BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – A $30 million, six-story apartment and retail project across from the Birmingham Railroad Park got the green light today to start the development with plans to be open the first quarter of 2015.

LIV Parkside will have 228 apartments along First Avenue South between 17th and 18th Streets, facing the $19 million Railroad Park and one block from the new $64 million Regions Field. The project will also include 2,900 square feet of retail space at its two northern corners and the project will be built atop a two-level parking deck.

With UAB to its south and a resurging downtown to its north, LIV Development officials said the location is ideal. A 750-square-foot rooftop deck will provide views of the Railroad Park and Regions Field and a pool and deck on the second floor will be another amenity.

"The positive momentum within the city center of Birmingham is the direct result of the years of hard work by multiple stakeholders who came before us including city officials, UAB, local corporate sponsorship, the Baron's organization, multiple non-profit catalysts and the visionary and passionate citizenship of Birmingham," said Robb Crumpton, president of LIV Development, the company behind LIV Parkside. "LIV is thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the exciting renaissance presently underway in our hometown."

The Birmingham Design Review Committee gave preliminary approval to LIV Parkside's site plan and concept but took issue with some of the design elements calling them "too suburban" or more fitting for somewhere in Florida than in downtown Birmingham.

The site plan for the six-story, $30 million LIV Parkside calls for two levels of parking under five stories of apartments and retail space on the two northern corners facing Railroad Park. (Charlan Brock & Associates)

The approval allows LIV Development's team to start work on the project but must come back to the committee for specific approvals such as final design, landscaping, streetscaping and building materials. LIV Development's team includes architect Charlan Brock & Associates, landscape architect Nimrod Long and Associates, civil engineer Schoel Engineering, general contractor Robins & Morton and property manager Fogelman Management Group.

LIV Development owns Blach's Lofts in Birmingham's central business district and Terrace Court apartments in Five Points South. The company owns or developed apartments in Huntsville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Little Rock, Charleston, Austin and Port Orange, Fla.

Monthly rents at LIV Parkside are expected to average $1,300.

LIV Development’s timeline calls for the project to break ground the fourth quarter of this year and completed in early 2015.