FAQ

QUALITY OF LIFE

Creekside presents an opportunity for strategic growth and private investment, enhancing the quality of life in Homewood and positioning the City for a stronger financial future through 4 major initiatives:

• Generating significant new tax revenues to fund needed capital improvements for Homewood City Schools and positioning Samford University to compete in the rapidly changing world of higher education. (Pillar 1: Educational Excellence at All Levels)

• Building civic assets through private investment that will benefit the entire community. (Pillar 2: Building Community Assets)

• Creating a new benchmark for environmental stewardship and improved access to the Shades Creek Greenway. (Pillar 3: Environmental Stewardship)

• Leveraging nearly $1 billion of private investment to expand Homewood’s tax base for education, city services, and other improvements. (Pillar 4: Community Investment & Growth)

PILLAR 1 | EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AT ALL LEVELS

Samford Horizons and its Creekside District development directly support
educational institutions in Homewood at both K-12 and higher education levels:

• For Homewood City Schools: Unlocks $255 million of NEW tax revenues to fund capital improvements required to maintain and improve top K-12 educational facilities in Homewood.

• For Samford University: Creates an appealing student lifestyle residence environment, positioning Samford University to meet the increasing demands of students and faculty during a time of intense change in higher education. A stronger Samford contributes to a stronger Homewood.

• For both Homewood City Schools and Samford: Enhances connectivity between Homewood High School (“HHS”) and Samford University, providing HHS students with greater access to in-person college credit courses, larger athletic and performing arts venues, and opportunities for research collaborations.

Not at all—Samford is Homewood’s university. The vision and positive community wide impacts of Creekside go far beyond Samford University’s gates. Working with our development team, we have studied how “civic anchors” like Samford University can drive broad community benefits that enhance quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors alike.

For instance, the lifestyle retail, dining and entertainment options in Creekside West are designed to be community-oriented and lifestyle centered, in contrast to the typical student oriented retail found around many campus environments.

PILLAR 2 | BUILDING COMMUNITY ASSETS

Through our Community Investment Program (CIP), Creekside will privately finance and build infrastructure that enables Creekside while benefiting the broader Homewood community. This includes things like a pedestrian bridge over Lakeshore Drive, recreational facilities, unique lifestyle-oriented retail, dining and entertainment that align with the quality and character of Homewood, enhanced public spaces, and improved access to the Greenway. Importantly, Homewood and its residents will incur no financial risk in the development of these community assets.

The proposed pedestrian bridge over Lakeshore Drive will connect Creekside to the Samford University campus, the Lakeshore Trail and Homewood neighborhoods. This will create a safe pathway for students and families to cross Lakeshore Drive, enhancing access to the Greenway and Forest Preserve. Creekside will become an important gateway for public access to the Greenway and provide amenities that bring even more people to enjoy these assets.

Creekside will create a vibrant mixed-use environment with a unique set of retail, dining, and entertainment offerings tailored to meet the diverse needs of Homewood’s residents, students, employers, and visitors while complementing, not replacing, existing Homewood establishments. By analyzing current market trends and local demand, Creekside will feature a variety of businesses that appeal to the community with an emphasis on community-oriented programming. This type of lifestyle development is a dominant factor in shaping the most valued and desired neighborhoods across the U.S.

PILLAR 3 | ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

The Shades Creek Watershed is one of Homewood’s most defining and cherished features. Creekside’s proximity to this watershed presents an opportunity to establish a new benchmark for environmental stewardship and sustainable development in harmony with the Creek and other waterways. Creekside is committed to a holistic, community-driven approach guided by a comprehensive master plan, allowing for the achievement of best practices rather than the traditional “one-off” methods of land planning and development which only solve for singular buildings versus entire districts, like Creekside.

Working with the region’s premier landscape architecture firms and local environmental organizations, as well as incorporating input from our Development Advisory Group (DAG), the Creekside Master Plan goes beyond the requirements of the City of Homewood and will apply industry best practices based on proven design and engineering solutions to support the Shades Creek Watershed Management Plan. These solutions are poised to set the standard for future development along the watershed and beyond.

Creekside has been designed to align with the key objectives outlined in the Shades Creek Watershed Management Plan. Once the City approves the Development Plans for Creekside, the Development Team will work with the Development Advisory Group (DAG) to engineer comprehensive solutions that ensure Creekside supports best practices in sustainability and, protects the natural environment.

