3rd Avenue North: Difference between revisions

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===[[Smithfield neighborhood]]===
===[[Smithfield neighborhood]]===
* [[Center Street]] intersects
* [[Center Street]] intersects
** 1: former location of [[Elyton Esso]] (1964)
** 1: [[3rd Avenue North Autoplex]] / [[Money Tax Service]], former location of [[Elyton Esso]] (1964), [[J & M Bail Bonds]] (2007)
** 2–6: [[Elyton Meat Center]]
** 11: former location of [[Birmingham Lumber & Supply Co.]] (1941)
** 11: former location of [[Birmingham Lumber & Supply Co.]] (1941)
** 16: former location of [[Center Street Gulf Station]] (1964)
** 16: former location of [[Center Street Gulf Station]] (1964)
** 18: former location of [[Luquire Service Station]] (1941)
** 18: former location of [[Luquire Service Station]] (1941)
** 19: former location of [[Parker Supply Co.]] (1964)
** 19: former location of [[Parker Supply Co.]] (1964)
** 24: former location of [[Weeks Trailer Co.]] (1964)
** 24: [[Tire Town]] (2007–), former location of [[Weeks Trailer Co.]] (1964)
** 30: former location of [[Rendezvous Gardens]] restaurant (1941), [[Key Club]] / [[Phil's Rendezvous Gardens]] ([[Alex Gulas|Alex]] and [[Phil Gulas]] 1958), [[Kwik Cleaners]] / [[Dixie Spartan Sales]] (1964)
** 30: parking lot, former location of [[Rendezvous Gardens]] restaurant (1941), [[Key Club]] / [[Phil's Rendezvous Gardens]] ([[Alex Gulas|Alex]] and [[Phil Gulas]] 1958), [[Kwik Cleaners]] / [[Dixie Spartan Sales]] (1964)
** 95: [[Alabama Cabinet Co.]]
** 99: former location of [[Parker Supply Co.]] building materials (1964), [[All American Remodeling]] (2007)
 
* [[1st Street North]] intersects (north only)
* [[1st Street North]] intersects (north only)
** 95: [[Alabama Cabinet Co.]]
** 100: [[Empire Lounge]], former location of [[Mike's Crossroads]] (2011)
** 99: former location of [[Parker Supply Co.]] building materials (1964)
** 113-115: former location of [[Christie Hutchinson & Burton Co.]] contractors (1941)
** 113-115: former location of [[Christie Hutchinson & Burton Co.]] contractors (1941)
** 125: former location of [[Tile Distributors, Inc.]] (1964)
** 125: former location of [[Tile Distributors, Inc.]] (1964)
** 129: [[Full Service Auto & Electric]]
** 129: [[Full Service Auto & Electric]] (2007–)
** 130: former location of [[Avery Freight Lines]] (1941), [[Victory Freight Lines]] (1964)
** 130: [[1-800 Wreckers]] (2007–), former location of [[Avery Freight Lines]] (1941), [[Victory Freight Lines]] (1964)
** 131: former location of [[National Insulation & Supply Co.]] (1941)
** 131: former location of [[National Insulation & Supply Co.]] (1941)
* [[2nd Street North]] intersects (north only)
* [[2nd Street North]] intersects (north only)
** 200: former location of [[Alabama Bedding Manufacturing Co.]] (1941-1964)
** 200: former location of [[Alabama Bedding Manufacturing Co.]] (1941-2007), [[Spring-Air Co.]] (2007)
** [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] crossing
** [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] crossing
** [[Valley Creek]] passes below
** [[Valley Creek]] passes below
** 314:  [[Industrial Bolt & Supply Co.]] (2007–), former location of [[Wilborn Woodworks]] (1964)
** 318–330: [[Clayton Industries]] / [[Blue Ridge Hydraulics]]
* [[4th Street North]] intersects
* [[4th Street North]] intersects
** 314: former location of [[Wilborn Woodworks]] (1964)
** 400: [[Clayton Industries]] / [[Blue Ridge Hydrualics]]
** 315: [[Clayton Industries]]
** 401: former location of [[First German Lutheran Church]] (1899)
** 401: former location of [[First German Lutheran Church]] (1899)
** 430: former location of [[Peace Baptist Church]] (1941)
** 430: former location of [[Peace Baptist Church]] (1941)
** 438-440: former location of [[Paul Gagliano]] grocery (1941), [[Famous Market]] grocery (1964)
** 438-440: [[RT's on 3rd]] used cars (2015–), former location of [[Paul Gagliano]] grocery (1941), [[Famous Market]] grocery (1964), [[S & J Body Shop]] (2007)
* [[5th Street North]] intersects
 
