Red Cross Building: Difference between revisions

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{{About|the downtown building|the current Red Cross headquarters|Ridge Park}}
{{About|the downtown building|the current Red Cross headquarters|Ridge Park}}
The '''Red Cross Building''' (formerly the '''Social Security Building''') is a vacant five-story, 125,000 square-foot building office building at 2225–2231 [[3rd Avenue North]], on the southwest corner of [[23rd Street North]], or the northeast corner of [[Block 83]], in [[downtown Birmingham]].
[[Image:Red Cross Building.jpg|thumb|right|540px|Red Cross Building, November 2023]]
 
The '''Red Cross Building''' (formerly the '''Social Security Building''') is a five-story, 125,000 square-foot former office building at 2225–2231 [[3rd Avenue North]], on the southwest corner of [[23rd Street North]], or the northeast corner of [[Block 83]], in [[downtown Birmingham]]. Its conversion to an apartment building was completed in [[2023]].


In the mid 1940s the city sought to present the then-vacant [[1923]] [[Municipal Market]] as a possible new location for the Southeast regional office for the Social Security Administration. Architects and engineers worked out a plan to add a second story and re-clad the exterior with clean, modern limestone panels. That work was completed in [[1946]]. In the late 1950s, an additional two floors were added above the roof of the two-story building. The appearance of five floors is belied by the fact that the old roof level was never converted into usable 3rd floor space.
In the mid 1940s the city sought to present the then-vacant [[1923]] [[Municipal Market]] as a possible new location for the Southeast regional office for the Social Security Administration. Architects and engineers worked out a plan to add a second story and re-clad the exterior with clean, modern limestone panels. That work was completed in [[1946]]. In the late 1950s, an additional two floors were added above the roof of the two-story building. The appearance of five floors is belied by the fact that the old roof level was never converted into usable 3rd floor space.
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The Social Security Administration relocated to a newly-built [[Patriot Center|Social Security Administration Southeast Program Service Center]] near the [[Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex|Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center]] in [[1974]]. The vacant building was acquired the following year by the [[American Red Cross]] and renovated as their local headquarters and blood donation center. In [[1998]] the Red Cross moved to the renovated [[Rust Building]] at [[Ridge Park]] on [[Red Mountain]].
The Social Security Administration relocated to a newly-built [[Patriot Center|Social Security Administration Southeast Program Service Center]] near the [[Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex|Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center]] in [[1974]]. The vacant building was acquired the following year by the [[American Red Cross]] and renovated as their local headquarters and blood donation center. In [[1998]] the Red Cross moved to the renovated [[Rust Building]] at [[Ridge Park]] on [[Red Mountain]].


In [[2004]] [[Operation New Birmingham]] put the vacant building on their [[12 Most Wanted]] list of downtown buildings in need of renovation. Attorney [[Eric Guster]] purchased the building for $850,000 in [[2015]] for redevelopment. Guster announced that after renovations, it would house his [[Guster Law Firm]], as well as other tenants. In [[2019]] Guster put the building back up for sale, saying he was refocusing his redevelopment efforts in the eastern and western sections of the city.
The building then sat vacant for two decades. In [[2004]] [[Operation New Birmingham]] put it on their [[12 Most Wanted]] list of downtown buildings in need of renovation. Attorney [[Eric Guster]] purchased the building for $850,000 in [[2015]] for redevelopment. Guster announced that after renovations, it would house his [[Guster Law Firm]], as well as other tenants. In [[2019]] Guster put the building back up for sale, saying he was refocusing his redevelopment efforts in the eastern and western sections of the city.


Developer [[Ed Ticheli]] purchased the property from Guster for $4.25 million, and commissioned [[Hendon & Huckestein Architects]] to plan for its conversion into [[Market Lofts on Third]], a 192-unit complex of "workforce apartments", similar to his [[American Life Building]] redevelopment. The $33 million redevelopment, which, involves cutting a large light well into the center of the building, is financed in part by [[Opportunity Zones|Opportunity Zone]] and [[Historic Preservation Tax Credit|Historic Preservation]] tax credits, along with a $21.9 million loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Developer [[Ed Ticheli]] purchased the property from Guster for $4.25 million, and commissioned [[Hendon & Huckestein Architects]] to plan for its $33 million conversion into [[Market Lofts on Third]], a 192-unit complex of "workforce apartments", similar to his [[American Life Building]] redevelopment.


==References==
==References==
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* Tomberlin, Michael (August 25, 2020) "Long-vacant American Red Cross building in Birmingham getting $30M rehab into apartments." ''Alabama NewsCenter''
* Tomberlin, Michael (August 25, 2020) "Long-vacant American Red Cross building in Birmingham getting $30M rehab into apartments." ''Alabama NewsCenter''
* Van der Bijl, Hanno (August 27, 2020) "Developer sheds more light on plans for American Red Cross building." {{BBJ}}
* Van der Bijl, Hanno (August 27, 2020) "Developer sheds more light on plans for American Red Cross building." {{BBJ}}
* (September 8, 2022) "[https://www.al.com/business/2022/09/old-birmingham-red-cross-building-transforming-into-affordable-housing-as-market-lofts-on-3rd.html Former Red Cross building transforming into workforce housing as Market Lofts on 3rd.]" ''AL.com''
==External links==
* [https://www.marketloftsonthird.com Market Lofts on Third website]


[[Category:Red Cross Building|*]]
[[Category:Red Cross Building|*]]
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[[Category:1975 buildings]]
[[Category:1975 buildings]]
[[Category:Federal buildings]]
[[Category:Federal buildings]]
[[Category:Vacant buildings]]
[[Category:Downtown apartments]]

Latest revision as of 00:42, 30 November 2023

This article is about the downtown building. For the current Red Cross headquarters, see Ridge Park.
Red Cross Building, November 2023

The Red Cross Building (formerly the Social Security Building) is a five-story, 125,000 square-foot former office building at 2225–2231 3rd Avenue North, on the southwest corner of 23rd Street North, or the northeast corner of Block 83, in downtown Birmingham. Its conversion to an apartment building was completed in 2023.

In the mid 1940s the city sought to present the then-vacant 1923 Municipal Market as a possible new location for the Southeast regional office for the Social Security Administration. Architects and engineers worked out a plan to add a second story and re-clad the exterior with clean, modern limestone panels. That work was completed in 1946. In the late 1950s, an additional two floors were added above the roof of the two-story building. The appearance of five floors is belied by the fact that the old roof level was never converted into usable 3rd floor space.

The Social Security Administration relocated to a newly-built Social Security Administration Southeast Program Service Center near the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in 1974. The vacant building was acquired the following year by the American Red Cross and renovated as their local headquarters and blood donation center. In 1998 the Red Cross moved to the renovated Rust Building at Ridge Park on Red Mountain.

The building then sat vacant for two decades. In 2004 Operation New Birmingham put it on their 12 Most Wanted list of downtown buildings in need of renovation. Attorney Eric Guster purchased the building for $850,000 in 2015 for redevelopment. Guster announced that after renovations, it would house his Guster Law Firm, as well as other tenants. In 2019 Guster put the building back up for sale, saying he was refocusing his redevelopment efforts in the eastern and western sections of the city.

Developer Ed Ticheli purchased the property from Guster for $4.25 million, and commissioned Hendon & Huckestein Architects to plan for its $33 million conversion into Market Lofts on Third, a 192-unit complex of "workforce apartments", similar to his American Life Building redevelopment.

References

External links

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