This includes a particular emphasis on techniques to improve water quality and storm water management in harmony with land development. Key provisions of the plan will become part of the land covenants required of all future construction in the Creekside District.

No. Through our community engagement efforts, we’ve collaborated with key stakeholders, including the Friends of Shades Creek, Cahaba Riverkeeper, Cahaba River Society and other environmental stakeholders. With input from these experts, we have revised our plans to avoid any degradation or impacts to the salamander habitat. Currently, the Development Team has determined the best path forward is to maintain the existing intramural fields on Creekside East. Even more, we have begun to explore potential site improvements that could enhance the ecological and educational features of the area.

Creekside is aligned with the Freshwater Land Trust’s Red Rock Trail System action plan, which envisions responsible land development adjacent to the Shades Creek Greenway and other trails in the system. To ensure that our plans for Creekside align with this regional showcase, we have retained the architects of the Red Rock Trail System (Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood).

The plans for Creekside include new and enhanced connections to the Greenway and Homewood Forest Preserve, with the intent of improving access, awareness and education related to these unique assets in Homewood.

PILLAR 4 | COMMUNITY INVESTMENT & GROWTH

Cities and school systems across the country are facing increasing pressures on their capital and operating budgets, and Homewood is no exception. Creekside leverages private investment through the Community Investment Program (CIP) to build and finance civic infrastructure—such as a pedestrian bridge, stormwater management and civil infrastructure—at no risk to Homewood taxpayers.

This infrastructure enables the development of Samford Horizons, anchored by the Creekside District, which is expected to bring nearly $1 billion in private investment and create new jobs to Homewood. This substantial private investment will generate significant new tax revenues for both the City and Homewood City Schools, all while imposing no financial risk or burden on taxpayers.

The Community Investment Program (CIP) is a financing mechanism for civic infrastructure made possible by the Samford Horizons initiative. Through this program, the private sector takes all risks associated with financing and construction of public infrastructure for this master planned development. The proposed CIP is structured to allocate a portion of the new incremental tax revenues generated by Creekside (estimated at 16% of total new tax revenues to the city) to support the private financing of the public infrastructure costs, which are estimated at $104 million.

Homewood City Schools will receive 100% of their $255 M property tax allocation generated by Creekside. Importantly, there is no impact on Homewood’s current tax base, as this infrastructure is privately financed and the land presently generates no tax revenue. Under the CIP, both Homewood City Schools and the City of Homewood bear zero risk, with the ONLY impact to tax revenues being meaningful growth due to Creekside.

Supporting the Community Investment Program (CIP) will bring 27 acres of tax-exempt property onto the public tax rolls, generating an estimated $657 million in new local tax revenues for the City of Homewood ($402 million) and Homewood City Schools ($255 million)—at no risk to the City, residents or School system.

This opportunity could not be realized “but for” the private investment in Samford Horizons. Importantly, any allocations to Creekside are intended solely to offset extraordinary infrastructure improvements, not to subsidize private development.

The CIP will capture about 16% of the projected incremental tax revenues generated by Creekside for up to 20 years, a process referred to as “value capture”. The total amount captured will be capped at $26 million (discounted over 20 years at current interest rates), which represents a fraction of the anticipated $402 million in tax revenues that the project is projected to generate for the City.

This investment is expected to yield a return of 7:1 to 8:1 for the City, significantly exceeding traditional public infrastructure investments typically funded by municipalities. Importantly, the CIP does not capture any portion of the $255 million of new tax revenues generated for Homewood City Schools.

Privately financed public infrastructure is common in mixed-use master planned developments; however, the City of Homewood has not previously undertaken master planned developments requiring this level of investment in public infrastructure – estimated at over $100 million. What sets Creekside apart is its alignment with a well established “civic anchor” like Samford University, which anticipates nearly $1 billion in capital investments as part of its Samford Horizons development plan.

This alignment of infrastructure investment paired with a “civic anchor” drives a considerably higher level of fiscal impact to the City compared to other types of economic development. The CIP is designed to support the extraordinary infrastructure required for Creekside by allocating a minor portion of the incremental new tax revenues generated by Creekside as a contribution toward these extraordinary public infrastructure costs, all without imposing any risk on the City or its residents.

