Highland Avenue: Difference between revisions
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* Stevens, Deborah L. (April 19, 1979) "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/u?/p4017coll2,1197 Highland Avenue, street with proud history, starts new phase]" ''Birmingham News''. (Via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections.) | * Stevens, Deborah L. (April 19, 1979) "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/u?/p4017coll2,1197 Highland Avenue, street with proud history, starts new phase]" ''Birmingham News''. (Via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections.) | ||
* Johns, Lyn (July 1979) "Early Highland Avenue and the Magic City, 1884-1893 Including Willis J. Milner's 'History of Highland Avenue'." ''Journal of the Birmingham Historical Society''. Vol. VI, No. 2, pp. 33-43 | * Johns, Lyn (July 1979) "Early Highland Avenue and the Magic City, 1884-1893 Including Willis J. Milner's 'History of Highland Avenue'." ''Journal of the Birmingham Historical Society''. Vol. VI, No. 2, pp. 33-43 | ||
* Morris, Philip (1988) "[http://content.lib.auburn.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/design/id/25/rec/3 Urban Design: Everybody's Business: Birmingham]" ''Design Alabama'', Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 10-11 | |||
==External links== | ==External links== |
Revision as of 17:10, 14 April 2017
Highland Avenue is an east-west street that winds for about two miles along the northern slope of Red Mountain in Birmingham's South Highlands.
History
Highland Avenue was constructed by the Elyton Land Company in order to provide access to its 1,500-acre wooded property on South Highlands, which it wished to develop as residential estates. In 1884, with the company celebrating the payment of its first issue of bonds, secretary-treasurer and chief engineer Willis Milner suggested that the time was ripe to turn attention to the property, which was still "unbroken primeval forest", protected from timber poaching by agents of the company.
Given charge of the project, Milner planned a mule-drawn passenger railway beginning at 1st Avenue North and 19th Street and turning south along 22nd Street and branching east and west at 5th Avenue South. The two end-points, after extension, were at Five Points South and the intersection of 29th Street and 3rd Avenue South. Milner then planned, with a detailed topographic survey, the winding thoroughfare that would complete the loop.
The right of way was set at 100 feet, with no more than 3% slope to accommodate horse-drawn carriages and trolleys. Care was taken to maximize attractive lot frontages wherever possible, and to provide parks in low areas where building would be impractical. Henry M. Caldwell, president of the Elyton Company, suggested the name "Highland Avenue". Milner's plan was located on the ground by his cousin, John A. Milner by April 1, 1884.
Immediately grading and construction was begun on a 25-foot wide roadbed in the center of the right-of-way. When that was completed, during the summer, the artificial lake at Lakeview was created by piping three springs into an excavated basin within the park's boundaries. Lakeview Park was planned as a resort to attract Birmingham residents up into the hillside for pleasure, and to inspect the prospective home sites along the way.
The construction of the rail line itself had to wait for the Alabama Legislature's approval of a change in the company charter. In the mean time, the unpaved roadbed was opened to traffic. With the approval of the legislature, construction of the Highland Avenue Railroad began in earnest in 1885.
Later it was decided to replace the horse-drawn carriages with heavier, steam-powered dummies. The old 16-pound rails were pulled up and replaced with 40-pound rails to accommodate them. The result, which opened on June 26, 1886 was the first dummy line in the South, with trains leaving every 15 minutes, alternating directions on the one-hour round-trip loop.
Part of Highland Avenue was incorporated into the town of Highland in 1887. That section was regraded and curbed by the town. When the City of Birmingham annexed the entire area in 1893, the city graded and curbed the remainder of the avenue.
Renovations
By the 1960s, with the streetcar gone, the wide avenue's center median was frequently used for automobile parking. The issue of preserving accommodations for parking proved to be the key dispute in proceeding with improvements to the avenue. A report created in 1964 by Harold Bartholomew and Associates recommended street and landscape improvements. The Jefferson County Historical Commission was beginning a campaign to preserve the historic character of the street. By 1972 residents and business owners were meeting regularly with city officials to discuss ideas for improvement.
A major revitalization of Highland Avenue finally proceeded in the late 1970s. City Councilor Angi Grooms Proctor convinced the city to commission a landscape architect to oversee the project. Michael Kirk's design included new curbs, median planters, repairs to storm and sanitary sewers, angled parking and sidewalk and lighting upgrades. The first phase, between 23rd Streeet South and 27th Place South, was begun in 1975 and completed in 1977 for $800,000. The second phase, which continued the work to 33rd Street South, was budgeted at $1.3 million, with the general contract awarded to the Donahoo Contracting Company. Older trees were saved wherever possible and new plantings included azaleas, cherry trees, dogwood trees, crape myrtles, sugar maples, scarlet oaks, dwarf yaupon holly, dwarf Chinese holly, and blue rug juniper. Kirk specified materials from local manufacturers where possible, even redesigning the brick panels to match available paver sizes.
