One of downtown Birmingham’s most historic buildings is nearly complete with its $20 million renovation and now has a modern sculpture to mark its new life.

…Owners and developers Capstone Real Estate Investments and Harbert Realty Services held a sneak peek of the five-story, 85,000-square-foot property today as it unveiled a new kinetic outdoor sculpture from New Orleans artist Lin Emery.

“Spire” is the name of the sculpture Emery completed for the Federal Reserve. The red and silver artwork has parts that move with the slightest breeze, giving the piece an ever-changing look.

“I’d always been interested in moving,” Emery said. “Everything we see around us is in motion. So, when I became a sculptor I tried different ways of showing how movement could be expressed and then, by luck, I found a way to make things actually move so I stayed with it.”

Bringing motion to the space is appropriate given the activity taking place with downtown renovation. Within a couple of blocks from the Federal Reserve are renovation projects at the Pizitz Building, the Lyric Theatre, the Booker T. Washington Insurance building and the Thomas Jefferson Tower. All are either complete or nearing completion…