No. The private sector takes the entire risk.

• The private sector takes the risk to privately finance the infrastructure up front.

• The private sector assumes responsibility for any tax shortfalls in the value capture.

• The value capture portion of the CIP is capped at $26 Million (discounted over 20 years at current interest rates) from the $657 million in new tax revenues expected to be generated for the City over 40 years.

• The private sector takes on the full risk of any cost overrun that would normally be borne by a city.

No. The Community Investment Program (CIP) is specifically designed to promote growth for Homewood’s schools, residents, and businesses. Creekside is expected to significantly increase tax revenues, contributing an estimated $402 million to the City of Homewood and $255 million to Homewood City Schools over the next 40 years. Under the CIP, ONLY growth in tax revenues is possible.

No. The CIP is structured to allow for the “value capture” of certain new tax revenues (lodging, sales and property tax (excluding Homewood City Schools)) generated from private investment in the Creekside District as a contribution toward a portion of the extraordinary civic infrastructure costs.

TRAFFIC & CONNECTIVITY

The independent Traffic Study filed with the City indicates that traffic impacts will mainly occur during peak periods at certain intersections. However, these impacts can be largely mitigated through minor adjustments to traffic signal timing and lane reconfigurations and extensions.

Furthermore, Samford’s emphasis on increasing on-campus housing to meet residence goals and requirements will significantly reduce both current and future traffic on Lakeshore Drive. The planned pedestrian-oriented lifestyle environment at Creekside West will also help alleviate traffic concerns.

Check back soon for recent traffic study report

The Traffic Study identifies some potential impacts during afternoon pick-up times. However, the new amenities at Creekside are expected to ease traffic congestion during peak periods by providing new spaces for students, parents, and visitors to gather.

This should help reduce the traffic typically associated with simultaneous pickup and drop-off events. Additionally, most traffic generated by Creekside will occur outside of Homewood High School’s operational hours, minimizing any effects on HHS campus activities.

Check back soon for recent traffic study report

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM & PHASING

Creekside has been designed consistent with the character of Homewood and the natural environment (site contour and natural elevations), and its scale and density are consistent with the Lakeshore Drive corridor, the Samford University campus, and other areas in Homewood. Independent market studies indicate strong demand for all planned uses at Creekside, and the project team has received numerous inquiries from local and national retailers interested in establishing a presence at Creekside.

Given the extensive community amenities planned for Creekside, this type of “infill” development is considered one of the most effective ways for a city to grow. It reduces the high costs associated with building infrastructure on the City’s periphery while leveraging “civic assets” like Samford University as a catalyst for private investment, which can ensure increased tax revenues for both the City of Homewood and Homewood City Schools.

Yes. Independent market studies indicate strong demand for a boutique-style, upperlevel service hotel in the Homewood market. The adjacency to Samford University further strengthens this demand. The proposed hotel will complement Samford University and serve as an anchoring element of Creekside and the broader Samford Horizons development plan.

Currently, there is no hotel in Homewood – nor the surrounding area – that combines the level of service, natural setting and community character envisioned for the proposed Creekside hotel.

The vision for the hotel at Creekside is to establish a community-centered gathering place along Shades Creek, where both visitors and Homewood residents can uniquely experience and enjoy the many things that make Homewood great. The height of the hotel will be consistent with that of other commercial structures along the Lakeshore Drive corridor.

Yes. Samford will impose a set of Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions (“CC&Rs”) on the entire Creekside District that will outline certain approval rights that Samford retains, including the types of retailers, quality and character of their architecture, maintenance standards, right to “take back” the real estate, etc. These CC&Rs are intended to ensure that Samford’s high standards are upheld in the Creekside District.

HOUSING PROGRAM

The proposed residential plan for Creekside accommodates up to 435 units, which is expected to include:

• Owner-Occupied Units. Condominium-style ownership of residential units.

• 55+ Housing Units. Housing for active individuals aged 55 and older, complementing the nearby Brookdale community and providing walkability to all that Creekside offers.

• Bulldog Program Residences. Housing with a range of lifestyle amenities and programs, offered in partnership with Samford University through our “Bulldog Program” and charged on an equal basis. This program is expected to attract high demand from Samford faculty and staff, graduate and continuing education students, benefactors, and others seeking an affiliation with Samford.

