21st Street South

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21st Street South is a one-way north street running through Birmingham's Southside. The street begins as part of Richard Arrington, Jr Boulevard, branching away from 20th Street South at 16th Avenue South and continuing downhill across Highland Avenue and University Boulevard as far as the middle of the Rainbow Viaduct over the Railroad Reservation. Richard Arrington, Jr Boulevard continues north from there as the former 21st Street North.

Another one-block section of 21st Street South connects 20th and 21st Avenue South near Mountain Brook's English Village.

The southwest corner of Valley Avenue and 21st Street begins the Homewood city limits on the west side of the street. The Birmingham city limits continue south on the east side until a point approximately midway between Valley Avenue and Rosedale Drive, where they again abut the Homewood city limits.

History

Electric lighting was installed on 21st Street South between the viaduct and 7th Avenue South in 1945 under the city's contract with the Birmingham Electric Company.

The section between 15th and 16th Avenue South was the first to be converted from two-way to one-way traffic in 1954. Southbound drivers were forced to take 15th Avenue to 20th Street South to continue toward Homewood.

Notable locations

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

Addresses run from north to south.

• Railroad Reservation/Rainbow Viaduct (over Powell Avenue; road continues north as 21st Street North)
• 1st Avenue South intersection
  • west side (Block 121):
    • 100-130: Cityville Block 121
      • 112-116: former location of "negro dwellings" (1891)
      • 118: former location of blacksmith shop (1891)
      • 122-130: former location of grocery store (1891)
  • east side (Block 120):
    • 101: Line Scale Form (formerly Herrington Architects)
    • 105: former location of Greencup Books
    • 107: former location of AIA Birmingham
    • 109-111: 21st Street Studios (Sara Garden Armstrong 1982–), former location of George F. Wheelock Co. sheet metal, furnaces and iron cornices (1888-1928), Sara Garden Armstrong art studio (1979–)
      • 109: Alabama Center for Architecture, former location of Bare Hands Gallery (1996-1999, 2000-2010)
      • 111: Ground Floor Contemporary (2016–), former location of Dixon Glass Gallery & Studio
    • 119: former location of furniture (1891)
    • 121: former location of Madam E. Tolbert's house
    • 123: former location of M. Doran grocer (1887), saloon (1891), Emil Franke saloon (1904)

• 2nd Avenue South intersection
  • west side (Block 136):
    • 200-228: 20 Midtown phase 3
      • 200: former location of saloon (1891), Lynn Strickland Tire Co. (1970s), M's Fabric Gallery (-2015)
      • 210: former location of Edwards Motor Company
      • 214: former location of Gay & Trice Inc. (1925)
      • 224: former location of Clarence Methvin Auto Top Company (1923)
      • 226: former location of G. W. Ammons restaurant (1904)
      • 228: former location of Gerst & McLean saloon (1904)
  • east side (Block 137):
    • 201: former location of Western Auto
    • 213: Flower Stems, former location of Marson and Company (-1949), Refrigeration Service Co., Inc. (1949-)
    • 215: former location of Mrs Todd's Delicious Food (1949-1960s)

21st Street South looking north from 5th Avenue South

• 3rd Avenue South intersection
  • west side (Block 147):
    • Birmingham Parking Authority Deck 8 (1991-), former location of Birmingham Ice Factory (1885-)
      • Scott's Koneys
  • east side (Block 146):
    • 301-311: former location of "negro dwellings" (1891)
      • 301: former location of Hanna Motor Co.
      • 311: former location of Western Auto (1942)
    • 313-331: former location of "negro dwellings" (1891)
      • 321-325: former location of Brownell Motors

• 4th Avenue South intersects
  • west side (Block 162):
    • 400–410: Bristol Southside parking deck
      • 400: former location of dwelling (1911), Eatmor Cafe (1940)
      • 406: former location of Burgin Motor Co. (Arthur Burgin 1940)
    • 414–416: enclosed parking, former location of former location of The Coalyard restaurant, Gkika's Down the Street, High Note Lounge/Rock-N-Horse
      • 414: former location of dwelling (1911)
      • 416: former location of dwelling (1911)
    • 418–428: Weldon Martin Rubber building (built 1920)
      • 418: former location of Henry Marquines artist (1888), dwelling (1911)
      • 420: former location of dwelling (1911)
  • east side (Block 163):
    • former location of
    • 401–405: 2-story office building, American Health Imaging (2008–), former location of dwelling (1911), tire sales & service (1950)
      • 405: former location of dwelling (1911)
    • 407–411: 1-story commercial building, former location of auto sales & service (1950), Appleseed Workshop (2011–2018), Creature warehouse & fabrication building (2019)
      • 407: former location of Harold Wall Motor Co. (1949)
      • 409–411: former location of store (1911)
    • 4th Alley South intersects
    • 413–431: former location of dwelling (1911)
      • 413–415: former location of auto repairs (1950), Southeastern Imported Parts Co. (1969-1970)
      • 417: former location of Street Motors DeSoto/Plymouth (1941)
      • 421-431: Alabama Organ Center annex