Route
The western end of Highland Avenue begins at the intersection of 12th Avenue and 20th Street South in Five Points South. It follows roughly the path of 12th Avenue with the exception of the areas of Rhodes Park and Caldwell Park. Highland Avenue is home to many apartments, condominiums, office buildings, restaurants and bars as it winds it way approximately 14 blocks to the Highland Golf Course, where it takes a sharp northward turn. Its eastern end is at the intersection of Clairmont Avenue in the Lakeview District.
Highland Avenue hosts numerous events, the largest of which is the annual Do Dah Day parade and festival.
Notable locations
Five Points South neighborhood
- Terrace Court (built 1907)
- Intersection with 20th Street South/12th Avenue South
- 2000: Chick-fil-A, former location of 5 Points Gulf service station, Shop-A-Snak, Connie's Famous Foods, Ruby Tuesday (1994-2010), formerly proposed location for Renaissance Plaza
- 2001-11: Shepherd-Sloss building (built 1928)
- 2001-2003: former location of King Drug Co. (1964)
- 2001-2005: Cadillac Cafe (1972-), Louie Louie (1982-1997), Bell Bottoms (1997-2008), Uranus (2009), Crush (2009-)
- 2005: former location of John Tomlinson residence (1910), White Swan Laundry (1950s)
- 2007: former location of Medical Arts Brace Shop (1964), Hair
- 2009: former location of Klein's Flowers (1964-1980s). Flamingo's
- 2011: former location of Electric Maid Bake Shop (1964), Dugan's (1973-2005), Little New Orleans, Twist & Shout, Black Market Bar (2012-)
- 2014: former location of Toddle House restaurant (1964)
- 2015: office building (built 1956), former location of Service Bureau Corp. (1964), Southern Institute (1980s), Assagio! restaurant, Courtyard Oyster Bar & Grill, Club Red, NV Ultra Lounge
- 2019: Prudential building (built c. 1955), Scheaffer Eye Center (2010s), former location Southern Institute School of Interior Design (1970s-1990s), Alabama Republican Party
- 2028: William Hassinger residence (built 1898), Hassinger Daniels Mansion Bed & Breakfast & Chaffin Carousel Carving School, former location of Mail Me Monday bookkeeping service, Daniels Opticians, Howard Hinton & Associates accountants, R. H. Daniel Real Estate (1964)
- 2030: The Richmond apartments (built 1912), former location of a residence
- 2035: South Highland Presbyterian Church
- 2040: Highland Manor (built 1961 as Colony Motor Hotel) later the Sheraton Motor Inn, former site of the Highland Town Hall (built 1889)
- Intersection with 21st Street South/Richard Arrington Jr Boulevard South
- 2100: Temple Emanu-El (built 1914)
- 2101: 2101 Highland Avenue (formerly the A. G. Edwards Building, built mid-late 1960s), former site of the Fairmont Apartments
- 2116: former location of 7-story apartment building (1928-)
- 2121: Southern Life & Health Insurance building (built 1920s)
- 2124: Berkley on Highland (built 1927 as the Kenilworth Arms), later the Berkeley Apartment Hotel (1964)
- Intersection with 21st Place South
- 2130: Twenty One Thirty Building, Taylor & Taylor attorneys, former location of Lone Star Cement Co., Weygand Engineering Co. (1964)
- 2140-2142: Lanny Vines & Associates, former location of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (1964)
- 2144-2146: Dobbins Building
- 2144: former location of National Cement Co. & Longview Lime Co. (1964), former site of the Margaret Allen School (1906–1934)
- 2146: former location of Saxon Dance Studio, WAPI-AM & WAPI-FM, Shell Oil Co. (1964)
- 2145-2151: One Highland Place (formerly the Gulf Building, built 1961)
- 2145: Rheumatology Associates, former location of IBM & Harbert Construction (1964)
- 2151: Burke, Harvey & Frankowski & Colon and Rectal Surgical Associates of Birmingham, former location of Gulf Oil Co. & Mammy's Pancakes (1964), New Tokyo
- 2150: former location of Lovett's Flowers (1964), [Huggins Flowers]]
- 2152: former location of Charles F. Lewis, physician (1964)
- 2154: Caldwell Bradshaw residence (built 1892), Davis & Norris LLP & Bates & Bone LLP, former location of Stanbur Co. management consultants & House of Physical Fitness health studio (1964), Stewart Perry Company (1985)-, Bradshaw House Gallery (1990s), O2 Ideas (2004-2007)
- 2160: Summit Products (former location of O2 Ideas), former location of Complete Health