No, the Creekside residences will not serve as dorms for undergraduate students. Samford University’s on-campus residency requirement for undergraduates will remain in effect, and since Creekside is not considered on-campus, there will be no dormitories in the Creekside District.

To the contrary, Creekside strengthens the long-term financial health of Homewood by generating $657 M of new tax revenues that could not be realized “but for” the private investment in Samford Horizons.

These new tax revenues ($402 M to the City and $255 M to Homewood City Schools) can help pay for new / improved schools, enhanced public safety, and other critical infrastructure. Samford is committed to continuing to work closely with Homewood City Schools and Homewood High School to further strengthen their educational partnership.

One of the important distinctions of the Samford Affiliated Housing (“SAH”) program at Creekside is Samford University’s role as the owner of the underlying land. Additionally, the covenants, conditions, and restrictions (“CC&Rs”) established for the entire Creekside District will set clear requirements and standards for the quality, ongoing operation, and maintenance of these properties.

The quality of the built environment and high standards evident across Samford’s campus will be reflected and upheld throughout the Creekside District.

SPORTS & RECREATION

As part of the planning for Creekside West, the development team is exploring alternatives for potentially relocating the existing Samford soccer and track complex. Until a suitable location that meets or exceeds the needs of Samford’s championship programs is identified, the complex will remain in its current location.

At one time, Homewood Soccer Park was suggested as a site for improved facilities benefiting both Samford and the community; however, Homewood Soccer Park is no longer under consideration as a possible site. Samford has expressed that any future investment in sports and recreational facilities could serve both its athletic programs and the community.

No. Based on initial feedback regarding Homewood Soccer Park as a site for consideration, Samford has no plans to pursue moving Samford’s track and soccer complex to this location. The development team will only consider this option going forward if approached by the City or the Homewood Soccer Club.

Unfortunately, when exploring options or new concepts, initial questions or suggestions may unintentionally be interpreted (or inadvertently conveyed) as more formal proposals. Samford and Landmark had preliminary conversations with the City regarding Homewood Soccer Park as a possible site for expanded track and soccer facilities.

These conversations were limited to advising the City that the original plans to relocate the track and soccer complex to for Creekside East were no longer being pursued due to environmental concerns, and that the development team was beginning to explore alternate locations for these facilities.

PROCESS & TIMELINE

Our development strategy prioritizes long-term land planning, enabling us to implement master-planned solutions rather than approaching development a building at a time. We propose creating a comprehensive Creekside Master Plan that not only meets but exceeds the City’s requirements.

We are committed to developing Creekside in this holistic, community-focused manner because we believe it will yield better outcomes for Homewood and all stakeholders involved. The City has supported us in pursuing this path, and we are actively engaging the Development Advisory Group (DAG) for valuable input as we advance our land planning and development efforts.

A Public Hearing has already taken place with the City Planning Commission, along with discussions involving the Planning & Development and Finance committees regarding the project. However, another Public Hearing will be held before the City Council votes on items related to Creekside, which include:

1. Creekside West rezoning (from PMUD to MXD) and final development plan

2. Creekside East rezoning (from PMUD to I-3) and final development plan (existing conditions)

3. The Community Investment Program (CIP)

It’s important to note that the rezoning for Creekside East is intended to align zoning with existing uses, specifically recreational fields.

Our current focus is on addressing the City’s questions and highlighting the community benefits to Homewood and its residents. Once construction begins, we anticipate that all phases will be completed in approximately seven to ten years, given the strong market demand.

We are commitment to community engagement and will continue this process as we move into the next stages of the development process.

The development team is prepared to start construction on the first phase of the Creekside District within 12 months of receiving approvals for rezoning and the Community Investment Program (CIP).

Creekside is not connected to the Brookwood Village site, which is owned by a different development group independently pursing its own redevelopment plans. Our independent market studies indicate adequate demand in Homewood and the broader Birmingham area to support both Creekside and Brookwood, should that be the City’s desire.

We anticipate that Brookwood will be larger, more regional in scale, and have a different character than what we envisioned for Creekside. We believe these projects will complement each other and cater to the distinct market sectors within the broader marketplace.

