Next building renovation designs approved

By Grace Lovins

Birmingham continues inching toward relocating Birmingham Next Senior Services from its current Birmingham Public Schools location to the building at 400 E. Lincoln in the city, with the city commission approving architectural design plans for renovations to the Next building during the Monday, May 4, meeting at which city staff was directed to issue a request for proposals for a contractor to develop construction plans.

The city purchased the building at 400 E, Lincoln, the former home of the YMCA, for $2 million in June 2023 to serve as the new home for Next. Between June 2023 and May 2025, the city worked with Next and the Birmingham YMCA to find a way for the building to become a community center, housing both organizations..

Plans changed in 2025 and the city switched back to the original plan of renovating the existing building into a facility that could house Next, millage for which was approved by city voters.

Jim Stock, design director with the city’s architect Neumann Smith, explained that the plans cover the first floor of the building only, totaling an area of 15,828 square feet. He said most of the renovations included in the design plans incorporate barrier-free and life-safety compliant renovations.

Stock noted that the scope of phase one renovations includes new paint, floor finishing, tile ceilings, LED lighting, door hardware upgrades and the like.

Under the proposed layout, the existing entrance would remain in place. The former fitness area will be combined with two of the offices to create a multipurpose art room, and renovations will be made to existing office areas. There will also be a kitchen added to the building to serve the Meals on Wheels program.

Stock also explained that the former child watch area will be converted into a fitness room, the former cardio area would become additional multipurpose rooms, and the gym will be refinished and re-striped to include pickleball court striping in addition to basketball court striping.

“I think it’ll work out pretty well and we’re thrilled that we’re at this point now and we can see the end in sight,” executive director of Next, Cris Braun, said.

Multiple commissioners expressed that they were happy to see the plans coming along for the first phase of building renovations. Some also acknowledged that, while the lower level and second floor are not in the works right now, the city may look at a phase two renovation in the future once the space is available for Next to move in.

Commissioners voted 5-1 to approve the architectural design plans for the E. Lincoln Next building, with commissioner Brad Host the lone vote in opposition. Host said he would not support the plans because there is no ADA-compliant elevator included.