The Hwy 280 Corridor is a unique area of neighborhoods extending from Hwy 280 at I-459 east to Chelsea, and consists of upscale subdivisions and the businesses, schools, and restaurants that serve them. There is a great diversity of housing including gated communities with country clubs and golf courses and/or tennis clubs; garden homes, executive and luxury homes, many with sweeping views of Double Oak Mountain.
Highway 280 is a classic two lane US highway beginning in Homewood/Mt. Brook at the end of the Red Mountain Expressway and continuing southeast as the major access to southeastern Alabama towns of Sylacauga, Childersburg, Alexander City, the Auburn Opelika area and then on to Columbus, GA. Over time, the Birmingham segment has been widened but still has limited access and traffic enters and exits from the businesses, service stations, and restaurants along the way.
The speed limit is 55mph.
The Hwy 280 Corridor serves as the epicenter of life for thousands of Birmingham and Hoover residents and while they struggle with some of the most congested traffic patterns in the area, they are devotees of Hwy 280 Living and consider it a rich offering of all the services needed to lead an enjoyable lifestyle at an affordable price. The Summit is an upscale shopping center that serves all of the Birmingham Metropolitan area but is particularly convenient to Hwy 280 living since it is located on Hwy 280 and is considered the beginning of the Hwy 280 Corridor.
The Hwy 280 Corridor is mainly in Shelby County although a small part is in Jefferson County and is considered part of the Greater Birmingham/Hoover Metro area. Over the past 20 years, there has been incredible growth that has progressed eastward beyond Double Oak Mountain and on to Chelsea with impressive new residential neighborhoods and commercial construction projects.
The following types of housing are readily available along the Hwy 280 Corridor:
•Single Family Homes from $150,000 to $4,750,000
•New Construction Homes from $234,000 to $1,800,000
•Townhomes from $200,000 to $265,000
•Patio Homes from $150,000 to $480,000
•Golf Community Homes from $200,000 to 2,200,000
•Luxury Homes from $1,000,000 to $4,500,000
Approximately 1164 homes were sold along the Hwy 280 corridor during 2008.
Prices are expected to stabilize during 2009.
The predominant neighborhoods and subdivisions along the Hwy 280 Corridor include the following: Inverness, Edenton, Brook Highland, Meadowbrook, Greystone, Eagle Point, Highland Lakes, Mt. Laurel, The Narrows, Forest Parks, Forest Lakes, and Chelsea.
It is unique to find such a concentration of golf communities along only a 5.5 mile highway strip. Golf communities include Inverness, Greystone Golf and Country Club, Eagle Point, and Shoal Creek.
The zip codes for The Hwy 280 Corridor include: 35242, and 35043, 35147, 35051.
The Hwy 280 Corridor is served by 2 school systems: Hoover School System, and Shelby County School System. Within the Shelby County School System are Oak Mountain Schools, and Chelsea Schools, both serving neighborhoods along Hwy 280.
The Hoover elementary school that serves the Hwy 280 Corridor neighborhoods is: Greystone Elementary. The elementary schools in the Oak Mountain Schools along the Hwy 280 Corridor are Inverness Elementary and Oak Mountain Elementary. The Chelsea School system elementary school for the Hwy 280 Corridor is Mt. Laurel Elementary in Mt. Laurel.
Private schools in the area include: Indian Springs Preparatory School, Joseph S. Bruno Montessori Academy, Briarwood Christian School, Our Lady of the Valley School, Shelby Academy, Coosa Valley Academy, Cornerstone Christian School, and Haven Christian Academy,.
Good healthcare is readily available all up and down the Hwy 280 Corridor. St. Vincent’s, one of the leading hospitals in Birmingham has a Wellness Center on Hwy 119, and Trinity Hospital announced in late September of 2008 that they will invest $236 million to buy and finish the abandoned HealthSouth digital hospital on Hwy 280. They also announced plans to develop a $90 million medical office building on the former HealthSouth corporate campus. |