- 2170 Highland Avenue: formerly the Traveler's Building, Alamerica Bank, Arcadis, Donald Watkins & NMI Mortgage, former location of Travelers Insurance Companies (1964), former location of Complete Health (late 1980s – late 1990s)
- 2172: parking lot, former location of Laney Chiropractic Clinic, demolished 1990s
- 2173: Proposed Vesta Apartments. former location of Leo Steiner residence, Vulcan Life & Accident Insurance (1949), Britling on the Highlands cafeteria (1964), and Highland Diagnostics
- 2179: Temple Beth-El (built 1926)
- 2188: Tom & Jerry's Chevron (1981-), former location of Standard on the Highlands service station
- Intersection with Arlington Avenue/21st Way South
- 2201: BancorpSouth (built as Weaver Nelson Building) former location of Weaver Nelson Mortgage Co. (1964), Birmingham Police Department South Precinct
- 2207: former location of Kate Fabretta Specialty Shop (1964)
- 2210: Birmingham Fire Station No. 3 (built 1992), former site of Birmingham Fire Station No. 3 (1927-1992)
- 2211: BancorpSouth, formerly location of GMAC, Coca-Cola Co., Minute Maid Co. (1964), Highland Bank
- 2217: former location of medical offices of Samuel Wainwright, Harry Goldner, Robert May and Clay Wells (1964)
- 2219: former location of John L. Parker residence (1910), Seale Harris Clinic (1964)
- 2220: Galley & Garden (2015-), formerly the William Merritt residence (built 1906), The Pillars, Merritt House (-1999), and Veranda on Highland (1999-2014)
- Intersection with 11th Court South
- Highland Plaza shopping center (formerly Plaza Stores)
- 2222: Subway, former location of Utopia Cleaners, Mayfield Cleaners (1964-1969), Annabelle & Lulu's, T-Bones
- 2224: Lovely Nails, former location of Beauty Land (1964), Movie Time
- 2226: Taj India, former location of Savage's Bakery (1939-1949), Ben Franklin Stores, Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta
- 2228: Highland Package Store former location of Plaza Variety Store, Spivey 5 & 10¢ Store (1964), Lovett's Flowers and Dollar Tree
- 2230: Western Supermarket, former location of A & P Super Market
- 2232: (expansion of supermarket), former location of Lane Drugs. Cleere Pharmacy (1964) and Posey's Plaza Drugs
- Highland Plaza shopping center (formerly Plaza Stores)
- Intersection with 22nd Street South/southbound Red Mountain Expressway onramp
- 2236: Highland Shell, former location of Birmingham Baptist Hospital Highland Avenue unit (1964), Joe Epperson's Gulf Oil Co. gas station (1970s)
- 2240: Bottega Favorita building, Bottega Restaurant and Bottega Café, former location of Burke-Andrews Specialty Shop, Gus Mayer
- 2244: former location of Boy Scouts of America Birmingham Area Council (1964)
- 2250: Highland Plaza Condominiums
- 2251: Highland Tower apartments, former location of the offices of Birmingham Weekly, former site of the E. H. Cabaniss residence)
- 2253: former location of Highland Towers Sundry Shop (1964), Highland Booksmith, Highland Coffee Company
- 2255: former office of Walter Haynes (1964)
- Avenue continues over Red Mountain Expressway on Highland Avenue Overpass
Highland Park neighborhood
- Intersection with 23rd Street South
- 2300: former location of John Jenkins, Jr medical office (1964)
- 2310: Phares Apartments
- 2312: Gordon Court Apartments
- 2311: Crescent Building (Brice Building Company, Sirote & Permutt, Koch Aesthetic Dentistry)
- 2313: former location of John Carroll Convent (1964)
- 2217: former location of John Carroll Catholic High School (1964)
- 2320: 2320 Highland Avenue office building
- 2325: former location of Bishop Toolen's Catholic Center (1964)
- Caldwell Park
- 2401: Highland Crescent, former location of the Eli Smith residence
- Intersection with Milner Crescent/Highland Crescent
- 2507: First Lutheran Church
- 2525: Clivenden Court Apartments
- 2535: Parklan Apartments
- 2541: former location of Jaycees Haunted House
- Intersection with Milner Street/Caldwell Avenue
- Intersection with 26th Street South/Niazuma Avenue
- 2600: 2600 Highland, formerly the Otto Marx residence and Mary Lewis Convalescent Center
- 2601: former location of Southern Medical Association (1964)
- 2608: The Store on Highland, formerly a house used as a boarding house; Green Central Station
- 2620: Hanover Court condominiums
- 2625: Samuel Adler residence
- 2621: Ferd Caheen residence
- Intersection with 27th Street South
- Intersection with Highland Court
- Rhodes Park
- 2700-2704: Colonial Apartments
- 2708: former location of Highland Terrace Garden restaurant (1964)
