Forge is one of Birmingham's dynamic woman owned businesses! You'll like see the owner, Kim Lee,…read morewhile you're there and strike up a friendly chat. Forge has become an educational and creative hub for entrepreneurs and business leaders. The space occupies an entire floor in the Pizitz building and has a variety of membership options to choose from. Forge also hosts community centric events, like an International Women's Day Celebration, that allow entrepreneurs to network with one another and connect with their customer base.

We used the Forge for a meeting, and it was...fine...I guess. I don't really understand the…read morehype--we had major issues getting into the hall, they were insanely rude when we needed to access the space 30 minutes before the meeting time to set up, and our meeting space was right beside the pool so we had to listen to residents scream the entire time. (One was particularly drunk...at noon...on a Friday). I can understand the need and how the Forge fills it for co-working, but I wasn't a huge fan...it was fine, though, provided expectations are properly set.

This is such a beautiful building location in the Pepper place district in Birmingham, AL. It's…read morehome to several restaurants, offices, and other shops. There is a dedicated parking lot so parking is easy. Street parking is also available. This multi purposed facility is always clean and tidy whenever I've visited. I like how clear signage is posted throughout the building so you don't have to worry about getting lost.

Very professional. Management goes out of their way to make your experience positive…read more Beautifully decorated facility.

DO NOT RENT HERE. If you're a professional trying to build something beautiful, this place will…read moredrain you--mentally, financially, and emotionally. Don't walk--run in the other direction. In early 2024, I met with Jen Bethune (who told me she was the landlord) and toured the BEAUTIFUL Image Studios in the Lakeview district of Birmingham. Just one block away from Pepper Place, with free street parking, and an absolutely gorgeous property with ample green space, beautiful outdoor water features, walking distance from many award winning restaurants, and convenient for most clients, it was the PERFECT location. I was so excited to move my business/salon into this space. I was the first tenant to move in on the first day the space could be occupied. I was told that everyone else would be starting on day one, but when I moved in I was completely alone with only the construction crew still there working all day, everyday. Oh and TROY, Jen's husband and the actual landlord. I can see why she doesn't let people meet him or know he is involved upfront. I was told that he was a "silent landlord" because they are married and because of finances they were both on the paperwork and legally landlords. Once I signed my lease I rarely heard from Jen and only heard from Troy. He was pushy, demanding, and impersonal from the first time I met him, yet always saying things like "I appreciate you" and "we want this to be like a family" (which I never wanted, I wanted a professional business and business relationship like Jen had described during our tour) and "we're here to help you grow and become more successful". Troy told me multiple times himself that he is a Walmart pharmacist and was only going to be involved until the construction was completely over and then go back to Walmart full time. This was a lie. Troy's egocentric invasiveness made me incredibly uncomfortable. Every time I texted Jen (my supposed landlord), it was always Troy responding, which just made me so uncomfortable because I didn't agree to do business with him. A big selling point for me was that I thought this was a woman-run business. I had a conversation in person with Jen about how I didn't feel comfortable texting her because of Troy always responding and that he was not who I agreed to do business with, she later sent me a text telling me that they had talked and decided that she would be my contact from that point on. From that point on I hardly ever heard from Jen again. Almost every time I texted her I received a response starting with "Hey Lindsie, it's Troy". My number one issue in my year of business there was the air conditioner. I was told before moving in that the air conditioner was still being worked on so they would give me half price rent until it was ready. They gave me half price rent for one week, then began charging me full rent for the remainder of the year even though the air conditioner didn't work for TEN MONTHS. Unfortunately, this is not an exaggeration. The majority of my texting was weekly, sometimes daily, texts that it was still hot in my room, requesting specific solutions and reminding them that they promised half rent until it was ready. Every time I texted saying it was hot, TROY responded with over-explanatory excuses for why the air wasn't working and that this was a new build and we needed to be patient with him. But as landlords they weren't on property working in the heat on their feet doing a physical job with a blow dryer in hand. They just did not care one bit what we were living through every single day for TEN MONTHS. (See rest of review in photos)