New commercial developments in the rural community of McCalla
When Kim Jenkins first moved to McCalla, it was just a sleepy farm town with rolling hill pastures and a few homes scattered here and there. A local Realtor with Vylla Home, Jenkins moved to the community about 24 years ago simply for the convenience of being halfway between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. “There was really nothing here until about 10 to 20 years ago — just the one school and maybe a gas station, but now we have that new, bustling little commerce area near Interstate 459.” Along with grocery stores, restaurants and a central industrial park, a state-of-the-art hospital opened in McCalla in 2024. “It’s been a great and pretty vital addition to the community because before, the closest hospital was about 20 miles away in Birmingham,” Jenkins says. While folks “certainly appreciate all the new conveniences,” a lot of lifelong residents “miss the laid-back, truly rural living,” she says. “We still have quite a bit of farmland, but it’s definitely changed the way of life here.”
Enjoy a mix of farm and suburban lifestyles when you are in McCalla.
Enjoy a beautiful sunny day in McCalla.
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New townhomes and houses around McAdory High School
Modern subdivisions branch out from the two-lane highways bordering McCalla’s central rail yard and industrial park. New construction one-story townhomes and two-story houses sit in packed subdivisions around McAdory High School and the new shopping center. With next-door conveniences, these contemporary Craftsman and Tudor-style homes sell fast and typically cost between $200,000 and $500,000. Similarly priced new traditional homes with carpet-like green lawns date back to the early 2000s further down Eastern Valley Road. These quieter homes offer spacious half-acre yards lined with dense woodlands. Those seeking even more green space and privacy can check out the original cape-cods and ranch-style homes scattered throughout McCalla. Dating back to the 1990s, the one-story homes offer multi-acre wooded lots and usually range between $300,000 to $330,000.
Enjoy a walk down a quiet street in McCalla.
Admire this gorgeous new home in McCalla.
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McAdory High students can choose from 9 Signature Academies
McCalla students are zoned for Jefferson County Schools. Preschoolers can start at McAdory Elementary, which scores a B on Niche. McAdory Middle and McAdory High Schools both earn a C-plus. Students at McAdory High School can study at one of the nine Signature Academies, which include manufacturing, agriscience and automotive technology.
Macadory Middle School strives for great academics near McCalla.
Macadory High School teaches future leaders near McCalla.
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New developments bring more traffic to Interstate 459
McCalla’s central location and direct highway access make it easy to get into Downtown Birmingham, but the commute isn’t as fast as it used to be. “The new developments around Interstate 459 have brought a lot of traffic to that area,” says Jeremy Galloway, a local resident and Realtor with Southern State Realty Partners. This major highway links to Interstate 20 on the west side of McCalla. From here, commuters can drive 20 miles north to Birmingham or head 40 miles south to Tuscaloosa.
Enjoy the tree covered areas of McCalla.
Take the short drive to downtown and check out the Birmingham Museum of Art near McCalla.
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The Shoppes at Letson Farms has groceries and a few local restaurants
On the north end of McCalla, new commercial developments sit on either side of Interstate 459. The Shoppes at Letson Farms is a new retail center anchored by Piggly Wiggly/Ace Hardware, a one-stop shop where locals find farm-fresh produce and basic home improvement supplies. Family-owned restaurants like All Original Pizzeria are just a few doors down, and fast food chains outline the parking lot. Colonial Promenade Tannehill is a larger shopping center just across the freeway. It has Publix, Target and other national retailers, along with the local movie theater.
Take in the retail options in McCalla.
Shop until you drop at one of the shopping centers near McCalla.
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Grace Life Baptist Church built a new 60-acre park
A long gravel road leads to the fenced-in baseball fields at McCalla Ballpark, where families gather to watch Little League games compete each spring. Grace Life Baptist Church recently finished developing Shadow Lake along Interstate 459. Once an old dairy farm, the 60-acre park is now a shared community space where folks can go fishing or hang out around the firepit. Anyone can pay to play at Bent Brook Golf Course, which has 27-holes and an on-site restaurant. Over 1,500 acres of riverside hiking trails and a 19th century iron-making facility are just south of McCalla at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park.
Hit a home run at the McCalla Ball Park.
Shoot some hoops at Shadow Lake in McCalla.
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Crime
McCalla has an overall CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4.
Brad and Betty are expert real estate agents with ARC Realty in Birmingham, AL and the nearby area, providing home-buyers and sellers with professional, responsive and attentive real estate services. They boast over 50 years of combined experience so they bring vision, passion, and knowledge to the buying and selling process. Brad and Betty are teamed with the best professionals in an array of businesses so you don't have to worry about the process going smoothly. If you are ready for the journey of buying or selling reach out to the pros.
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