Local economic development leaders hailed the groundbreaking this week for a new warehouse project at Port Birmingham.

The facility at 8250 Birmingport Road in Mulga spans 25,000 square feet and is designed to accommodate cold rolled steel coils for logistics operations.

The project is a collaboration between state officials, the City of Birmingham, Jefferson County, the Birmingham Jefferson County Port Authority, and logistics company Watco.

The warehouse will allow local steel producers to access rail and waterway connections to markets. With an anticipated economic impact of $1.2 million, the warehouse is estimated to have a retail sales impact exceeding $800,000, with a total projected retail sales impact approaching $6 million.

The BJCPA leveraged funds from an inland port infrastructure grant administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).

“This catalyst project for the BJCPA will begin to position us as a key economic development engine in the region, and we look forward to playing a vital role in the growth and prosperity of the region,” Mahari McTier, BJCPA Chairman said.