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Project Profile · Residential Development
Townes on Main Standard CBU & Mail Kiosk Cover
Mitchell Metals fabricated and installed a 7' 6" x 12' 2" standard CBU cover in Bronze on 4x6 extruded aluminum posts and beams at Townes on Main, a D.R. Horton community in Gardendale, Alabama, north of Birmingham.
In short
Mitchell Metals fabricated and installed a 7′ 6″ x 12′ 2″ standard CBU mail kiosk cover at Townes on Main in Gardendale, Alabama, for the D.R. Horton Birmingham Division. The structure is Bronze on 4×6 extruded aluminum posts and beams, supplied as a cover only with a 3-box capacity.
Overview
Alabama's other market
Townes on Main is a D.R. Horton community on Main Street in Gardendale, Alabama, in Jefferson County just north of Birmingham. With the three Lennar communities on the Gulf Coast, it means Mitchell Metals has now delivered in both of Alabama’s major markets.
Two Alabamas, two engineering answers
Gardendale and Foley are in the same state and not in the same wind zone. The Gulf Coast covers at Greenfields, Grasslands and Glenlakes were built on 6×8 posts because Baldwin County’s design wind speed demanded it. Two hundred and fifty miles inland, 4×6 is correct for a twelve-foot span. Same product line, same drawings, different section — which is what engineering to the site rather than to a catalogue actually looks like.
At 7′ 6″ x 12′ 2″ this is a compact cover holding three cluster box units, supplied as a cover only — the boxes were the builder’s. The photograph was taken before they were set, which is why the structure stands empty in it.
The fifth D.R. Horton division
Birmingham joins Greensboro, North-East Tennessee, Knoxville and Atlanta. Five divisions that each purchase on their own and each arrived at the same supplier separately. That is slower to build than a national agreement and considerably harder to lose.
The frame is extruded aluminum, so nothing rusts. It is engineered to ASCE 7-16 wind and snow loads and designed to meet ADA and IBC requirements, with cluster box placement following the USPS Builders/Developers Guide.
Project Partners
Who we worked with
Home Builder
D.R. Horton Birmingham
The largest homebuilder in the United States by volume, founded in 1978 and having built more than one million homes.
D.R. Horton Team
Gene Vandevender
Our point of contact at the D.R. Horton Birmingham Division. Mitchell Metals has now delivered in both of Alabama’s major markets — the Gulf Coast at Fairhope and Foley, and greater Birmingham here.
Manufacturer & Installer
Mitchell Metals, LLC
Headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, Mitchell Metals engineers and fabricates pre-engineered aluminum canopy systems in-house and delivers CBU mail centers, picnic pavilions, bus stop covers, and amenity covers as complete turnkey packages.
Mitchell Metals values partnerships as much as the products we provide. Our thanks to Gene Vandevender and the D.R. Horton Birmingham Division team.
Project Specifications
What was installed at Townes on Main
| Project name | Townes on Main |
|---|---|
| Location | 601 Main Street, Gardendale, Jefferson County, Alabama |
| Builder | D.R. Horton — Birmingham Division |
| Market segment | Residential — single-family development |
| Product | Standard CBU mail kiosk cover |
| Canopy configuration | Standard |
| Mailbox capacity | 3-box |
| Canopy dimensions | 7' 6" x 12' 2" |
| Finish color | Bronze |
| Posts | 4x6 extruded aluminum |
| Beams | 4x6 extruded aluminum |
| Scope of supply | Cover only — fabrication and installation |
| Completed | September 2026 |
| Engineering standard | Rated for ASCE 7-16 wind & snow loads |
| Compliance | ADA & IBC compliant; USPS Builders/Developers Guide |
Why these specs were chosen
4×6 posts, not 6×8. Two hundred and fifty miles inland from the Gulf Coast communities, and a different design wind speed. Engineered to the site.
Standard configuration. Single-slope roof on one post line — the quiet option for a short run on a residential street.
7′ 6″ x 12′ 2″. Three cluster box units with room to open a door and stand clear.
Cover only. The cluster box units were the builder’s. The canopy was dimensioned to them.
Project Gallery
Townes on Main, Gardendale, AL
Questions
Frequently asked questions about this project
Who built the CBU mail kiosk cover at Townes on Main in Gardendale, AL?
Mitchell Metals, LLC of Marietta, Georgia manufactured and installed the 7' 6" x 12' 2" CBU mail kiosk cover at Townes on Main. The structure is Bronze on 4x6 extruded aluminum posts and beams.
Who is the builder of the Townes on Main community?
Townes on Main is a D.R. Horton community in Gardendale, Jefferson County, Alabama, built by the D.R. Horton Birmingham Division. The largest homebuilder in the United States by volume, founded in 1978 and having built more than one million homes.
What are the specifications of the Townes on Main structure?
The structure is a standard CBU mail kiosk cover measuring 7' 6" x 12' 2", finished in Bronze. Posts and beams are 4x6 extruded aluminum. It is rated for ASCE 7-16 wind and snow loads and designed to meet ADA and IBC requirements.
Why do Alabama projects use different post sections?
Because Alabama spans two very different wind zones. On the Gulf Coast — Fairhope and Foley — design wind speeds required 6x8 extruded aluminum posts. At Gardendale, north of Birmingham and two hundred and fifty miles inland, 4x6 is correct for a twelve-foot span. The canopy system is the same; the member sizes follow the ASCE 7-16 loads for the site.
Does Mitchell Metals deliver across Alabama?
Yes, in both major markets — greater Birmingham and the Gulf Coast. Mitchell Metals manufactures in Marietta, Georgia and delivers and installs across the Southeast and nationally. Call 470-870-7733 for residential projects.
Does Mitchell Metals serve builders in Gardendale and Jefferson County?
Yes. Mitchell Metals is headquartered in Marietta, Georgia and serves home builders, land developers, general contractors, and architects nationally, including Gardendale and Jefferson County, Alabama. Call 470-870-7733 for residential projects.
Planning amenities for your next community?
Send us your site plan. We'll engineer the covers and quote mail centers, pavilions, and everything else as one pre-engineered package.