• 5th Avenue South intersects
  • west side (Block 173):
    • 500-530:Kirklin Clinic
      • 500: former location of Pryor Motor Company
  • east side (Block 172):
    • 501-541: Kirklin Clinic Parking Deck (entire block)
      • 501: UAB Health System Office of Patient Experience and Engagement, former location of Bonanza Sirloin Pit restaurant (1970's-1980's)
      • 509: KPCD
      • 521: Harbin Discount Pharmacy
      • 535: Wall Street Deli
      • 539-541: UAB Injection Clinic (opened May 2021), former location of Regions Bank branch (closed August 2019)

21st Street South looking south from 6th Avenue South

• 6th Avenue South intersection
  • west side (Block 188)
    • 612: former location of Liberty Tire Company
    • 614: former location of Dine-A-Mite Cafe (1939)
    • 616–630: UAB Parking Lot 88, former location of Martin Flowers, Harbin Discount Pharmacy, Ziggi's Pizza & Original Subs (1979)
  • east side (Block 189)
    • 601–607: Regions Bank drive-through, former location of First Christian Church, Evangelische Friedens Kirche (1911)
    • 611: Newk's, former location of Alabama Seafood (1986), Fish Market
    • 615–629: Arby's, former location of Southside Baptist Church (1887), Sperry & Hutchinson Co. store (1964)
      • 615: former location of dwelling (1911)
      • 617: former location of dwelling (1911)
      • 619: former location of dwelling (1911)
      • 621–629: former location of duplex dwelling (1911)

• 7th Avenue South intersection
  • former location of Steel City Oldsmobile
  • former location of Drennen General Tire (1941)
  • west side (Block 233):
    • 700: Goodyear Tire Center, former location of Redmont Tire Company (1927-1932)
    • 728: Paula Building, DaVita Birmingham Central Dialysis, former location of Roy Bridges & Company
  • east side (Block 232):
    • 701-715: The Waites
      • 701: Yummefy, former location of B. C. Bustin residence (1887), Waite's Fine Foods, Farm Burger
    • 705-707: former location of Birmingham Family Dental (1986–)
      • 707:
        • Suite 101: Potatoe Potatohz Perfic Pizza, former location of Blaze Pizza
        • Suite 105: Smoothie King
        • Suite 106: Club Pilates
        • Suite 108: BBVA
      • 709-715: former location of Doodles, Rocky's Pizza (-2016)
    • 725: Eyster Building (2014-), UAB Nursing Staff Development (2011)

• University Boulevard intersection
  • west side (Block 751):
    • 808: Church & Stagg Office Supply Company (1960)
  • east side (Block 760):
    • 801: former location of Martin Flowers

• 8th Court South intersection
  • west side
    • Quinlan Castle

• 9th Avenue South (formerly Quinlan Avenue) intersection
  • east side:
    • 909: former location of Mary Ware residence (1913)

• 10th Avenue South intersection
  • Magnolia Park
  • Building Trades Tower (built 1970), former site of South Highland School (1880s-1964)

• Magnolia Avenue intersection
  • west side
    • 1000–1014: Highland United Methodist Church education building
    • 1016–1028: Dulion Apartments
  • east side:
    • 1001–1011: Magnolia Building
    • 1023–1031: DataPerk, former location of Big Communications

• 11th Avenue South/11th Court South intersection
  • west side
    • Highland Manor (former Sheraton Motor Inn, former site of the Highland Town Hall)

• Highland Avenue intersection
  • west side
    • South Highland Presbyterian Church
  • east side
    • 2101 Highland Avenue

• 13th Avenue South intersection (west only)
  • 1300: Highland View Apartments (built 1905)

• 14th Avenue South intersection
  • Horizons School
  • 1425: Red Rock Realty Group

• 15th Avenue South intersection

• 16th Avenue South/20th Avenue South intersection
  • east side
    • 1600: South Medical Plaza (built 1968), formerly the McCollough Aesthetic Medical Center (1990s-1999), Birmingham Health Care (2002-2016), Alabama Regional Medical Services (2016-March 2018)
    • 1620: Books, Beans & Candles
    • 1624: Pro Tech Solutions, Alabama Law Enforcement Office
  • west side
    • ScooterCo
    • 1609: Schwartz & McClure
    • 1625: Cloud & Tidwell

• 17th Avenue South/Abbey Road intersection
  • Abbey Road subdivision
  • Manor Village apartments

• Warwick Drive intersection
  • 1901: Kathy Long Skipper law offices (originally WILD-AM studios)

• 20th Avenue South intersection
  • 2001: McDonald's (formerly Burger In A Hurry)

• Valley Avenue/20th Avenue South intersection (road continues south at 18th Street South Homewood)