After two decades on Birmingham's Southside, Rocky's Pizza is preparing to close March 19 to make room for a massive retail and housing development.

It's unclear whether the local institution will reopen.

Birmingham developer Retail Specialists announced last year it would be building a $13 million mixed-use development that would take up a half block at the corner of Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard and 7th Avenue South. The four-story development, to be called Central City, will have 45 apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail space.

But the development sits on the space that houses Rocky's, as well as Stillwater Pub, which closed at the end of January.

Dunlap started looking at locations shortly after he learned they'd have to close. He wanted to stay in Southside - it's been good to them so far - but after looking at many places, he couldn't find one in his price range.

"We are not going to go move within Southside, I've kind of taken that off the table," Dunlap said. "I'm planning on auctioning all of our equipment off here."

Dunlap said he's still looking at places down major commercial corridors, like U.S. 280, but the search has slowed. His father's very sick, and that's the priority in his life at the moment.

"I'm probably not going to be looking as quickly," Dunlap said.

Dunlap only learned he had to move the same day Retail Specialists announced the project.

Rocky's Pizza first opened on Green Springs highway in 1986 before moving to Lakeview in the mid 90s, Owner Josh Dunlap said. The restaurant moved 715 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. S. in 2001 after their previous location's owners decided to tear down the building.

"We were closer to UAB, we were able to add dine-in," Dunlap said. "Things have gone pretty well here, until last summer."