10th Street South

10th Street South is a north-south street now divided into two sections in Birmingham's Southside community. Prior to the construction of Interstate 65, the two sections were connected.

The northern section, in the Five Points South neighborhood, extends approximately one-quarter mile for three blocks from 2nd Avenue South to just south of 5th Avenue South, immediately west of Interstate 65. Any buildings on the east side of this section were demolished to make way for I-65. The interstate's south-bound off-ramp for 4th Avenue South comes within 50 feet of 10th before passing back under I-65. A further stub of road exists south of 5th Avenue before ending at the right-of-way of the south-bound off-ramp for 6th Avenue South.

On the west side of this section, all property north of 5th Avenue is owned by UAB and Southland International Trucks. UAB's property previously belonged to Alagasco, but when that company began building a replacement for their Downtown Operations Center, UAB purchased the property for use as a parking lot. The university is leasing the property back to Alagasco until the new Metro Operations Center is completed in 2015.

The southern section, in the Glen Iris neighborhood, also extends approximately one-quarter mile for roughly four blocks from 9th Court South to 16th Street South. The discrepancy in street numbers is because this section of 10th Street is where a section of streets aligned with the downtown street grid meets a section aligned along the compass. The short section of 10th between 8th Street and 10th Avenue is one-way north. Traffic traveling south must come from 8th Street.

History

10th Street South before construction of I-65
Map section courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Originally, 10th Street South extended all the way from 2nd to 16th Avenue South. It was aligned with the downtown street grid from 2nd to 8th Avenues and due north-south from 8th to 16th. The intersection at 8th did not precisely align; instead the northern section was slightly east of the southern one at 8th. U.S. Geological Survey maps show the section of 10th Street between I-65 and 9th Court still in existence in the late 1980s.

Notable Locations (north to south)

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the 10th Street South category.

Five Points South neighborhood

• 2nd Avenue South intersection (east only; road terminus)
  • 214: Southland International Trucks
  • 410: UAB Express Lot 4, former location of Alagasco Downtown Operations Center (demolished 2020)
• 5th Avenue South intersection
  • 506: Wingfoot Commercial Tire Systems
• Road terminates at Interstate 65 right-of-way
  • 812: former location of 10th Street Creamery (Charles Tersheshee 1958)

Glen Iris

• 9th Court South intersection (west only; road terminus)
  • west side:
    • 1100: La Estrellita
    • 1102: Club South sports pub, former location of Jeb's Deli (1986)
    • Gable Square BP Services Center
  • east side:
    • Epic School
• 10th Avenue South intersection
• 8th Street South intersection (northwest only)
  • west side:
  • east side:
    • single family homes
• 10th Court South intersection (southwest only)
• 14th Avenue South intersection (east only)
  • West side:
    • 1420: The Crowne on 10th apartments
  • East side:
    • Single family homes
• 16th Avenue South (road terminus)

References

• Jefferson County - 7.5 Minute Quadrangles
• Ranaivo, Yann. (July 23, 2013). "Alagasco plans for two new operations centers." Birmingham Business Journal.
• Ranaivo, Yann. (November 13, 2013). "How parking at UAB may be about to improve." Birmingham Business Journal.