Parliament House

The Parliament House is an 11-story, 223-room hotel now sitting vacant on the west side of 20th Street South between 4th and 5th Avenues. The dramatically modern structure was constructed in 1964 by a group of investors that included actress Doris Day.

For a number of years it served as downtown's premiere contemporary hotel, hosting celebrities such as Richard Nixon and O. J. Simpson.

Recent attempts to renovate the building have been unprofitable and short-lived. The most recent proposal, to upgrade it to a Courtyard by Marriott, was not pursued.

In June 2006 the building was purchased for $3.7 million by the UAB Education Foundation as a site for future expansion of the university. The intention is to level the building, but no date for demolition has been set and there are no specific plans for redevelopment.

References

• Tomberlin, Michael (June 30, 2006) "Parliament House to be razed by UAB". Birmingham News.