Balancing past and present: Future of historic neighborhood Cahaba Project under discussion

The Trussville City Council on July 27 discussed a 120-day moratorium on home demolitions in the Cahaba Project.

Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation Inc. President Amy Peterson O’Brien spoke to the council at its July 8 workshop and read a statement to the council July 27 outlining why a moratorium is needed. In part, the statement read, “Demolition of contributing resources within the Cahaba Homestead Village is a direct threat to the historic integrity of Trussville’s historic district.” O’Brien went on to say that the moratorium will “preserve the status quo of contributing resources in our historic district, thereby protecting its historic integrity, until we can present a comprehensive historic preservation ordinance for the consideration of the council.”

The City Council ultimately tabled a potential moratorium until a later date. Mayor Buddy Choat encouraged the council to plan a workshop as soon as possible to discuss the future of the historic neighborhood.

“It’s just not the right time to do it,” Choat said of the moratorium.

The council agreed that a special-called workshop is the best way to move toward finding a way forward with the future of the historic area. That workshop was Aug. 19, after press time. Councilman Ben Short said he would not be opposed to a moratorium until that workshop, but ultimately the council decided to wait on any potential moratorium. Councilman Perry Cook said bringing out the knowledge of the history of the Cahaba Project is important.

“I think it’s something to protect,” he said.

The previous council approved a 90-day moratorium on demolitions in February 2017 and a 21-day moratorium in October 2018.

The Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation Inc. was founded in 2021 with a mission to support through education, outreach and civic involvement such things that promote, perpetuate and enhance the value of this community as a historic district designated on the National Register of Historic Places. The nonprofit organization so far has had three public meetings to discuss the history and future of the Cahaba Project.

Architect James Sransky spoke about the neighborhood’s unique architecture in June. In July, architect Chris Rogers gave a presentation on sense of place, and Realtor Jeffrey Klinner spoke about the property values of historic homes. Rogers mostly discussed the harmonious architectural designs creating a sense of place in the Cahaba Project.

“You have a lot of houses that have similar characteristics to each other,” Rogers said. “Because they have similar characteristics to each other, they help create a definition of what is the Cahaba Project. There are a lot of houses that have similar designs. That helps create a cohesiveness, that creates a sense of what’s appropriate for this place.”

One Cahaba Project resident said that harmony was the elephant in the room, that if more homes are demolished, what’s built back may not be in keeping with the architectural integrity of the neighborhood. The resident asked Rogers about ways to protect the neighborhood, either through a zoning overlay or something similar. Rogers said most of the places he knows of enacted protections too late, after too much change had happened.

“After the cat was out of the bag, you can’t get it back in the bag,” he said. “You’ve got to do it while you have the opportunity. You can’t do it after it’s too late.”

Klinner grew up in a home that is on the National Register of Historic Places. He commended Trussville and its Cahaba Project as “probably the best-kept secret in metro Birmingham.” As to managing the future of the Cahaba Project, Klinner said as long as the character remains there is no detriment to the value.

“It actually preserves the value from our standpoint because people who want that, want the character and the style of house, they’re never going to achieve that in a new neighborhood in a new house,” he said. “To further reiterate, as long as you’ve got continuity and something in place that guides and sends direction, it’s going to protect the values and take them up. In the event that you didn’t have that and you ended up with a lot of uncharacteristic property, it could have a detrimental effect on the existing place.”

O’Brien also spoke at the July public meeting, about topics ranging from history to property values.

“The Cahaba Project has a legacy in Trussville, and the legacy of the Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation and all who support this mission will be to see a Cahaba Project whose character endures for generations to come,” she said.

Kathryn Perreault recently moved to the Cahaba Project from Forest Park, a historic district in Birmingham. Perreault said that you’re either an “old house” person or you aren’t, and one is no better than the other. She prefers the “old house.”

“I can say that I love the old-time feel of a historic house — a solid wood door, an old glass or brass doorknob, cozy spaces,” she said. “The things I love about a historic neighborhood are the large lots, mature trees, walkability and continuity. There’s definitely a sense of place, both geographically and chronologically. It’s plain to see that this place was here long before our family, and it will be here long after us. There’s something special about that.”

Perreault said she and her husband, Andrew, were looking for charm, a flat yard for their young twins, amenities within walking distance and a quality school system. In this tight real estate market, Perreault expanded her search outside of Birmingham and found Trussville, and a home in the Cahaba Project that checked the family’s wants and needs.

“As a resident of Birmingham for the past 22 years, I’d say that the Cahaba Project has been a well-kept secret from Birmingham residents,” she said.

When Perreault drove to the Cahaba Project home the same day she had discovered it online, she called her mom and told her, “You’ve got to see this place.” She noted the parks, pickleball courts, Cahaba Elementary School, Trussville Public Library, city pool and splash pad, ACTA Theatre, walking trails and more.

“My mom, who lives in Tuscaloosa and helps out with our twins, said, ‘Oh, I was hoping you’d look at Ross Bridge,’” Perreault said. “I said, ‘Mom, this is what Ross Bridge wants to be. Come see it.’ She came up the next week, and she got it.”

Being a new resident to the Cahaba Project, Perreault is learning the area’s history and settling in.

“We’d love for the Cahaba Project to be a model for how a historic neighborhood can stay true to its past, remain easily recognizable, and yet thoughtfully change to suit the needs of its residents,” she said.