- 2717: Park Tower (formerly Park Tower Apartments)
- 2725: former location of Sam Will John residence (1910)
- 2727: Highland Condos, former site of George Cruikshank residence
- Intersection with 27th Place South
- 2731-2737: "Three sisters"
- 2731: George Harris residence, former location of Green Apartments (1964)
- 2733: Robert Warner residence
- 2737: Eugene Enslen residence, Trimmier Law Firm
- 2732: former location of Knights of Columbus hall (1964)
- 2731-2737: "Three sisters"
- Intersection with 28th Street South
- Intersection with 28th Place South
- 2801: former location of Tom Joy residence, Davis Dress Shop (1964)
- 2803: Unity of Birmingham
- 2807: Rhodes Park Manor apartments
- 2815-2823: Highland Terrace apartments
- 2828: Donnelly House
- 2831: Greenbrier at the Altamont, formerly Altamont Apartments with Altamont Restaurant/George's Grill
- 2827: Pilates on Highland, former location of Gibbs-Doster Drug Co. (1964), Strawberry Fields, Celestial Realm, Lodestar Books
- 2829: former location of Christian Science Reading Room, Pantsari Architecture, SouthTrust Bank branch office
- 2831: former location of Altamont Beauty Salon
- 2834: Florence Jordan residence
- 2835: former location of The Party Shoppe restaurant (1964)
- 2838: former location of Birmingham Civic Ballet School (1964)
- 2848: Stephen Thompson residence
- Intersection with 29th Street South
- 2900: apartment building, former site of William Rushton residence
- 2901: former site of Eugene Brown residence (built 1902, demolished 1961)
- 2904:
- 2906: Crews Apartments
- 2908: Women's Club House (built 1910)
- 2909: Sheraton Apartments (built 1951), former site of Culpepper Exum residence
- Intersection with 30th Place South
- Rushton Park
- 2911: Sheraton Laundry, former location of Mullendore Drug Co. (1964)
- 2915: O'Henry's , former location of Mayfield Cleaners (1964-1969), Highlands Floral Design, Clay Scot Artworks
- 2917-2921: ROJO
- 2917: former location of Highland Music, Triple Platinum salon
- 2919: former offices of Jeff Bagwell, Elbon Christian and William K. Blake, architects (1964)
- 2921: former location of Sheraton Grocery (1964), Highland Market
- 2927: Montcalm Apartments, formerly Havenwood Apartments
- Intersection with 30th Street South
- 3005-3017: Avalon Condominiums
- 3075: IPC parking lot, former location of Misses Howard School
- Intersection with 31st Street South (joined briefly)
- Intersection with Cliff Road
- 3100: Independent Presbyterian Church (1926-)
- 3116: former location of 1st Church of Christ Scientist (1950-)
- 3121: former location of The Forest Court apartments
- Intersection with 32nd Street South
- Intersection with 33rd Street South/12th Avenue South/Highland Drive
- 3466: former location of Mary E. Newman's Pure Pork Sausage (1923)
Forest Park neighborhood
- Highland Park Golf Course (former site of Lakeview Park)
- Intersection with Clairmont Avenue
References
- Milner, Willis J. (1911) "History of Highland Avenue". typescript. Birmingham Public Library Archives., rpt. in Johns-1979
- "Americana—It Could Be This Gently Winding, Shady Avenue Of Churches" (December 10, 1949) Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Alexander, Martha (June 28, 1961) "Old Highland-av mansions bow to progress" The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Polk's Birmingham (Jefferson County, Ala.) City Directory (1964) Richmond, Virginia: R. L. Polk & Co.
- Casson, Barbara (April 3, 1972) "Parking a problem on Highland-Av" Birmingham Post-Herald. (Via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections.)
- "Amid protests— Restoration of Highland Ave. about to begin." (August 17, 1975.) The Birmingham News, page 4-B. (Via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections.)
- Stevens, Deborah L. (April 19, 1979) "Highland Avenue, street with proud history, starts new phase" Birmingham News. (Via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections.)
- Johns, Lyn (July 1979) "Early Highland Avenue and the Magic City, 1884-1893 Including Willis J. Milner's 'History of Highland Avenue'." Journal of the Birmingham Historical Society. Vol. VI, No. 2, pp. 33-43
- Morris, Philip (1988) "Urban Design: Everybody's Business: Birmingham" Design Alabama, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 10-11
External links
- Highland Avenue photographs on Flickr.com