Roden Block

The Roden Block in the 1890s

Paramount Candies and Parisian in the Roden Block in a 1941 Birmingham News photo

The Roden Block or Roden's Block, also called the Roden Building or, now, the Ingram Building is a commercial structure developed by Benjamin Roden before 1884 at the northwest corner of 2nd Avenue North and 20th Street North.

The richly-ornamented three-story commercial block with its heavy cornice and corner pediments was designed by architect Charles Wheelock. The building was constructed of pressed-brick with stone trim. The 2nd Avenue facade was the building's apparent "front", with blank walls facing 20th Street. Roden's grocery occupied the lower floor with a corner entrance. Offices were located on the second floor and sleeping rooms on the top.

The Young Men's Christian Association rented a suite of rooms in the building on October 16, 1885. Birmingham National Bank replaced Roden's grocery April 1887. According to an 1887 business directory, the Birmingham Board of Aldermen held their meetings in the Roden Building.

In 1937 the Roden Block and adjacent Caheen Building at 1924 2nd Avenue North were combined and completely renovated by Miller, Martin & Lewis Architects for Parisian stores. The cornices were removed, window openings enlarged, and a new white stone cladding was installed with simplified geometric details. Parisian's storefront was completely updated again in a 1950 renovation that also included excavation of a storage basement and a mezzanine-level men's store. The new entrance, clad in glass and Alabama marble, featured the nation's first installation of touch-action hydraulically-operated doors, as well as backlit plexi-glass and neon signage.

A 2011 renovation for owners Kent and Angie Ingram was designed by architect Jeremy Erdreich.

Tenants

• Ground floor
  • 200: United Cigar Store (c. 1929), Paramount Candies (1930s), Corner Soda (1940s-50s), Paramount yogurt shop (2011–2013), Paramount bar (2013–)
  • 202: shoe store/tobacco shop (c. 1929), Watts Apparel Shop (c. 1931)
  • 204: Bonton Hatter (c. 1929), Betty Maid Dresses, Zoe's Candies (1964), Subway Restaurant
  • 206: Hanover Jewelry (c. 1929-1964)
• Birmingham National Bank (1887-)
  • Benjamin Roden's grocery, Parisian (1937-1989)
• Butler's Shoes
• Wall & Giacopazzi wholesale produce (1880s)
• Upper floors
  • M. W. Steele, architect (1884-)
  • Thomson & Berry, real estate & insurance brokers (1884–)
  • offices of the Avondale Stove & Foundry Co. (1887–)
  • Ingram Law Offices
  • YMCA (1885-1926)

References

• Pocket Business Directory and Guide to Birmingham, Ala. (1887) - accessed January 16, 2007
• White, Marjorie Longenecker (1977) Downtown Birmingham: Architectural and Historical Walking Tour Guide. Birmingham: Birmingham Historical Society.
• Fazio, Michael W. (2010) Landscape of Transformations: Architecture and Birmingham, Alabama. Knoxville, Tennessee: University of Tennessee Press ISBN 9781572336872
• Tomberlin, Michael (January 15, 2011) "Sweet dream project in downtown Birmingham remembers Paramount, Parisian's heyday." Birmingham News