POWERGRAMS

30 C alera is Alabama's new "Magic City," having gone from sleepy hamlet to blossoming suburb in a historical blink of an eye. Unlike Birmingham that became a major city overnight in the 1880s, Calera stayed in its cocoon for 110 years before its recent growth spurt. Not only is Calera the fastest growing city in Alabama but is a frequent entry on "best of " lists for the state and nation. Money magazine selected it the best place to live in Alabama, ranking Calera at No. 83 among the nation's 100 top small towns based on good schools, affordable homes and a low crime rate. SmartAsset.com named Calera among the "most affordable housing markets" in Alabama. Nerdwallet.com said Calera is one of the state's "Best Cities for Young Families." "Young kids love Calera because Thomas the Tank Engine makes a yearly appearance at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum," the Nerdwallet report stated. "Since 1999, median household incomes have jumped nearly 85 percent, and the population since 2000 has more than tripled." U.S. News and World Report said Calera High School is the 15th best among Alabama's 500 public senior highs; Niche recently ranked the school higher at No. 13. The impressive new school building with 680 students is alongside Eagle Sports Complex, which has soccer fields and seven softball fields with batting cages. Ricky Cairnes Memorial Stadium stands in front of the school, next to Oliver Park, with another five baseball fields, eight outdoor basketball goals, a widespread playground, benches, picnic tables and covered pavilions. It's a lot different atmosphere than when President Grover Cleveland stayed overnight in Calera's early years, or when President Franklin Roosevelt passed through town campaigning 80-odd years ago. From its incorporation in 1885 until a century later, Calera had hardly doubled in population to about 2,000. Today it is nearing 15,000 residents and shows no sign of stopping its recent growth. The town has mushroomed from its first residential district near the restored Calera Presbyterian Church, which was built in 1885 and still has its original 10 pews. The church that was restored in 1999, the adjacent Akridge Arboretum and a nearby row of century- old gingerbread-trim houses are indicative of the sleepy past. But as one moves in any direction from the old town center, businesses and residences are springing up almost nonstop. Some factories, such as A.C. Legg Packing, with more than 150 employees, and Glidewell Specialties, with about 120 workers in its steel foundry, were slightly ahead of the curve in moving from Birmingham to Calera. The Sysco Distribution Center has employed about 300 local workers since 1999. Alabama Furniture Market opened its 35,000-square-foot showroom and equally large warehouse near Interstate 65 in 2006, offering products from more than 100 manufacturers. Plantation Patterns opened a distribution center for its outdoor décor accessories three years ago. As most of the building boom hopped Interstate 65, many popular chain restaurants and motels have sprung up alongside national retail stores lining Highway 31 and its growing business corridor. For the past 16 years, diners have flocked to locally owned Zapopan Mexican Restaurant, which has outgrown its sizable quarters and will soon move across Highway 31 to a larger building. Calera means "limestone quarry" in Spanish, and the porous, sedimentary rock has been instrumental in the history and economy of the town. Long-standing Argos Cement, Lhoist North America and other successful newer businesses are built on limestone excavation and together employ more than 600 workers. Those products have been well-utilized in building the multitude of fashionable subdivisions springing up around town. "We believe that Calera is the ideal place to call home," says City Clerk Connie Payton. TIMBERLINE Just off Interstate 65 is one of Golfweek's top public golf courses, Timberline, designed by U.S. Open champion Jere Pate and opened 15 years ago. Surrounded by beautiful new homes, its hills interlaced with lakes, streams, huge hardwoods and pines, the 18 holes on 200 acres are comparable to Alabama's most exclusive courses. On Mondays, a golfer can pull up to the clubhouse, pull out the CALERA Heart of Dixie Railroad is a popular stop. Highway 31 passes through the heart of town.

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