Market Watch · The Docket
We track what was proposed, what cleared, what stalled, and what got built in Auburn, Opelika, and Lee County. Every entry carries a source and the date we last checked it.
On an agenda or in an application. Proposed, not yet decided.
A board or council voted yes. We name the step: rezoning, plat, conditional use, or incentives.
Construction confirmed by the developer or the city.
Current as of the verified dates shown
The larger projects: 100 or more homes or apartments, major commercial and mixed-use sites, industrial investment of $10 million or 50 jobs, and public projects of $10 million or more, plus smaller ones that change a main corridor. Smaller projects appear in the monthly issues.
| Project | Size | Status | Last change | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perryman Hill Apartments 3655 Veterans Pkwy, Opelika | 265 units | Approved Conditional use | Mar 2026 | Opelika PC minutes, March 24, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Tree Tops II 2908 Birmingham Hwy, Opelika | 338 units | Approved Conditional use | Mar 2026 | Opelika PC minutes, March 24, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Bridgewater Logan Dr, Opelika | 541 lots | Approved Preliminary plat. Council awarded $1.53M Bridgewater Boulevard contract July 7, 2026. | Jul 2026 | Opelika PC minutes, Oct 28, 2025 Opelika Observer, July 7, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Woodhaven Ridge Rd (Lee Road 390), Opelika | ~624 lots on 304.5 acres | Approved PUD, Ordinance 027-25, Sept 16, 2025 | Sep 2025 | Opelika Observer public notices, Sept 25, 2025 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Crawford Reserve 1300 block Crawford Rd, Opelika | ~171 lots on 73.3 acres | Approved PUD, Ordinance 006-26, Feb 3, 2026 | Feb 2026 | Opelika Observer public notices, Feb 9, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Mayfair S Uniroyal Rd, Opelika | 401 lots planned | Approved Phases 1 and 2 preliminary plats (246 lots) | Jun 2026 | Opelika PC minutes, June 23, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Society Hill Apartments 2900 Society Hill Rd, Opelika | 265 units | Approved Conditional use; 12-month extension approved Aug 25, 2026 | Aug 2026 | Opelika PC minutes, Aug 25, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Springs at Opelika Gateway Dr at Capps Dr, Opelika | 252 units | Started Groundbreaking announced | Aug 2026 | Opelika Observer, Aug 11, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| The Mill (Pepperell Village) 1st and 2nd Aves at 24th St, Opelika | $125 million over ~10 years; 327 homes and townhomes; office, retail, food on ~41 acres | Approved PUD approved 2025; 183-lot plat filed Sept 22, 2026; city awarded $3.34M Mill Village roundabout contract July 7, 2026 | Sep 2026 | The Bama Buzz, July 15, 2025 Opelika PC agenda, Sept 22, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Ridgecrest redevelopment (Auburn Housing Authority) 945 N Donahue Dr, Auburn | $21 million; 106 units rebuilt as 176 (70 for seniors) | Approved Council approved city funding Feb 2026 | Feb 2026 | Opelika Observer, Feb 23, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Project | Size | Status | Last change | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeMans Square and Chateau apartments 560 N Gay St and 560 Perry St, Auburn | Redevelopment; Chateau 126 units | Approved Council approved conditional uses Aug 18, 2026 | Aug 2026 | Opelika Observer, Sept 1, 2026 Auburn PC agenda, Aug 13, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| RISE Auburn 712 W Glenn Ave, Auburn | 240 units, 718 beds; $87 million permit | Approved Building permit issued June 3, 2026; due before the 2028-29 school year | Jun 2026 | The Bama Buzz, June 8, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| The Mark 141 Wright St, Auburn | 329 units, 825 beds | Started Under construction; delivery expected fall 2028 | Mar 2026 | The Bama Buzz, March 16, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| East Thach residence hall (Auburn University) E Thach Ave at S Gay St, Auburn | 680 beds; replaces Cambridge Hall | Approved Trustees approved Nov 2025; demolition and construction planned for 2026 | Nov 2025 | Auburn University, Nov 18, 2025 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Jordan-Hare north end zone events center Auburn University campus | ~300,000 SF, seven stories; events, dining, premium game-day space | Approved Final trustee approval April 17, 2026; construction planned summer 2026 to spring 2029 | Apr 2026 | Auburn University, April 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Project | Size | Status | Last change | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perryman Hill Plaza US 280 at Veterans Pkwy, Opelika | 65,000 SF center; 9-lot plat | Filed Plat back before the planning commission. Grocery anchor unconfirmed. | May 2026 | Opelika PC agenda, May 26, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Birmingham Hwy rezoning 3400 block, Opelika | 18.34 acres, R-4 to C-2 (gateway