American Life Building

The Stonewall Building from the southwest. Photographed October 2006

The Stonewall Building is a 12-story, 84,000 square-foot office building on the northeast corner of 23rd Street and 4th Avenue North. Its entrance was located at 2308 4th Avenue North.

It was completed, as the Doctors Building or Martin Office Building, in April, 1925, just in time to house the Birmingham City Commission and other departments after the destruction of the former Birmingham City Hall by fire. The architectural firm of Turner & McPherson had offices on the 12th floor.

The property was sold in 1946. In March 1947 the FBI Birmingham Division moved into the Martin Building, where it remained until moving to the 2121 Building in December 1962.

The building became the headquarters of the newly-formed American Life Insurance Company, and was known as the American Life Building. Later, American Life acquired the Stonewall Insurance Company of Mobile and moved its headquarters to Birmingham in 1967. It remained the lead tenant of the renamed "Stonewall Building" until 1979, after which the offices and retail spaces were gradually vacated. The building's owner declared bankruptcy in 1983 and the property went into trusteeship.

The structure found a use as a document storage facility until about 2000. In 2004 Operation New Birmingham put it on their 12 Most Wanted list of downtown buildings in need of renovation.

A 2004 plan to convert the building into 48 condominiums for $4 million was never accomplished, though a project to remove asbestos from the structure was completed in 2006. The building is currently owned by brothers Leo and Ed Ticheli who in 2008 planned to convert it into 71 apartments. The schedule for redevelopment for the Stonewall Building was dependent on the housing market and would follow the completion of the Massey Building and Jackson Hotel (former home of the Jimmie Hale Mission) properties, which the Tichelis also owned. The project was expected to cost about $10 million, and stalled out during the economic downturn of 2008-09.

In 2013 another proposal, from Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Dominium, projected a $10 million renovation to provide 65-70 "artist" apartments in the building.

In 2018 Ed Ticheli renewed his redevelopment proposal for the building, planning 137 affordable apartments, ranging from $600 to $900 per month for rent. The proposal was awarded a $182,182 tax credit under Alabama's Historic Preservation Tax Credit program, with an additional $2.9 million request placed on a "wait list" for 2019. Hendon & Huckestein prepared the architectural design for the renovation, which will be carried out by Stewart Perry Construction. The apartment complex is expected to open in early 2020.

Tenants

Ground floor

• 2300-2302: International Business Machine Corp. (1934)
  • 2300: Household Appliance Co. (1926), Rogers Electric Co. (1930-1932)
  • 2302: Brooks-Porter Realty Co. (1926), B. & O. Building Products Co. (1928). Woodstock Typewriter Co. / Victor Adding Machine Co. (1930-1932), Allen-Wales Corp. adding machines (1932)
• 2304: Western Union Telegraph Co. (1928-1934)
• 2306: Massey Shade & Drapery Co. (1926-1928), Addressograph Sales Agency (1930-1934), Multigraph Sales Agency (1934)
• 2308: Entrance and Martin Building Cigar Co. (1928), W. G. Patterson cigars (1930), W. R. Arnold Cigar Co. (1932), Hoover Co. vacuum cleaners (1934)