* [[2nd Court North]] (south) / [[5th Street North]] (north) intersect
** 500: former location of [[Bell's Barber Shop]] (1964)
** 500: former location of [[Bell's Barber Shop]] (1964)
** 530: former location of [[Southern Flooring Co.]], [[Southern Acoustics]] (1964)
** 530: former location of [[Southern Flooring Co.]], [[Southern Acoustics]] (1964)
** 531: [[6th Street Peace Baptist Church]], former location of [[Brasher's One Stop Service]] gas station / [[Lloyd Miller]] mechanic (1941), [[Sentell Oil Co.]] gas station (1964)
** 540: [[6th Street Peace Baptist Church]], former location of [[Brasher's One Stop Service]] gas station / [[Lloyd Miller]] mechanic (1941), [[Sentell Oil Co.]] gas station (1964)
 
* [[6th Street North]] intersects
* [[6th Street North]] intersects
** 600: former location of [[The Kellum Agency]] insurance agents & [[Son Builders]] (1964)
** 600: [[600 Building]], former location of [[The Kellum Agency]] insurance agents & [[Son Builders]] (1964), [[Morton's Upholstery]] (2007)
** 601: former location of [[James Winkles]] gas station (1941)
** 601: former location of [[James Winkles]] gas station (1941)
** 602: former location of [[Watkins Motor Co.]] used cars (1941)
** 602: former location of [[Watkins Motor Co.]] used cars (1941)
** 605: former location of [[Foster Services]] auto repair (2007), [[605 Custom Detail]] (2011)
** 619: former location of [[Freeman Standard Service Station]] (1964)
** 619: former location of [[Freeman Standard Service Station]] (1964)
* [[6th Place North]] intersects
* [[6th Place North]] intersects
** 624: [[Jeff's Motors, Inc.]], former location of [[Jefferson Motors]] (1964)
** 624: former location of [[Jefferson Motors]] (1964–2007), [[Jeff's Motors, Inc.]] (2007–2011)
** 625: former location of [[L. L. Stewart Machinery Co.]] (1964)
** 625: former location of [[L. L. Stewart Machinery Co.]] (1964), [[All About Tires]] (2007)
** 631: former location of [[John Trupiano]] grocery (1941)
** 631: former location of [[John Trupiano]] grocery (1941)
** 633: [[T & M Gateline]]
** 633: [[G & M Appliances]], former location of [[T & M Gateline]]
** 642: former location of [[Alabama Mine Specialty]]
** 649: former location of [[Sportsman's Barber Shop]] (1964)
** 649: former location of [[Sportsman's Barber Shop]] (1964)
** 650: former location of [[Alabama Cash Register Co.]] (1964)
** 650: former location of [[Alabama Cash Register Co.]] (1964)
** 651: [[Imperial Marble & Tile Co.]] (2007–)
* [[7th Street North]] intersects
* [[7th Street North]] intersects
** 700: former location of [[Samuel Fede]] restaurant (1941), [[Moffat Bearings Co.]] (1964)
** 700: former location of [[Samuel Fede]] restaurant (1941), [[Moffat Bearings Co.]] (1964)
Line 67: Line 80:
** 703: former location of [[New Deal Cleaners]] (1941)
** 703: former location of [[New Deal Cleaners]] (1941)
** 704: former location of [[Red Front Store]] ([[Phillip Cusamano]] 1958-1964)
** 704: former location of [[Red Front Store]] ([[Phillip Cusamano]] 1958-1964)
** 705: [[Nicole B Boutique]], former location of [[Laundry, Dry Cleaning & Dye House Workers International Union, Local No. 218]] (1964)
** 705: [[Oh Hair & Nail Studio]], former location of [[Laundry, Dry Cleaning & Dye House Workers International Union, Local No. 218]] (1964). [[Nicole B Boutique]]
** 709: former location of [[Royal Cleaners & Hatters]] (1964)
** 709: former location of [[Royal Cleaners & Hatters]] (1964)
** 714: former location of [[Vulcan Service Company]] (1956-)
** 714: former location of [[Vulcan Service Company]] (1956-)

Revision as of 14:10, 19 April 2020

3rd Avenue North, looking east from 18th Street in October 1972
3rd Avenue North, looking northeast from 21st Street, c. 1911

Third Avenue North is an east-west street running through downtown Birmingham. The westernmost section by that name ends at Center Street, although the road continues further west as 3rd Avenue West. The easternmost section ends at 88th Street, just west of Roebuck Municipal Golf Course.

