21st Street North

View up 21st Street North from Southside in August 2007

21st Street North is a north-south street running through downtown Birmingham. The street begins as part of Richard Arrington, Jr Boulevard, picking up at the middle of the Rainbow Viaduct over the Railroad Reservation. From there it continues north to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, where it bends onto 10th Avenue North, onto which Richard Arrington, Jr Boulevard continues.

21st Street North proper picks up again north of the BJCC, continuing through Druid Hills on a route that jogs to the east and west at several intersections before ending at 15th Avenue North. Another section picks up on the other side of F. L. Shuttlesworth Drive and bends to the southwest under I-65 to 18th Street North. Yet another section picks up again east of I-65 near Finley Boulevard and continues to just beyond 26th Avenue North, where it bends onto 26th Court North. It picks up again at 29th Avenue North and continues through a residential section of North Birmingham to the campus of Carver High School.

Electric lights were installed 21st Street North from the viaduct to 8th Avenue North in 1945 under the city's contract with the Birmingham Electric Company.

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the 21st Street North category.

• Railroad Reservation/Rainbow Viaduct over Morris Avenue (continues as 21st Street South)
  • Steiner Building (former site of William Nabors residence)
  • 12½: Producers' Exchange Building (former site of A. C. Keily photo studio)
  • Protective Life building (former site of Birmingham Ledger building)
• 1st Avenue North intersection
  • West side
    • former site of Central Block building
    • 100: New City Church, former location of Parisian Dry Goods & Millinery Company (1887-)
  • 106½: former office location of Salvador Sutton lumber dealer (1888)
  • 108-110: former location of Galatoire's Hotel & Restaurant (c. 1889-1896)
  • 110½: former location of Harry Breeding's architectural studio
  • 112: John's City Diner
  • 116: former location of M. M. Smith drug store (1886-)
  • East side
  • 101: Landmark Center (1915-), former site of Birmingham Railway, Light & Power Building (1902-1914)
  • 113: former location of Jas. B. Hopkins & Co. iron and tinware (1885-)
  • 115½: former office of Sutcliffe, Armstrong & Willett Architects
  • Florentine Building, former location of Focus Phase II, After Dark, Casbah, and Club 21
  • 117½: former location of Drs. Dozier & Dozier, specialists
  • former location of Richards House hotel
  • Jefferson County Bank Building
• 2nd Avenue North intersection
  • former location of Labor Temple Hall (1904)
  • West side
    • City Federal Building
    • 208-210: former location of Southern Music Co., Hawkins Book Store (1945)
      • 208½: former location of the Commercial Club of Birmingham (1902)
      • 210½: former location of Lippe Dance Studio
    • 212: former location of Home Federal Savings & Loan (1943-)
      • 212½: former location of Charles M. Allen & Son builders (1924)
    • 214: former location of Dr Gus Coffee House
    • 216: former location of Gatchel's Photo Stock House
      • 218½: former location of Dr. Gwin & Co. specialists
    • Jackson Building/Jemison Building
  • East side
    • 209-211: former location of Lunsford Hotel/Colonial Hotel/Milner Hotel
    • 211: vacant lot, former location Charles Denton paperhanger and Dr Scholl's Foot Comfort Shop
    • 215: former location of Jesse French Piano & Organ Co. (1877-)
    • 217: former location of Jefferson County Building & Loan Association
    • 219: former location of Hollingsworth & Frickhoeffer general contractors (1905)
    • Massey Building, former location of Remon's and My Brother's Place restaurant
• 3rd Avenue North intersection
  • East side
    • One Concord Center, former location of Jefferson County Courthouse (1889)
    • Title Building, O'Carr's, former location of Safari Cup
    • 308: former location of Alabama Engraving Company (1905)
    • Downtown YMCA
• 4th Avenue North intersection
  • West side:
    • Birmingham Parking Authority Deck 3
    • 408: former location of Wheeler-Lacey & Brown real estate (1949)
    • 412: former location of Gridly-Lee Ice Cream Co.
    • 414½: former location of Walbert Piano Studios (1949)
    • 414½-416½: former location of Acme Engraving Co. (1949)
    • 416: former location of Birmingham View Company and Knox Portrait Studio
  • East side:
    • First Presbyterian Church
    • 409: Pathways Women's Center/Safe Haven shelter
    • 419½: former location of Plumbers and Steamfitters Building (built 1942)
    • Redmont Hotel, former location of First Christian Church
• 5th Avenue North intersection
  • Birmingham Parking Authority Lot B
  • 517: D. O. Whilldin office (Wininger Law Firm)
  • 524: former location of Herbert Brown Motor Company (1948)
  • Colonial Center
  • Advent Day School/Cathedral Church of the Advent
• 6th Avenue North intersection
  • Energen Plaza (former site of Essex House/Daniel-Branscomb Tower (with the Downtown Club, Dale's Cellar), proposed site of Robert E. Lee Klan meeting hall (1924)
  • Tutwiler Hotel (1986) (former Ridgely Apartments and former site of the Enslen Building)
• Park Place intersection
  • Linn-Henley Research Library
  • Birmingham Central Library
• 7th Avenue North intersection
  • Jefferson County Courthouse
  • former location of First Christian Church and Education Building
  • Jefferson County Parking Deck
  • 723: Sophia's Deli
• 8th Avenue North intersection
  • Birmingham Museum of Art
  • Mel Bailey Criminal Justice Center
• continues under I-20/59
  • Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex
  • Sheraton Birmingham
• 11th Avenue North intersection
  • Social Security Building (1974)