Rooms

202, 230: Walter Ward physician (1926-1934) 205: M. A. Martin (1928), Provident Insurance Co. / J. E. Ramsey & Co. (1930), Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Co. (1934) 208: Crescent Sales Agency (1928-1934), Glen Allen Sand Co. (1930-1932) 211-212: Chamberlain Metal Weatherstrip Co. (1928), Lewis B. Turner tobacco (1930) 213: Crumpton Realty Co. (1926), Birmingham Furniture Dealers Association (1930) 214-224: VanDerVeer Co. (1928) 214-220: Smith-McCary & Thorp (1926), Cadden Advertising Agency (1930-1934), Automatic Sprinkler Corp. of America (1934) 214: Mutual Investment Corp. (1926) 221-247: Great A & P Tea Co. manager's office (1934) 221-229: Hoover Co. vacuum cleaners (1930-1932) 230-247: American Security Life Insurance Co. (1930) 230: Smith-Harrison Realty Co. (1928) 234-238: Southern Conservatory of Music (1928) 235: E. D. Hixon (1926) 241: L. K. Clapper / A. E. Wroth / J. D. Pope (1928) 247: Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen / Union Hospital Association (1926), The Frederick Co. (1928), J. T. Sudduth & Co. / L. W. Tower manufacturer's agents (1932) 301-302: William A. Burns physician (1932-1934) 301: Alabama Adjustment Bureau (1926), Mason Bros Realty Co. (1928), James A. Taylor contractor (1930) 305: William A. Burns physician (1930) 308: building superintendent (1926), Firestone Toilet Co. (1928), Edgar Stanford / Chester Winn architects (1930), Albert Lattimore tobacco (1932-1934) / Brown Williamson Tobacco Corp. (1934) 311-312: Forsyth & Northcutt (1926), Lucius Walden attorney (1930) 312-321: Alabama Dairy & Food Council (1932) 312: Cotton States Life Insurance Co. (1928) 313: Malone-Zimmerman Realty Co. (1928) 316: Jefferson County Highway Department (1926), Alabama Dairy & Food Council (1930) 324: Jefferson County Farm Demonstration Agent / Jefferson County Home Demonstration Agent (1928-1930) 329: Capitol School of Music (1928-1932) 330: W. & H. Walker Inc. (1926), Todd Sales Co. check protectors (1930) 335: Cotton State Life Insurance Co. (1926), Conservative Life Insurance Co. (1928-1930), Welcome Wagon Service Inc. / York Ice Machinery Corp. / American & Venetian Marble Co. (1930), Morgan Hill Paving Co. (1932), Standard Contracting Co. / Central Insurance Agency (1934) 338: G. H. Davis & Co. bagging (1930) 341-326: Smith-Hartley Realty Co. (1926) 341-342: S. R. Hartley (1926) 341: G. W. Favors (1926), W. C. Sorrell / S. R. Hartley (1928), John Metcalfe accountant (1930), J. A. Metcalfe & Co. accountants (1932) 344: Woman's Home Companion Reading Club (1928-1930), Bar-Trex Manufacturing Co. machinery / J. Lundle Sloss sand / Associated Engineers machinery (1932) 347: American Snuff Co. (1928) 401-402: Edgar Davis physician / James Gravlee dentist (1928-1934) / LeVert Gravlee dentist (1934) 401: E. G. Holliday Co. (1926) 402-408: William L. White Business College (1926) 405: Nixon-Hasselle Co. (1928), American Snuff Co. (1930) 408: Adamson-Boyston & White (1928), Harry Mouat manufacturer's agent (1932) 411-433: National Cement Co. / Georgia Cement & Products Co. (1932-1934) 411: John Metcalfe accountant (1928), 412-413: Typewriter Exchange (1926) 412: Samuel Henderson / T. J. Roe (1928), Alabama Sand & Gravel Co. (1930) 413: Birmingham Real Estate & Development Co. (1928), Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 91 (1930) 415: General Roofing Co. (1926) 416-422: Addressograph sales office (1928) 424: Lewis Kato attorney (1930) 429: Jessie Speer artist (1930) 430: Riderwood Land Co. (1928), Interstate Development Co. (1930) 435: Hoover Co. (1928), American Snuff Co. / York Ice Machinery Co. (1932) 438, 441-447: American National Insurance Co. (1928) 444: American Copper Products (1932) 447: Dearbon Chemical Co. (1926), H. D. Beyer (1928), C. A. Dunham & Co. heating equipment (1932) 501-502: Independent Life Insurance Co. (1932) 508: Martin-Senour Co. paint manufacturers (1932) 510: