Alabama builders pulled 21 permits for projects worth more than $1 million last week, in Auburn, Decatur, Huntsville and the Birmingham metro, Bham Now reported using data from Report Construction LLC.
Publix adds on in McCalla
One of the priciest permits went to Publix Super Markets for an expansion of its distribution center at 7200 Jefferson Metropolitan Parkway in McCalla. The permit, valued at $11,084,950 and issued Oct. 16, covers an expansion that includes a new fleet maintenance facility, according to Bham Now. The project is expected to be finished by summer 2027. Publix is listed as both builder and owner on the permit.
Bham Now said Publix's growth across Alabama made the expansion necessary.
The biggest ticket in Madison County
The largest permit on the list was $19.2 million at 116 Black Walnut Drive in Madison County, issued Oct. 12. Bob Morrow Construction Company Inc. is listed as both builder and owner. The permit list does not describe the type of project.
Seven permits at one Huntsville address
Rev3 Builder LLC pulled seven permits on Oct. 16 for units at 410 Plummer Road NW in Huntsville, each valued at $1,111,974. The units listed are 3, 4, 5, 21, 22, 23 and 24, for a combined total of about $7.8 million.
Birmingham metro
The Birmingham area had several large permits on Oct. 12:
- $5,012,000 at 5267 Highway 280, Winkel Construction, for Aussie Realty Partners LLC
- $4,482,000 at 2012 N. First Ave., Modern Quality Construction, for HCP Calico LLC
- $2,780,000 at 5549 Derby Drive, Brasfield & Gorrie LLC
- $4,625,109 at 7349 Old Overton Club Drive in Vestavia Hills, Mimikakis Construction
In Alabaster, Culbertson Contractors LLC pulled a $1.5 million permit at 18 Wilderness Lane on Oct. 16.
East Alabama and the Tennessee Valley
Other permits on the list:
- Auburn: $1,804,632 at 3131 Deerwood and $1,350,000 at 500 Dumas Drive, both owner-builder permits
- Opelika: two permits of $1,475,000 each at 2605 Society Hill Road, J A Lett Construction Company
- Decatur: $1,001,306 at 4101 Mountain Valley Road, Maze Custom Homes
- Madison County: $1,090,000 at 283 Pine Grove Road (builder not listed) and $1,166,394 at 244 Henry Taylor Road, A&C Builders LLC
The permit list gives addresses, builders, owners and values, but not project types for most entries.
Why it matters for contractors
Weekly permit lists like this are one of the best early signals of where work is about to start. Every permit on this list is a job where a general contractor has already been named, which means subcontractors and suppliers know exactly who to call.
The Publix job stands out. A distribution center expansion with a new fleet maintenance building brings work for site, concrete, steel, mechanical and electrical trades, and a summer 2027 completion target means activity through the coming year. Subs who want in should reach out to Publix's construction team now.
Huntsville continues to show strong residential-scale activity, with seven Rev3 Builder permits at the same Plummer Road address. Repeat permits at a single address often point to a multi-unit or phased project, which can be a good fit for framing, roofing, drywall and finish crews looking for steady work in one place.
In the Birmingham metro, names like Brasfield & Gorrie, Winkel Construction and Mimikakis Construction are on new permits. Specialty contractors in the Highway 280 corridor and Vestavia Hills should check whether those jobs are still buying out trades.
Contractors can track these permits week to week through Bham Now's ongoing reports and Report Construction's data.