Developer previews 200,000‑sq‑ft Valleydale retail center; traffic and landscaping changes highlighted

Keith Owens, managing partner for Alumni Properties, gave a progress update April 7 to the Hoover City Council on a proposed 200,000‑square‑foot mixed‑use retail center at the corner of Valleydale Road and Inverness Center Drive.

The developer said the project has evolved after three years of staff and neighborhood meetings. Owens said the latest site plan removes a proposed fuel facility and liquor store, adds new connections to the adjacent Inverness Plaza, tightens access radiuses to deter truck turns onto Inverness Center Drive, and increases landscaping and screening along rear property lines that back up to nearby neighborhoods.

The revisions were presented as responses to neighborhood concerns about truck traffic and visibility. Owens said truck deliveries for the large anchors will be routed through an improved service drive at Inverness Plaza or via the main entrance, rather than exiting directly onto Inverness Center Drive. He described a raised concrete island and signage to prohibit left‑out movements at one parcel exit and said turn radii were reduced to prevent trucks from using the interior center drive.

Why it matters: the site sits across from Kohl’s and the former Bruno’s/Winn‑Dixie properties and would add roughly 20–25 new businesses to the city, according to Owens. Residents and council members have pressed the project team to limit heavy truck traffic near existing neighborhoods and to improve buffering where the development adjoins single‑family lots.

Details offered by the developer included building elevations with significant brick facing, a village‑style row of smaller shops, and a prime anchor space. Potential tenant categories mentioned were a membership grocery concept, apparel, a bookstore‑café and sit‑down restaurant space, although no tenants were formally announced. Owens said the project team has aimed to match red brick color and architectural cues used elsewhere in the Inverness area.

Approvals and outstanding items: Owens told the council the city has granted site‑plan approval after roughly four submissions and that Shelby County staff approved proposed Valleydale Road improvements and the traffic study. He said ALDOT has issued a permit for median work at U.S. 280 and Valleydale, the Inverness Design Control Committee reviewed and approved the plan, and an ADEM erosion control permit for construction is in hand. He also said the developer has a building permit for the prime anchor and has closed on purchase of the property.

Owens noted two bonds the developer must post before pulling final permits: an erosion‑control bond of $100,000 to protect Lake Heather during construction and a landscape bond to ensure installed plantings are replaced if they die. He said the team has secured an easement with the Inverness Plaza landowner to add the second rear connection for deliveries and customer traffic.

Neighborhood engagement and staff coordination: Owens credited city staff, the mayor and Shelby County engineers for helping revise access patterns. He said the revised layout and traffic controls are reflected in the traffic study and that tenants agreed to the truck routing plan. Council members who spoke complimented the outreach and noted the presentation was informational; the council took no vote that night. The developer agreed to remain after the meeting to take additional questions from residents.

Next steps: Owens said the team is finalizing tenant lease items and will submit formal applications and requests for any permits that remain pending. When a formal application is filed, the council will have the opportunity to schedule public hearings and votes as required by ordinance.