FedEx Ground will build a $40.6 million, 300,000-square-foot, facility on a 46-acre site on Lakeshore Parkway, a growing logistics and distribution corridor in Birmingham, Alabama.

FedEx Ground facility expects the facility will create 285 full- and part-time jobs within three years of the project’s completion, The site is currently owned by U.S. Steel Corp., and 94 percent of the facility will be located in Birmingham, with the remaining 6 percent, including office operations, a parking lot and an access road, in Bessemer, Alabama, both of which are located in Jefferson County.

The Birmingham Business Alliance worked with FedEx Ground to coordinate the incentives process and facilitated early-stage discussions around the intergovernmental agreement between Bessemer, Birmingham and Jefferson County. 

“The Birmingham Business Alliance is happy to support our local community allies and the company to bring this project to the Lakeshore corridor,” said Jeff Traywick, vice president of economic development at the BBA. “This project is further evidence that our region’s logistical attributes make our area a prime option for companies looking to grow their distribution footprint in the Southeast. Additionally, this project will provide job opportunities for our citizens.”

In July, the cities of Birmingham and Bessemer entered into an intergovernmental agreement to support the project, and tax abatements were approved by the Birmingham Industrial Development Board and the Jefferson County Commission.

“This project required extraordinary communication due to its multi-city location,” said Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons. “I am continually encouraged by the cooperation I see between our municipalities, especially when they are rallying behind new jobs for Jefferson County.”

“This project is an excellent example of regional cooperation as we worked with Bessemer and Jefferson County to bring about an expansion of FedEx Ground in the Birmingham area. Construction on the facility is slated to begin around September 1, 2020, with a scheduled date of completion of June 2021. “The jobs and investment are very important to our economy and I want to thank FedEx Ground for choosing this site that we share with Bessemer. I pledge our continuing support as the project moves forward.”

“Adding more jobs, especially during this pandemic, is crucial for our local economy,” said Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens. “Collaboration is the key to success for all of our communities in the County and it's great that we are beginning to see the results from our work. Thank you to the cities of Bessemer and Birmingham and the agencies for working so collaboratively on this project. Our job as elected officials is to improve the quality of life for our citizens. This is a prime example of what we can accomplish together.”