The city of Birmingham will contribute $7 million to a downtown project by a nonprofit that promotes inclusion of people with invisible disabilities and sensory needs.
The Birmingham City Council approved the funding Tuesday to support KultureCity’s plans for what it calls a national epicenter of accessibility, empowerment and innovation. The nonprofit plans to convert the Powell Avenue Steam Plant – built in 1895 as the city’s first large-scale power plant – and surrounding property into a multi-faceted campus.
Council President Wardine Alexander says KultureCity’s investment will honor the site’s importance while positively impacting the city’s residents and economy.
“Powell Avenue has such a rich history for the city of Birmingham, and it intersects with so many other entertainment, green spaces that we want to encourage people to be in,” she said.
KultureCity, a global nonprofit based in the Birmingham area, purchased the 4-acre site next to Railroad Park last year. The $40 million project it’s developing is slated to include a technical college for people with disabilities, an amphitheater, playgrounds and green spaces as well as retail and culinary offerings.
According to KultureCity, one in four people have a sensory need or an invisible disability such as autism, PTSD, ADHD or dementia. Common sounds, lights and crowds can be not only overwhelming but also physically painful for these children and adults. As a result, they often withdraw from public spaces. But KultureCity’s initiatives strive to include them.
“KultureCity – just some of the things that they do for people who have sensory needs – we're excited to have them as part of an investment package here in the city of Birmingham,” Alexander said.
Two Birmingham physicians founded KultureCity in 2013, inspired by their personal experiences, including as parents of a neurodivergent child.
KultureCity co-founder Dr. Michele Kong has said students at the technical college will gain practical skills across a range of fields, and the school will connect graduates to employment opportunities.
KultureCity’s footprint in Birmingham also includes sensory rooms at Boutwell Auditorium, the BJCC and Protective Stadium, a sensory pod at the Birmingham Crossplex and quiet zones, sensory bags and trained staff at the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.
The city’s $7 million contribution to KultureCity’s project will consist of an initial payment of $2.5 million, $1 million once construction is complete and annual payments for five years afterwards.
The city’s awarding of financial incentives comes on the heels of an announcement by actor Kristen Bell that she’ll host KultureCity’s annual Kulture Ball, a fundraiser the nonprofit will hold at Boutwell Auditorium in August.