Marion Steam Shover Co. (1928) 511: Sterling-McDavid Realty Co. (1928), William Bain (1930), Metric Metal Works / American Meter Co. (1932-1934) 512: Joseph G. Ringer architect (1928-1930) 513-516: C. G. Kershaw Contracting Co. (1932-1934), Kershaw Mining Co. (1934) 513: Floyd Electric Co. (1928) 516: J. B. Grant / L. W. Mann (1928) 521-524: Jefferson County Sanitary Engineering (1930) 524: Barnes Lock & Sash Holder Agency / Crawford Distributing Co. (1928) 530: Washington Fidelity National Insurance Co. (1928), John Risdon attorney (1930), Ernest Stuart attorney / Public Realty Co. (1930-1932) 535: Queen Vinegar & Pickle Co. (1928), Newell Contracting Co. (1928-1930), Independent Life Insurance Co. (1934) 538-544: American Mutual Liability Insurance Co. (1930-1932) 538: Harbert Engineering Co. (1928) 544: J. H. Arnold & Co. (1928) 547: Automobile Insurance Co. (1928), Southern Development Engineers Inc. / Trane Co. heating equipment (1930), Murrill Suarez power plant equipment (1932-1934) 601: White & Coleman (1926-1928), Rolf Julsrud engineer (1930), Bullock Bros Co. machinery (1932) 602: R. L. Polk & Co. publishers (1928-1932) 605: P. L. Longshore / H. A. McKinnon physicians (1926), P. J. Longshore (1928), F. B. Wilhite (1928-1930), Lewis Cato / Hubert Olin Jr attorneys (1932) 611-630: Andrew Stabler / L. V. Stabler physicians (1928), Andrew Stabler physician (1930-1934) 611-629: Andrew Stabler physician (1926) 611: J. V. Mix (1926) 631-635: William Sellers / William Lavender physicians (1934) 635-639: T. H. Payne / J. V. Mix physicians (1928) 635: Pilot Life Insurance Co. / Elkin Carter / Bradford Wood (1932) 638: Good Health Treatment Rooms (1930) 641-643: Paramount Coal Co. (1930-1934) 641: Anti-Phymin Service Station (1926), C. H. Paul (1928) 644: Edgar Lightcap dentist (1930), Howard Bowdry contractor (1932-1934) 647: Wilhite-Karrh Realty Co. (1926), Dearborn Chemical Co. (1928-1930), Harnischfeger Sales Corp. machinery (1932) 701-705: Van Camp Products Co. (1930) 701-702: Great A & P Tea Co. offices (1934) 701: Van Camp Products Co. / Mrs W. M. Tyson / Floyd Electric Co. (1926), Investors Realty Co. (1928), Millsap & Partner contractors (1932) 705: Newell Contracting Co. (1932) 708: Physicians Clinical Laboratory (1930), Weller & Co. iron & steel (1932-1934) 711: Thompson Sales Co. (1928) 712: Riceland Realty Co. (1926), John Lauricella (1928), Do-More Seating Service (1930) 713-721: Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. (1926) 713: Shine-All Sales Co. of Alabama (1930) 716-721: Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. (1928-1930) 724: Rubee Pearse landscape architect / George Baskerville manufacturers' agent (1930) 725: Liberty Life Assurance Society / Automobile Oiler Co. (1926) 729: Alabama Cash Credit Corp. loans (1930) 730: L. B. Cooper Realty Co. (1926), Southern Land Development Co. (1928), Alabama Water Service Co. (1932-1934), Southern Engineering Co. (1934) 735: United Palestine Appeal (1930) 738: Harnischfeger Sales Corp. machinery (1930), Natural Gas Engineering Corp. (1932) 741: Howard Bowdry contractor (1930) 744: Burroughs Adding Machine Co. (1926-1928), David Sallerwhite attorney (1930-1932) 747: The C & D Co. clothes (1930), Fred Wilhite (1932) 801-802: Southern Oil Stores Inc. (1932-1934) 802: Alabama Lime & Stone Corp (1926), [Lewis Building Co.]] (1928), E. G. Holladay Co. contractors (1928-1930) 805: Flintkote Co. (1926), G. H. Davis & Co. (1928), Associated General Contractors (1930) 808: Holcomb & Hoke Manufacturing Co. (1926), University Metal Manufacturing Co. (1928), James Burks manufacturers' agent (1930-1932), J. T. Sudduth & Co. manufacturer's agent / C. A. Dunham & Co. heating equipment (1934) 811-813: W. F. Jackson Co. surveyors (1930) 811: Dixie Contractor construction reports / W. F. Jackson Co. surveyors (1928), store room (1932-1934) 812: Loyal Order of Moose Birmingham Lodge No. 447 (1932)