As stated above, Samford does not own the Brookwood Village site. The two locations differ significantly in proximity and character. The community- / pedestrianoriented retail, dining & entertainment planned for Creekside West would not be suitable for a large-format development with major regional anchors (e.g. Target, Andrews Clinic, etc.). Similarly, the distance from Samford University does not facilitate the pedestrian-oriented retail experience that is essential for a vibrant campus environment.

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Samford owns the property and has formed a joint venture with the developer by contributing its land through a ground lease. This partnership aims to unlock fiscal, economic, environmental, educational and recreational benefits for the residents of Homewood. Samford is committed to strategic growth, focused on providing exceptional education in a Christ-centered environment, with the goal of enhancing Homewood’s reputation for educational excellence.

Landmark is a national real estate development and investment organization with a broad base of experience in “civic-anchored” economic development. They partner with leading organizations in higher education, healthcare, sports and entertainment, and urban mixed-use and transit-oriented developments. Samford selected Landmark for their proven expertise in developing world-class, “civic-anchored” destinations

The Development Advisory Group (DAG) is composed of a diverse group of eighteen Homewood residents and stakeholders. It serves as an ongoing interface that goes beyond the City’s zoning process for Creekside, allowing key stakeholder to provide objective insights about the development. The DAG offers advice and counsel on the Creekside project with the goal of ensuring the best possible outcomes for the development – and for Homewood.

Their efforts will culminate in a definitive master plan and a set of binding covenants, conditions and restrictions (“CC&Rs”) governing all future development at Creekside. The role of the DAG extends well beyond current zoning discussions, and we view the DAG as an essential long-term partner.

The DAG is comprised of individuals with diverse experience, knowledge, and backgrounds, including expertise in education, environmental stewardship, business and finance, sports and recreation, and community and civic assets.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We firmly believe in the importance of community engagement through transparent and respectful dialogue to ensure that the best ideas emerge and lead to optimal outcomes for the entire community. We are confident that this process is effective and believe that it is working. We will continue to identify opportunities where our investment in Creekside enhances the lifestyle factors that define Homewood.

We believe that Creekside represents a generational opportunity for the City of Homewood and Samford University, and we appreciate the support and advocacy of Homewood residents, businesses and other stakeholders who share our vision. The best ways to voice your support include:

• Calling your City Council representatives

• Writing a letter of support your City Council representatives

• Advocating for Creekside among your friends and fellow Homewood residents

SAMFORD UNIVERSITY

Samford Horizons is a proposed multi-phased, mixed-use campus master plan anchored by the Creekside District, reflecting the core values of Samford’s strategic plan, Fidelitas: Faith and Future. By enhancing a campus lifestyle and environment that promotes academic and personal success, Samford – and the City of Homewood – will strengthen their reputation among the top institutions in higher education.

Samford cannot be complacent at a time when higher eduction institutions are closing at an alarming rate of one every two months. Many competing institutions are re-shaping their campuses and communities by investing in academic and lifestyle assets centered on meeting the rapidly evolving needs and expectations of students, faculty and stakeholders. The Creekside District helps secure Samford’s future while ensuring Samford retains the resources and focus necessary to meet its core mission and purpose: providing education in a Christ-centered environment.

Samford will benefit from Creekside primarily by contributing land though a ground lease with the developer. The most significant benefits to Samford are indirect, as they support the University’s core mission and future.

The vibrant lifestyle / community environment envisioned for Creekside is an essential part of student life among competing institutions and is particularly important for Samford, given its on-campus residency requirement, which is integral to its core mission and values. Access to adjacent community amenities at Creekside will help the University continue to attract exceptional students, enhance their quality of life (thus promoting student retention), and protect revenues dedicated to its faculty, staff and existing campus assets.

Creekside is a private development, meaning the developer is responsible for both the development and financing of the project, not Samford.

No. Creekside has been structured as a private real estate transaction and will not impact Samford’s tax-exempt status.

We expect there will be establishments that serve alcohol, but within limitations. These establishments will offer alcohol as a complement to their food service offerings at Creekside. However, venues primarily focused on alcohol sales – such as bars, packaged liquor stores, convenience stores, and the like – will be prohibited by the terms of the ground lease and CC&Rs established with Samford for the Creekside District.

Additionally, any sale of alcohol will be subject to City ordinances. It’s also important to note that Samford University remains a “dry” campus, and the University will not receive income from alcohol sales at Creekside.