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)
  • west side:
    • 2: former location of McDavid Realty Co. (1927)
      • 12½: Producers' Exchange Building (former site of A. C. Keily photo studio)
    • Protective Life building (former site of Birmingham Ledger building)
  • East side
    • 15: Porter, White & Company
    • Steiner Building (former site of William Nabors residence)

• 1st Avenue North intersection
  • west side (Block 100)
    • 100-104: former site of Central Block building
      • 100: New City Church, former location of Parisian Dry Goods & Millinery Company (1887-), candy & ice cream (1891)
      • 102: former location of Collins Barber Shop (1923)
      • 104: former location of Trimble & Stewart insurance (1887)
        • 104½: former location of A. Y. Harper & William Vaughn Attorneys at Law (1887), Mrs. M.H. Churchill dress maker (1887)
    • 106: former location of Hilleary, Keith & Kirkpatrick insurance (1887), saloon (1891)
      • 106½: former location of Salvador Sutton lumber dealer (1888)
    • 108-112: former location of Brown & Jacobs (1887), Galatoire's Hotel & Restaurant (c. 1889-1896)
      • 108: former location of Kyle Lawson insurance agency (1923)
        • 108½: former location of Electric Blue Printing Co. / Bethel W. Whitson Co. surveyors & map makers (1938)
      • 110: former location of George Lunsford real estate (1887)
        • 110½: former location of Denson & Dobbs Attorneys at Law (1887), Harry Breeding's architectural studio, the Twenty-First Street Hotel (1920)
      • 112: John's City Diner, formerly John's Restaurant
  • 1st Alley North intersects
    • 114: former location of Hoover & Debeck (1887)
      • 114A: former location of tobacco shop (1891)
      • 114B: former location of drug store (1891)
      • 114½: former location of Frank S. White & James E. Zuntz attorneys / George S. Brown, A. G. Douglass, T. E. Dryer & J. G. Griggs physicians / J. T. Bailey / Cocke & Hudson / Dunlap & Nelson real estate (1887), printer's office (1891), Charles Allen contractor (1911)
    • 116: former location of M. M. Smith drug store (1886-1891)
      • 116½: Friel & Moore carriage & wagon Manufacturers (1887)
    • 118-124: Phenix Insurance Building (built c. 1884), former location of Wilson, Martin & Leedy insurance (1887-1891) drug store (1891),, Rex Shoe Repair (1984)
    • 118½: former location of Weatherly & Putman attorney (1887)

• • east side (Block 101):
  • 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-), E.D. Kohn real estate (1887)
  • 115: Harris Building (built c. 1886), former location of Harris Brothers Art Supply, decorators (1887), W.J. Bowen Merchant Tailor (1887), Anery & Sedwick real estate (1887), Smith Print & Copy Center (1984)
    • 115½: former location of Sutcliffe, Armstrong & Willett Architects (1887)
  • 117-131: Florentine Building (built 1927), former site of Richards House hotel, Jefferson County Bank Building (built 1884, demolished 1926), former location of Focus Phase II, After Dark, Casbah, and Club 21
    • 117: former location of George D. Scott Merchant Tailor (1887), John B, Reid & Co. real estate (1887)
      • 117½: former location of Drs. Dozier & Dozier, specialists (1887), C.L. Bass & Co. real estate (1887), Hodges, Bacon & Co. real estate (1887)
  • 119: former location of George Eustus real estate (1887), J.S. Speed real estate (1887), G.D. Staton real estate (1887)

• 2nd Avenue North intersection
  • former location of Labor Temple Hall (1904)
  • west side (Block 85):
    • 200-210 City Federal Building (built 1913 as Jefferson County Savings Bank Building, later called the Comer Building)
      • 200-206: former location of Wilson House (1888-1891)
        • 200-202: former location of saloon in basement / offices on 2nd floor (1891)
        • 204-206: former location of "Chinese laundry" in basement / vacant ground floor / hotel on 3rd & 4th floors (1891)
      • 208-210: former location of Southern Music Co. (1891-1899) / Alabama Club (1891), Hawkins Book Store (1945)
    • 2nd Alley North intersects
      • • 208: former location of Wilson House Barber Shop (1888), dyers & cleaners (1891)
          • 208½: former location of the Commercial Club of Birmingham (1902), Southern Theatrical Exchange (1920)
        • 210: former location of Young Woman's Club (1920)
          • 210½: former location of Lippe Dance Studio
    • 212: former location of Chichester & Co. real estate (1887), New York Steam Dye Works (1899), Home Federal Savings & Loan (1943-1956)
      • 212½: former location of Charles M. Allen & Son builders (1924)
    • 214: former location of White & Byrd milk depot & confectioners / New York Combination Store / C. D. Haynsworth real estate broker / Eclipse Sewing Machines (1887), B. F. Byrd bakery (1888), photography supplies (1891) Dr Gus Coffee House (1940- )
      • 214½: former location of Senn & Bethea attorneys (1887)
    • 216: former location of ice cream & confections (1891), Gatchel's Photo Stock House (1904), George E. Moore grocer (Birmingham Sandwich Shop (1928)
      • 216½: former location of J. L. Yancy insurance (1887), Birmingham Blue Print Co. (1938)
    • 218-224: Massey Building (built 1925 as Baker's Bond Building), former location of office block (1891)
      • 218: former location of Rogers Printing Co. (1887), Sloss Iron & Steel Company (1887)
        • 218½: former location of Birmingham Mining & Manufacturing (1887), D. A. Helmich architect (1904), Dr Gwin & Co. specialists
      • 222: former location of Theodore Furman merchant tailor (1899)
      • 224: former location of Remon's clothier, My Brother's Place restaurant