813-820: W. F. Jackson Co. surveyors (1932) 821: Dixie Contractor construction reports (1930-1932) 824: The Reeves Bros Co. (1926), Wright Jackson surveyor (1934) 829-830: The Southern G. F. Co. fireproofing material (1932) 829: W. H. Neville manufacturer's agent / Armstrong Cork & Insulation Co. (1928-1930) 830: The Southern G. F. Co. fireproofing material (1928-1930), Whiting Corp. manufacturer's agents (1934) 833-837: Alabama Clay Products Co. (1926) 835: Alabama Clay Product Co. (1928-1934) 838: Birmingham Sub-Contractors Association (1928), Enochs Lumber Manufacturing Co. (1930) 841: J. C. Colt Co. ./ H. G. Mouat (1928) 844-847: Alabama By-Products Corp. (1926) 844: Mill & Mine Construction Co. (1928-1934) 847: Enochs Lumber Manufacturing Co. (1928), Lester Overstreet manufacturer's agent (1930), Alabama Sand & Gravel Co. (1932), Abbott Blair contractor (1934) 901: Modern Woodmen of America (1926), Charles Koops / C. O. Stover / C. W. Stover (1928), Standard Lime Co. (1930) 902-905: Standard Power Equipment Co. (1926) 902: Lamar Life Insurance Co. (1932) 902-904: Standard Power Equipment Co. (1928-1930) 905-908: Corporations Auxiliary Co. engineers (1930) 905: S. C. Taylor (1928), Encyclopaedia Brittanica publishers (1934) 908: F. A. Robertson / Square D Co. (1928), Rubee Pearse landscape architect / H. J. Tulia Co. contractors (1932), Joseph Eshelman / Kenneth Lord manufacturer's agents (1934) 911: H. C. Allen (1926), James Van Buskirk manufacturer's agent (1930), Julian Kendrick engineer (1932-1934) 912-913: The C. & D. Co. clothes (1928), Alabama State Service Commissioner (1930) 912: Baker Lumber Co. (1932-1934) 913: Automobile Insurance Co. / Standard Tire Insurance Co. (1932), Alabama State Highway Department (1934) 916: E. T. Baird (1926), Alabama State Highway Department (1928-1932) 924: Alabama Advertising Agency (1928), Jesse Harper physician (1930), Alabama Service Commission (1932) 930-935: Cecil Gaston physician (1930) 930: Cecil Gaston / A. E. Town physicians (1928), Thomas K. Lewis physician (1932-1934) 938: U.S. Army Birmingham District Ordnance Depot (1926-1928), Tofey Smaha physician (1932) 941-947: Johnson Overton & Co. insurance agents (1930) 941: American Snuff Co. (1926) 944-947: D. D. Thomas & Son (1926) 944: S. L. Johnson & Co. (1928) 1001: Koehring Co. (1926), Jones & Burks (1928), Alabama Bookkeeping Service / Herman Beyers accountant (1930), Tire Equipment Sales Co. (1932) 1002-1005: Andrew Cameron physician (1930) 1002: The Corporation Auxiliary Co. / H. K. Long (1928) 1005: Tippins Realty Co. (1926), Alabama Pathological Laboratory (1928) 1008-1009: E. V. Sanders Lumber Co. (1926) 1008: H. C. Cobb (1928), Worthington Pump & Machinery Co. (1932), Timken Roller Bearing Co. (1932-1934), Dixie Contractor construction reports (1934) 1011-1028: Andrew Cameron physician (1928), Lester & Solomon physicians (1928-1930), Claude Ford physician (1930) 1011-1024: B. S. Lester physician (1926) 1016: Cheney Lime & Cement Co. (1934) 1030: Associated General Contractors (1928), Gordon Goodall dentist (1930-1934) 1032-1035: J. D. Sherrill physician (1928-1930) 1041: J. W. McQueen physician (1928), Russell Miller Mining Co. (1934) 1044-1047: William Geddes physician (1930), Joseph McQueen physician (1932-1934) 1044: Joseph McQueen physician (1930) 1046: Joseph McQueen physician (1928) 1047: R. L. Polk & Co. (1926), Edward Slater architect (1928) 1101-1105: Truscon Steel Co. (1932-1934) 1101: Individual