Third Avenue is continuous from Center Street to Carraway Boulevard (formerly 26th Street North). At that point, it is interrupted by the 2nd Avenue North off-ramp of the Elton B. Stephens Expressway and railroad tracks. The road is one way eastbound from 9th to 26th Street North. There is a short segment of 3rd on the west side of 28th Street North. The next segment curves from 29th Street northward to line up with 31st Street North across Messer Airport Highway.

The avenue does not appear again eastward until Forest Hills Cemetery next to the I-20/I-59 interchange. At this point, Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard North (formerly 10th Avenue North), becomes 3rd Avenue. Third then continues northeast with some gaps, notably at Trotwood Park, I-59, and East Lake Park, to 88th Street.

The two-way portion of 3rd Avenue from Center Street to 9th Avenue is five lanes wide. The one-way portion is four lanes from 9th to 14th Street North and three lanes from 14th to between 24th and 25th Street. At this point, the left lane becomes an on-ramp for the Elton B. Stephens Expressway. Throughout the 1970s and most of the 1980s, this on-ramp was the northernmost point to get on the expressway as it did not connect to I-20/I-59 at that time. Third Avenue continues as two lanes under the expressway to Carraway Boulevard. The rest of the road segments east of here are two lanes as well.

History

The initial commercial expansion on 3rd Avenue took place on the south side of the street during the 1880s between 20th and 21st Streets. Third Avenue was also where the first two county courthouses in Birmingham were built (at 21st Street). The courthouse attracted other development to the intersection where it was located, such as the Title Guaranty Building.

Three stores on the north side of the 1800 block (Block 72), modernized in 1961, were damaged in a major fire on the evening of December 17, 1970.

The first section of 3rd Avenue North to be converted from two-way to one-way (eastbound) traffic was from 14th Street North to Red Mountain Expressway. The one-way section was expanded westward to 9th Street North in 1973 by the Alabama Department of Transportation's TOPICS (Traffic Operations Program to Increase Capacity and Safety) program.

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the 3rd Avenue North category.

Smithfield neighborhood

Fountain Heights

11th Street North

12th Street North

13th Street North

14th Street North

    • north side (Block 68):
      • 1400-1430: Edwards Chevrolet (1944-)
        • 1400-1402: former location of duplex residence (1891), former location of Trackside Gas Station (1941)
        • 1404-1406: former location of duplex residence (1891)
        • 1408-1410: former location of duplex residence (1891)
        • 1412: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1416: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1420: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1424: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1430: former location of dwelling (1891), Braswell Tire Co. (1941)
    • south side (Block 91):
      • 1401-1421: Edwards Chevrolet used car lot
        • 1401: former location of grocery (1891), Olin Maddis potter (1941)
        • 1403: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1407: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1409: former location of store attached to dwelling (1891)
        • 1411: former location of M. M. Nance bakery (1887), Robert Funk bakery (1888), dwelling (1891)
        • 1413: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1417: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1421: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 1421-1427: former location of Baker's Frozen Sweets (1941), Baker's Ice Cream Co. (1964)
        • 1423: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 1427: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 1429-1431: former location of Canon Tire Co. (1964)
        • 1431: former location of dwelling (1891)

15th Street North

16th Street North

Pantages Theatre in 1945

17th Street North

Parisian in the 1920s
The Lyric Theatre in 1930

18th Street North

Central City

1926 photograph of 3rd Avenue North, looking east from the 1900 block
Postcard view of 3rd Avenue North, looking west from 20th Street

19th Street North

This block was described in 1900 as "occupied by one-story buildings used for negro restaurants, barber shops, etc."
The Empire Theater in 1981

20th Street North

21st Street North

22nd Street North

23rd Street North

24th Street North

25th Street North

References

  • White, Marjorie Longenecker, ed. (1980) Downtown Birmingham: Architectural and Historical Walking Tour Guide, second edition. Birmingham: Birmingham Historical Society.
  • R.L. Polk & Co. (1919) "R.L. Polk & Co.'s Birmingham City Directory"
  • Polk's Birmingham (Jefferson County, Ala.) City Directory (1964) Richmond, Virginia: R. L. Polk & Co.

External links

3rd Avenue North on Google Maps

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