• • east side (Block 84):
    • 201: former location of saloon (1891), Palais Royal Hotel (1900)
    • 207:
      • 207A: former location of saloon (1891)
      • 207B: former location of barber shop (1891)
    • 209-211: vacant lot, former location of Lunsford Hotel / Palais Royal Hotel / Colonial Hotel / Milner Hotel (built 1887, demolished 2009)
      • 211: former location of S. B. Johnston & Co. decorators (1890s), Charles Denton paperhanger (1896), Colonial Hotel Cafe (1923), Dr Scholl's Foot Comfort Shop
    • 213-217: Jackson Building (built 1925), First Commercial Bank, former location of Jefferson County Building & Loan Association (1925-), Jefferson Federal Savings & Loan (1959-), MetroBank
      • 213: former location of J. M. Van Hoose attorney (1887), printing office (1891), Birmingham News building (built 1895), Birmingham News (1895-1917)
        • 213½: former location of Alabama Abstract Co., (c. 1887)
      • 215: former location of Jesse French Piano & Organ Co. (1877-), Arrington & Ellis insurance (1887), office & sewing machine showroom (1891)
    • 217-231: commercial row (built 1891)
      • 219-231: Jemison Building (built 1925), Jemison Company / Jemison-Seibels Insurance Agency (1925-), Jefferson Federal Savings & Loan (1959-)
        • 219: former location of Hollingsworth & Frickhoeffer general contractors (1905)
        • 223: former location of F. Govenette confectioner and fruit dealer (1887)

• 3rd Avenue North intersects
  • west side (Block 74):
    • 300: Title Building (built 1903), former location of fruit stand (1891), Safari Cup (2002-2009), O'Carr's (2010)
    • 308-310: Alabama State Land Building (built c. 1911), law offices, former location of Electric Blue Printing Co. (1985), former site of Alabama Engraving Company (1905)
      • 310: former location of dwelling (1891)
  • 3rd Alley North intersects
    • 312-324: Commercial building (built c. 1908)
      • 322-324: ServisFirst Bank, former location of 2-story dwelling (1891), Patterson's Cigar Store (1929), Par Value Loan Company (1984)

• • east side (Block 75):
    • One Concord Center, former location of Jefferson County Courthouse (1889)
    • Downtown YMCA

• 4th Avenue North intersection
  • west side:
    • 400-428: Birmingham Parking Authority Deck 3 (built 1976)
      • 400½: former location of George Headley candy factory (1927)
      • 404: former location of Woodlawn Federal Savings & Loan Association (1939)
      • 408: former location of Wheeler-Lacey & Brown real estate (1949)
      • 412: former location of Gridly-Lee Ice Cream Co.
        • 414½-416½: former location of Acme Engraving Co. (1949)
        • 414½: former location of Walbert Piano Studios (1949)
      • 416: former location of Birmingham View Company, Knox Portrait Studio, Stephenson Studio (1914), M. H. Wilson photography studio (1920)

• • east side:
    • First Presbyterian Church
    • 409: Pathways Women's Center/Safe Haven shelter
    • 413: former location of Montgomery's Flowers (1946)
    • 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
  • 503: former location of Avalon Hotel (1910)
  • 515: B.F. Eborn real estate (1887)
  • 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
  • 726: former location of Henry Gray residence (1892)
• 8th Avenue North intersection
  • Birmingham Museum of Art
  • Mel Bailey Criminal Justice Center
  • 913: former location of Tieco Inc. (1970)
• continues under I-20/59
  • Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex
  • Sheraton Birmingham
• 11th Avenue North intersection
  • Social Security Building (1974)