GREAT PLACES ARE GREAT FOR PEOPLE.
Communities need space to gather, space to connect, space to collaborate. REV believes that, in order to create vibrant commercial districts, communities have to design alongside the business and property owners, their customers and visitors, and the nearby residents who will use the space. When they want what’s best for the community, we call them yaysayers.
There’s a big difference between doing something for a community, and doing something with a community. The REV team believes that community stakeholder must lead their own revitalization. REV is there to feed them: feed them strategic planning, feed them proven strategies, feed them resources and information. This approach looks different in every community where we work, because our neighborhoods are unique and their strategies for growth should be too.
Downtown Birmingham
Through a relationship with the City Center District Management Corporation, REV carries out revitalization services in Downtown Birmingham with the support of downtown property owners. REV conducts regular formal and informal engagement with property owners, their tenants, employees and customers to design and implement strategies and projects that improve downtown.
WOODLAWN
Years of community-led planning has produced a plan for the revitalization of Woodlawn’s business district through a lens of equitable entrepreneurship. Community volunteers are working alongside REV and partner groups like Woodlawn Foundation, Woodlawn Business Association and neighborhood associations to identify and grow Woodlawn entrepreneurs in the district.
News
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Season 2 of Magic City Match is ready to help Black entrepreneurs grow
Filed Under: Business-Proving, Downtown Birmingham, Events, Filling Vacant Spaces, Front Page, Get Involved, Magic City Match, Potential-Proving, Small Business
Magic City Match is a program that transforms lives and opens doors for Black entrepreneurs and business owners. Led by REV Birmingham and powered by Prosper, this initiative aims to create opportunities for Black-owned businesses by matching them with brick-and-mortar spaces where they can thrive. After a successful pilot program in 2022, Magic City Match is back in action and ready to empower a new wave of entrepreneurs.
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How the Big Pitch winner Elysian Gardens is creating community.
Filed Under: Filling Vacant Spaces, Front Page, Small Business, Yaysayers
Nestled within the heart of Avondale, Elysian Gardens stands as a testament to the power of artistic vision and community engagement. This whimsical sculpture park is a place where art and nature converge, offering visitors a unique experience that blends the world of sculpture with the charm of a bar and event space.
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9 questions with Deon Gordon about BHM's Thriving Tech Scene and Sloss Tech
Filed Under: Events, Front Page, Potential-Proving, Why BHM, Yaysayers
Meet Deon Gordon, one of the great minds behind Sloss Tech and a leading figure in Birmingham’s thriving tech industry. Sloss Tech is a vital conference driving the growth of Birmingham’s tech sector, fostering connections between tech enthusiasts, founders, investors, and professionals. This year’s conference is unique due to its post-pandemic return, introducing new programs for inclusivity and engaging students and early-career professionals. Deon envisions tech as a catalyst for economic growth and innovation in Birmingham and emphasizes the city’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the tech community.
HOW CAN REV HELP YOUR COMMUNITY?
REV works in places where it can develop three key ingredients for success. We call them the Three P’s: Place, People, Payers. We work in historic commercial districts (place) where our model is proven effective, we partner with local stakeholders (people) who want to lead their community’s growth, and we look for stable sources of funds (payers) to make real results possible.
While we can’t work in every district, we’re always up for a chat! Drop us a note and we’ll talk about big dreams and realistic plans for progress.
Contact Us
WANT TO WORK WITH REV IN OTHER WAYS?
We love those kinds of Yaysayers too!