Birmingham Firm to Manage Construction at 11 State Parks

Birmingham, Alabama, August 13, 2025

News Summary

A Birmingham-based construction and program-management firm has begun managing projects at 11 Alabama state parks and is overseeing program work tied to $40 million in water and wastewater upgrades at 12 parks. Services include program and project management, preconstruction and field coordination for projects ranging from interior renovations to full new-builds. Notable efforts include a 25-unit boutique hotel at Cheaha State Park, lodge and cabin renovations, bathhouse construction, new cottages and campsite upgrades, a golf-course-to-RV-resort conversion at Gulf State Park, and multiple utility improvements to boost infrastructure reliability and visitor experience.

HPM to Manage Major Construction Work at 11 Alabama State Parks; $40M in Water Projects Cover 12 Parks

A Birmingham-based construction and program management firm has partnered with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to oversee construction at 11 state parks across Alabama. The agreement covers program and project management, preconstruction services and field coordination for a mix of projects that include interior renovations, new guest lodging and infrastructure upgrades. In addition, the firm is managing about $40 million in water and wastewater work spanning 12 state parks.

Why this matters

The work is aimed at improving visitor services, expanding public access and modernizing essential systems at a range of parks from lakeside campgrounds to mountaintop destinations. Upgrades include new lodging, bathhouses, renovated campsites, administrative buildings and large-scale utility projects that affect public health and everyday park operations.

Key projects and locations

Projects are spread across parks that represent Alabama’s coast, lakes and highlands. Highlights include:

• Cheaha State Park (Clay and Cleburne counties): Oversight of a new 25-unit boutique hotel featuring a small café and a rooftop bar to boost overnight stays and visitor amenities.
• Lakepoint State Park (north of Eufaula): Management of the renovation of 44 lodge rooms plus significant aesthetic improvements to guest spaces.
• DeSoto State Park (Lookout Mountain, DeKalb County): Coordination to construct a new pool house with upgraded guest amenities.
• Wind Creek State Park (western edge of Lake Martin): Completion of five new 1,600-square-foot cottages and renovation of 72 campsites to increase rental and camping capacity.
• Meaher State Park (Spanish Fort): Delivery of a new 1,400-square-foot administration building that includes a check-in desk, staff offices and a visitor gift shop.
• Monte Sano State Park (Madison County): Site improvements including new sidewalks, interior renovations of 14 cabins, construction of two new bathhouses and conversion of three RV sites to ADA-compliant spaces.
• Lake Lurleen State Park (Tuscaloosa County): A complete park renovation that adds new bathhouses, a gatehouse, renovated boat piers, new RV sites and a modern playground.
• Gulf State Park (Baldwin County): Oversight of a conversion of an existing golf course into an RV resort with 105 RV sites, three bathhouses, an administration building and a clubhouse that includes a pool, splashpad and pickleball courts.

Work already completed and prior involvement

The managing firm has prior experience in park projects across the state, which helped inform current responsibilities. Past completed work includes lodge room renovations at Lakepoint State Park, the pool house at DeSoto, the new administration building at Meaher, and site and cabin upgrades at Monte Sano. The firm’s portfolio also includes public venues outside the state park system, giving it experience with varied public-construction projects.

Scope of the water and wastewater work

Alongside building upgrades and new lodging, program management includes overseeing about $40 million in water and wastewater projects at 12 parks. Those utility projects are central to park operations, ensuring safe drinking water, reliable sewer service and compliance with health and environmental rules. This infrastructure work is being coordinated across multiple sites to align schedules, budgets and permitting requirements.

State context and funding

The state agency manages 21 state parks and has directed large capital investments to improve park facilities. In the prior year the agency used over $218 million for park improvements statewide, which has helped fund the mix of renovations, new builds and infrastructure upgrades now underway.

Local parks and municipal planning

Local parks departments are also moving forward with improvement plans. In one city, officials are pursuing a comprehensive park study, new open-space zoning to protect parks and changes tied to strategic funding sources such as federal recovery dollars and city surplus funds. That city’s park board reported active construction on an all-inclusive playground, pool repairs and renovations, new playground equipment and upgraded courts and seating at several neighborhood parks. Officials emphasize planning, community input and equity in allocating resources to underused sites, with ideas ranging from community gardens to native plant reforestation.

Project management outlook

The managing firm says the work will improve access to outdoor recreation and enhance visitor experiences. Program-level coordination is intended to keep projects on schedule, manage trade contractors and align the technical and regulatory work required across parks. The combination of guest-facing amenities and behind-the-scenes utility work aims to create more resilient and visitor-ready park properties for future use.

What happens next

Construction schedules, opening dates and phased rollouts vary by park and project type. Some sites have already celebrated completion of cottages and campsites; others are in mid-construction or preconstruction planning. Park officials and managers will continue to coordinate public updates as projects reach major milestones and new facilities become available.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Key project features at a glance

Feature	Details
Number of parks (construction agreement)	11 state parks
Water/wastewater program	Approximately $40 million across 12 parks
Notable new build	25-unit boutique hotel at Cheaha State Park with café and rooftop bar
Lodging upgrades	44 lodge rooms renovated at Lakepoint; 5 cottages at Wind Creek; 14 cabins at Monte Sano renovated
Site and accessibility work	New sidewalks, ADA conversions of RV sites, new bathhouses and campground renovations
Large conversions	Golf course to RV resort at Gulf State Park with 105 RV sites and clubhouse amenities
State park system size	Agency manages 21 state parks statewide

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

Additional Resources

• WBRC: Birmingham-based firm helping manage projects at Alabama state parks
• Wikipedia: HPM of Birmingham / Alabama state parks
• ABC3340: Birmingham’s HPM partners with ADCNR for Alabama state parks upgrades
• Google Search: HPM Birmingham Alabama State Parks
• AL.com: Birmingham has twice as many parks as others its size — the reason is both troubling and beautiful
• Google Scholar: Urban parks Birmingham Alabama
• The Birmingham Times: Park & Recreation enhancing neighborhood parks with ARPA and surplus funding
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Birmingham parks
• C&G News: Poppleton Park awaits accessible playground improvements
• Google News: inclusive playground Birmingham