corridor overlay) | Approved Council adopted Ordinance 022-26, July 7, 2026 | Jul 2026 | Opelika council minutes, July 7, 2026 Opelika Observer, July 7, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Extreme Powersports dealership 4800 Birmingham Hwy, Opelika | $9.2 million permit | Approved Building permit issued May 22, 2026 | May 2026 | The Bama Buzz, May 26, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| The Foundry at North College N College St at Shug Jordan Pkwy, Auburn | 282 acres; 625+ homes plus apartments; 200,000+ SF commercial; 15-20 year build-out | Approved Jolly Development. Council approved annexation and zoning March 3, 2026; final approval of the project still pending. Plains High School is planned next door. | Mar 2026 | Opelika Observer, March 3, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Farmville mixed-use development E Farmville Rd at US 280, Auburn | Mixed-use PDD (size not yet published) | Filed Rezoning and conditional use on July 9, 2026 agenda; council approved a Farmville mixed-use amendment Aug 18 | Aug 2026 | Auburn PC agenda, July 9, 2026 Opelika Observer, Aug 18, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Shug Jordan Commercial Shug Jordan Pkwy at N Donahue Dr, Auburn | 58.92-acre PDD; mixed use | Filed Annexation, rezoning and conditional use on April 9, 2026 agenda. Same area as The Foundry. | Apr 2026 | Auburn PC agenda, April 9, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Project | Size | Status | Last change | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faith Technologies Former Joann Fabrics distribution center, Opelika | $79 million; 200+ jobs | Approved Incentives. Start of work not confirmed. | Jul 2026 | WTVM, Feb 25, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Vulcaflex 3111 Haygood Ct, Auburn Technology Park West | ~$70 million; 130 jobs; ~304,000 SF first phase | Approved Council approved industrial conditional use Aug 18, 2026; site preparation reported | Aug 2026 | Opelika Observer, Aug 18, 2026 | Sept 23, 2026 |
| Auburn Technology Park West expansions, 2026 Riley St, Haygood Ct, Biltmore Ln, Auburn | Shinhwa $37M; 2A USA $32M; Duck Il ~$21M; Kamtec $9.2M; DIA, INFAC, Vertex permits; Seohan Plant #3 and KettenWulf requests | Approved Mix of state announcements, city conditional uses and building permits | Aug 2026 | Made in Alabama: 2A USA, Aug 2026 Made in Alabama: Shinhwa, March 2026 The Bama Buzz, July 6, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Core Scientific data center expansion Samford Ave, Auburn | $55 million permit; staff from 11 to 20+ | Approved Building permit issued early 2026 | Feb 2026 | WTVM, Feb 25, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Opelika industrial incentives, 2026 Orr Industrial Park and others, Opelika | GMB USA $9M, 75 jobs; Yongsan $4.46M, ~68 jobs; BS Logistics $1.2M; Channing Street Copper ~$1M, ~15 jobs | Approved Council tax abatements and state announcements, April to July 2026 | Jul 2026 | Opelika Observer, July 7, 2026 Made in Alabama: GMB USA, April 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Project | Size | Status | Last change | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plains High School and new junior high (Auburn City Schools) North Auburn, beside The Foundry | $241.8 million in warrants for schools and facilities | Approved Council approved Aug 4, 2026; high school expected to open fall 2028 | Aug 2026 | Opelika Observer, Aug 11, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
| East Alabama Health expansion East Alabama Medical Center, Opelika | $76 million; critical care (30 ICU beds) and mental health | Started Under construction | 2025 | WRBL | Sept 24, 2026 |
| Opelika road contracts tied to new neighborhoods Bridgewater Blvd; Hi-Pack Dr; Mill Village roundabout | $7.6 million | Approved Council awarded contracts July 7, 2026 | Jul 2026 | Opelika Observer, July 7, 2026 | Sept 24, 2026 |
This table is kept current between issues. Each issue keeps its own dated copy; corrections are noted on the issue.
Issues
The Mill subdivision filed, an Andrews Road rezoning and travel center, self storage on Samford Avenue, two townhome final plats, and Springs at Opelika under way.
Sources: Opelika Planning Commission and City Council; Auburn Planning Commission and City Council; the Opelika Industrial Development Authority; Lee County Commission (from later issues). Agendas and minutes are the primary record; press coverage fills in announcements and groundbreakings. We report what the record says and label what is not yet confirmed. Issues are dated and are not rewritten after they publish. Corrections are noted on the issue and carried into the next one.
See something we missed or got wrong? Tell us. How Redchip researches and verifies: Method.
Disclosure: the author is a partner in Vanguard Industrial Partners, which develops projects in this market and may have interests in or near properties listed here. General information only; see the disclaimer.
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