  • Approved a buyout of the city’s recycling contract with Republic Services, which still had five months left on its contract. Homewood will pay the company a negotiated final payment of $81,575. Republic had been under contract to handle the city’s recycling until the end of 2023, but Homewood joined the Cahaba Solid Waste Disposal Authority last month and on Aug. 1 ended its practice of having city employees collect garbage and trash. Amwaste, which has a contract with the authority, started picking up garbage and recycling in Homewood on Aug. 1.
  • Amended the fiscal 2023 budget to provide for repairs and upgrades to East Glenwood Drive. The city will spend $94,500 to repair gutters and the street because of damage from a natural spring under the road. The mayor has not yet been authorized to sign a contract, and no vendor has been selected.
  • Amended the fiscal 2023 budget to account for $10,000 spent on ongoing roof, lighting, plumbing and air conditioning repairs at the Homewood Public Library and $3,000 for library supplies and archival materials. The money came from unspent funds for part-time wages.
  • Appointed Gary Johnson as the Ward 3 representative to the Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Gave approval for the Cantina Tortilla Grill at 162 Oxmoor Road to sell liquor.
  • Set public hearings for 6 p.m. on Aug. 28 to consider sign variances for Advance America at 300 Oxmoor Road, Suite 101, and Once Upon A Time at 2844 18th St. S.
  • Delayed a public hearing to consider vacating a portion of right of way at 25th Court South. The hearing now will be at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11.  

Editor's note: This story was updated on Aug. 16 to include information about Baba Java having opened a location in Montevallo in February.