BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A long-vacant grocery storefront in Birmingham’s District 6 is set to get new life after the City Council approved an $850,000 incentive package to bring Carver Jones Market to the Heritage Park Towne Center.
The new store will occupy the former Save A Lot location at 833 Dennison Avenue SW, a 10,000-square-foot space that has remained empty since the chain closed in 2023. The incentive package includes $600,000 in upfront renovation funding and $250,000 in future tax abatements to help the company upfit and reopen the site.
City leaders say the project is urgently needed in a district—and a city—struggling with food insecurity. According to the city, roughly 69% of Birmingham residents live in USDA-designated food deserts, affecting all nine council districts. Food deserts are linked to higher healthcare costs, lower student test scores, and greater strain on social services…