Have you ever noticed that no one ever talks about how Birmingham, AL looks from the north?

I went looking for photos online showing what the view would be like and I couldn’t find anything.

A few specific images seem etched in my mind from drives coming back into the city from trips north. I wasn’t sure if I was just imagining things or not, so I went for a drive on Thursday morning.

I took I-65 north to the Walkers Chapel Road exit, bought some gas and then got back on the interstate to see if my suspicion was correct.

It was. It was also an interesting reminder of how many should be looking at the city’s north side as development shifts to this side of Red Mountain in the relatively near future.

The first building you’ll see after getting off a completed Interstate 22 from Memphis and seeing the “Birmingham City Limits” sign will be Carver High School.

The first time you see the city’s skyline as it appears to rise from the treetops over Druid Hills to your left, you’ll also notice a blue star, not shining as brightly as it once did, sitting atop a complex of buildings.

It’s the former Carraway Hospital.

It’s also the first impression that we’ll get to make on folks driving in from Huntsville and Memphis and a complex at the middle of a heated debate that has the potential to impact how we view the heart of Jones Valley for some time to come.

This is something that should be considered as discussions about what to do with the former hospital complex continue to take place. There is currently one proposal to convert the property into the home for a re-entry program and other nonprofit organizations.

I’m thinking that very few people (if any) are thinking about the property’s location and significance as a visual landmark when crafting their arguments for or against the proposal.

There is a significantly large group of homeowners (and renters) living in Druid Hills, Fountain Heights and Norwood hoping that the site will be used for a purpose that brings significant additional reinvestment into the surrounding community who understandibly do not see a project like The Village fulfilling that role.

The thing is there aren’t that many other proposals out there, despite the site’s location.

There have been rumblings suggesting that perhaps our local VA hospital could benefit a move from a landlocked property surrounded by UAB to a place that provides a chance to grow and serve more people. It also wouldn’t hurt from better overall interstate access. There’s no doubt that there would be continued interest in providing new restaurants and retail to serve those working at and using such a facility.

That same highway access and proximity to new construction adjacent to the BJCC suggests that a mixed-use development with shops and condos would give residents one more area to explore and support without needing to drive south. It would also provide another form of revenue for the city as it would give folks a reason to shop within the city limits.

Why should it matter? Why should it not just be about the jobs but about the overall impact to the city and the surrounding community? Think about that first impression. When someone asks you what’s that blue star all about, think about what you want to tell someone is going on there. Think of the story that can be told and why something is located along a road that is bound to see increased traffic in the next few years.

It’s also where we’ll be going to do more shopping and living in metro Birmingham if we continue to ignore or put off the issues affecting traffic conditions along Highway 280 and I-65 southbound.

It suddenly makes you at least start to think about why what ends up there matters, doesn’t it?

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com. He is also lives in Birmingham’s Norwood neighborhood.

Photos: Birmingham’s skyline from it’s highest point. acnatta/Flickr; Physicians Medical Center Carraway. Dystopos/Flickr