Aldi, UAB medical building coming to Stadium Trace Village

An Aldi grocery store and UAB Health System medical office building are coming to the new Stadium Trace Village development under construction along John Hawkins Parkway at Interstate 459, the developer of the shopping center said.

Aldi plans to put a new prototype store for the company at Stadium Trace Village that will be designed to encourage more foot traffic and a better connection with the surrounding village, according to Broad Metro LLC, the developer of the shopping center.

Inside, the store will feature a fresh design, open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally friendly building materials such as recycled materials, energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting, Broad Metro said in a news release. The store will put an increased emphasis on fresh produce with larger and more visible displays.

A projected construction and opening timeline was not released.

Meanwhile, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System has said it will build a 39,000-square-foot medical facility to house a variety of medical services, including primary care doctors, obstetrics, gynecology, oral surgery and other specialties.

UAB is moving its clinic at 2321 John Hawkins Parkway (near Lake Crest) down the highway to the Stadium Trace Village property on the other side of Interstate 459. Construction is expected to begin in early 2019, and the new office building should open in early 2020, UAB said in a news release.

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, in a written statement, said he is excited to see the Aldi and UAB medical building coming to Stadium Trace Village.

“The city’s vision for Stadium Trace Village is to bring new assets and services to enhance the quality of life for our residents and to further grow our economy,” Brocato said. “I am looking forward to more good news in the days ahead.”

Will Kadish, the principal owner of Broad Metro, said daily needs and essentials are key to Broad Metro’s vision for Stadium Trace Village.

“I want to thank Aldi for working with our architects and engineers to create a design that will integrate into our project seamlessly and for developing a program for the Stadium Trace Village store that helps promote walkability and a strong connection with the surrounding village.”

Aldi grocery stores are known for having a no-frills shopping experience, with only a few aisles and with goods displayed in the same boxes in which they were shipped to save time and money and pass those savings on to customers.

Aldi has nearly 1,800 U.S. stores in 35 states, including 12 in Alabama, according to the company’s website. Ten of those are in the Birmingham area, including stores in Alabaster, Bessemer, Crestwood, Fultondale, Homewood, Hueytown, Huffman, Inverness, Pelham and Trussville. There also are Aldi stores in Oxford and Tuscaloosa.

Brocato said he is excited that UAB has chosen to expand its presence in Hoover.

“The new multi-service clinic at Stadium Trace Village will bring much-needed health care options to our growing community,” the mayor said. “The UAB/Medical West freestanding emergency department has already added immeasurably to the quality of life for Hoover residents, and we are confident the new clinic will have an even greater impact. We look forward to a long, productive partnership between the UAB Health System and the city of Hoover.”

Will Ferniany, CEO of the UAB Health System, said UAB recognizes the need to bring its expertise and outstanding facilities to the places where people work and live.

“Hoover is the sixth-largest city in Alabama, and along with other communities in south and southwest Jefferson County, continues to experience tremendous growth,” Ferniany said. “The Hoover medical office building continues our efforts to make it easier for residents of Alabama, especially west Jefferson County, to access the world-class care available from UAB Medicine.”

In addition to its flagship facilities clustered in Birmingham’s Southside, UAB Medicine operates neighborhood clinics in Hoover, Leeds, Gardendale and Inverness, along with an urgent care clinic in Birmingham. Additional facilities include the Heart and Vascular Clinic and the Comprehensive Cancer Center on Acton Road and Neurosurgery at Greystone.

UAB also is building a new freestanding emergency department and medical office building in Gardendale. Those facilities are expected to open in spring 2019.

Land clearing and site preparation for Stadium Trace Village started last year, and the first parts of the project are projected to open late this year, Broad Metro said. The development also is expected to include hotels, restaurants and specialty retail shops.