Brian K. Rice has more documents, books and articles about Birmingham’s history than his shelves can contain.

Articles and papers detailing the city’s victories and failures dangle from a tiny chain stretched across an upstairs corner in his century-old downtown Ensley building.

“It’s a passion,” said Rice, who is an engineer and president of the Ensley Business Alliance.

He’s the latest to launch a campaign to lead the city and challenge incumbent Mayor Randall Woodfin in the Aug. 26 election.

“We are focused on local business first and making sure we get resources to our under-resourced neighborhoods,” Rice said. “I’m going to be committed to protecting the people. I don’t want our local property owners and business owners to feel like they have got to go to other cities to get support.”

At the historic commercial building, Rice has dedicated countless hours researching, advocating and arguing for preservation and development of the once-vibrant commercial district in Ensley. It now is also the central location for his campaign for mayor of Birmingham.

Rice will hold a kickoff event at noon today at 610 19th St. Ensley.

Other mayoral candidates are Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales, State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, longtime activist Kamau Afrika, pastor and non-profit executive Frank Woodson and Jerimy Littlepage, a newcomer to politics who said he was inspired by Woodfin to seek the elected office.

“I didn’t come to Ensley to fight. I came to Ensley to help people,” Rice said. “So anybody who gets in my way of helping people, I’m going to fight you like crazy because that’s the reason I’m here.”

Rice said all neighborhoods should have a “good ecosystem” of healthy and balanced communities. But he said the city has not made that a priority.

Rice said thriving and up-and-coming communities such as Avondale and Crestwood should complement, not compete against under-resourced areas such as Ensley, Wylam, Pratt City and North Birmingham.

Rice bought a series of buildings just a few blocks away in downtown Ensley. He recalled struggles to get bank financing or even a fair appraisal.

“I’ve lost seven years, but then also I feel like I’ve invested seven years in Birmingham in learning at a deep level the economic concern of our community and the layers of systemic injustice,” he said.

Standing on the corner near his buildings, Rice points toward a vacant spot where the Ramsay McCormack Building once stood.

The city demolished the long vacant historic skyscraper in 2010. Since then, promises of a new building have not materialized. Rice has criticized the process as a costly venture that has yet to benefit Ensley.

Rice describes himself as a community advocate rather than an activist. Now he wants to advance his advocacy to the entire city as he launches a run for mayor.

Issues that face Ensley are also present throughout the city, Rice said, and he is ready to help address them.

Rice noted that the federal opportunity zone boundaries end at the entrance of downtown Ensley just down the street from his properties.

Opportunity Zones are an economic development tool designed to encourage investment in distressed areas. The designations provide opportunities for tax benefits as incentives for private investment within the zone boundaries. But that benefit did not come to downtown Ensley, Rice said.

“This is probably what created the next version of me,” Rice said. “Before this I’m just a mechanical engineer who bought property. I was not in politics or anything. This was the wakeup call that something is going on here.”

Rice, who turns 45 on July 1, said he felt an urge to return home to contribute. So, he moved back to Birmingham in 2013.

Rice said he remembers the disappointment he felt when returned home from college and starting his career. He saw burned out houses just off the interstate as he entered Birmingham.

“I said, ‘I’m going to find a way to go back.’’ He recalled. “I’m here on a mission in my mind to figure out how I can make a positive difference in our communities.”

Rice said as mayor he wants to strengthen the separation of powers at city hall to allow the council to restore its authority. Rice said the city council should once again have its own attorney independent of the law department that answers solely to the mayor.

“Yes, that would be taking power away from me, but this is about the people’s government,” Rice said.

In addition, Rice said ethics would be his priority.

“I am super committed to accountability and ethics,” he said. “We must investigate the sale and transfer of city properties and many contracts at city hall.”