Birmingham has lined up a tenant for the former Edwards Chevrolet, Sticks ‘N’ Stuff building downtown, that will bring 200 new jobs to the city.

The downtown Birmingham building that was once the dealership showroom for Edwards Chevrolet in the 1930s, and was last used as a Sticks ‘N’ Stuff furniture showroom more than seven years ago, will now incubate new businesses.

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved a project funding agreement with Tquila Automation, intelligent automation specialists based in Austin, Texas, which will make an estimated capital investment of $280,000 to lease and equip 2,542 square feet of space in the former Edwards Chevy and Sticks ‘N’ Stuff building, 1531 Third Ave. North.

Tquila will establish and operate a center for its robotic precision automation technical operations and hire 200 new full-time employees over five years.

In turn, the city will provide incentives of up to $300,000.

The incentives would be paid annually for up to five years, in amount equal to $1,500 for each new full-time employee hired in the preceding year.

On March 7, the city had approved a project funding agreement with Nextec, LLC, to redevelop and rehabilitate the approximately 65,000 square-foot Edwards Motor Company Building.

The area will be leased for use as a flexible workspace and collaboration area for start-up businesses moving from Innovation Depot, or other businesses interested in locating in Birmingham.

“We are committed to supporting community redevelopment and strengthening our small businesses,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “This project does both.”

See also: Old Edwards Chevy showroom building will become downtown Birmingham business start-up incubator

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin proposes; she said yes