Container Co. (1928), Power Plant Equipment Co. (1930) 1102: W. A. Weaver attorney (1928), Theodore Lamar attorney (1928-1930), Holmes Long attorney (1930) 1105: Peerless Grate Bar Co. (1928), Harbert-Cargile Construction Co. (1930) 1108: Stephens-Adamson Manufacturing Co. machinery (1928-1930), Liberty Mutual Life Insurance Co. (1932-1934) 1111-1113: Spang Chalfant & Co. iron pipe (1930), Aluminum Co. of America (1930-1932), Herman Hettler Lumber Co. (1932) 1111-1112: James L. Elkins Construction Co. (1928), Aluminum Co. of America (1934) 1116-1127: Birmingham Clay Products Co. / Rust Engineering Co. contractors (1932) 1116: Alabama Lime & Stone Corp. (1928), Whiting Corp. foundry supplies / Clarage Fan Co. (1930), Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. (1934) 1121-1127: Birmingham Clay Products Co. / Rust Engineering Co. contractors (1934) 1124: Southern Oil Stores Inc. (1930) 1129-1130: Bar-Trex Manufacturing Co. check dispensers (1930), Interstate Development Co. (1932) 1130: L. B. Cooper Realty Co. (1928) 1131-1140: Steel City Lumber Co. (1932-1934) 1133-1147: Reeves Bros Co. (1928) 1133-1135: L. J. Milev Co. asbestos goods (1930) 1144-1147: Shell Petroleum Co. (1930), National Fireproofing Corp. (1932) 1201: Alfred Vickery building superintendent (1928-1930), Martin Building office (1932-1934) 1202-1205: Tube Joy Patch Co. (1928) 1202: Bush Building Co. (1928), Marshall VanArman / Edgar Stanford architects (1932-1934) 1205: Mathews Conveyor Co. (1928), Cyclone Fence Co. / Bush Building Co. (1930) 1211-1213: Metropolitan Refining Co. / Southern Bitumen Co. asphalt (1932) 1211: American Window Cleaning Co. (1928-1930) 1212: Turner & McPherson architects (1928), Anthony Howell contractor (1930) 1213: Delpy & Co. contractors / Conwell Realty Co. (1930) 1216: C. P. Lichty Engineering Co. / C. A. Dunham Co. heating equipment (1930) 1221-1224: Turner & Slater architects (1930) 1221: George Turner architect (1932-1934) 1224: Paramount Coal Co. (1928) 1229-1235: Haickel Elkourie / Leo Elkourie physicians (1932-1934) 1229: R. J. Pearse & Associates landscape architect (1928), A. J. Honeycutt Co. contractors (1930) 1230-1325: Haickel Elkourie physician (1928-1930) 1241-1247: Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. (1932) 1244: Jefferson County Highway Department (1928-1930) 1247: R. C. Hemphill & Co. grain brokers (1934) Birmingham City Commission (1925) FBI Birmingham Division Alabama Limestone Co. (1931) Realty Brokers Inc. (1964) Stonewall Insurance Company

References

• Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. (May 1925) "Industrial Activities." Birmingham. Vol. 1, No. 2
• Tomberlin, Michael (August 19, 2008) "Downtown Stonewall project hits economic roadblock." The Birmingham News
• Tomberlin, Michael (February 13, 2011) "Downtown dreams: Renovation slow for prominent buildings." The Birmingham News
• Buchanan, Charles (2012) Fading Ads of Birmingham. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press ISBN 9781609494834
• Poe, Ryan (January 30, 2013) "Apartment developer plans $10M revamp of Stonewall Building." Birmingham Business Journal
• Edgemon, Erin (March 9, 2018) "Affordable apartments set for vacant downtown Birmingham high-rise." The Birmingham News
• Godwin, Brent (July 9, 2018) "Work to begin soon on major downtown tower redevelopment." Birmingham Business Journal

External links

• Stonewall Building marketing site
• Stonewall Building on Emporis.com