14th Street North

14th Street North is one of the primary north-south streets on the western end of downtown Birmingham's business district.

14th Street begins at the northern end of 14th Street South, emerging from the 14th Street underpass underneath the railroad tracks of the Railroad Reservation. From there it first crosses Morris Avenue and continues north past 9th Avenue North and ending short of I-20/59. There is an additional short section of the street in Fountain Heights between 11th and 12th Avenue North.

In the city's early history, a low-lying marshy area northwest of 14th Street and 2nd Avenue North fronted the Baconsides slum district.

The 2004 City Center Master Plan recommended "greening" 14th Street as a walkable corridor connecting UAB and the Railroad Park on Southside to the Entrepreneurial Center and the Birmingham Social Security Administration Center downtown. A $1.3 million landscape improvement project, including new sidewalks and paving, was begun in December 2009. The project was funded largely with federal money.

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the 14th Street North category.

• 14th Street underpass (Railroad Reservation; continues south as 14th Street South)
  • west side:
    • 2-28: Former location of Linn Iron Works (entire block), currently owned by Alagasco
      • 2-14: Spire Metro Operations Center, former location of Birmingham Southern Railroad freight depot, AAA Mini Storage, Alagasco Metro Operations Center
  • east side:
    • 1-11: vacant, former location of L & N Railroad yards
  • Morris Avenue intersects (east only; terminus of downtown section)
    • 11-31: parking lot, former location of L & N Railroad yards
    • 11-15: former location of Magic City Hotel (built 1888, vacant in 1891)
      • 11: former location of grocery / general store (1891)
      • 13: former location of grocery / general store (1891)
      • 15: former location of hotel entrance (1891)

• 1st Avenue North intersection (U. S. Highway 11)
  • west side (Block 93):
    • 100-104: former location of saloon (1891), Alabama Auto Top (1975-2002)
    • 108: former location of E. M. Clark restaurant (1887), vacant store (1891)
    • 110: former location of A. W. Wilson grocer (1887), "eating house" (1891)
  • 1st Alley North intersects
    • 122: former location of barber shop (1891)
    • 124: former location of vacant store (1891)
    • 126: former location of vacant store (1891)
    • 128-130: Church of the Reconciler, former location of saloon & billiards (1891), Hormel meat processing plant,

• • east side (Block 94):
  • 101-131: Innovation Depot (2007-), former location of Sears, Roebuck & Co. (1941-)
    • 101-107: former location of grocery (1891)
    • 111: former location of cobbler (1891)

• 2nd Avenue North intersects
  • former "small creek" emerges west of 14th Street (1891)
  • former Birmingham, Powderly & Bessemer Railroad crossing (1891)
  • former location of Pizitz Tire Center
  • west side (Block 92):
    • 200-230: former location of "negro quarters" (1891)
      • 200-210: Edward's Chevrolet used car lot
        • 200: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 204: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 206: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 210: former location of hall (1891)
  • 2nd Alley North intersects
    • • 212-230: Edward's Chevrolet used car lot
        • 212: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 216: former location of dwelling (1891)
        • 230: former location of dwelling (1891)
  • east side (Block 91):
    • 201-211: Edward's Chevrolet car lot
      • 201: former location of grocery / fruit stand (1891)
      • 203: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 207: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 211: former location of dwelling (1891)
  • 2nd Alley North intersects
    • 213-231: Edward's Chevrolet car lot
      • 213: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 225-231: former location of grocery / confectionery (1891)

• 3rd Avenue North intersection
  • west side (Block 67):
    • 300-310: car lot
      • 300: former location of grocery (1891)
      • 302: former location of A. Gross fish market (1887), meat market (1891)
      • 308-310: former location of St James Colored Methodist Episcopal Church (1891)
  • 3rd Alley North intersects
    • 312-330: Jim Burke Nissan car lot
      • 312: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 318: former location of dwelling (1891)
  • east side (Block 68):
    • 301-311: Edwards Chevrolet dealership
      • 301-303: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 311: former location of dwelling (1891)
  • 3rd Alley North intersects
    • Edwards Chevrolet service lot
      • 313: former location of dwelling (1891)
      • 317: former location of dwelling (1891)

• 4th Avenue North intersection
  • west side:
    • 400-430: Jim Burke Subaru
  • east side:
    • 401-431: Jim Burke Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
      • 411: former location of Robert Funk Bakery
      • 421: former location of Banner Baking Co. (1922-1930s)

• 5th Avenue North intersection
  • former location of Slater School (1888-1929)
  • west side:
  • east side:
    • 517: Jim Burke Body Shop

• 6th Avenue North intersection
  • west side:
  • east side:
    • 713-731: Harris Early Learning Center

• 7th Avenue North intersects
  • west side:
    • 700-730: Airgas
      • 702: former location of New Orleans Bakery and Confectionery
      • 722: former location of J. W. Dickson lunch room (1927)
      • 724: former location of Ideal Ice Cream Co. (1925)
  • east side:
    • 701: City Center Place Apartments
    • 715: former location of Strong Brothers Grocery (1887)
    • 717½: former location of Mamie Cole restaurant (1928)

• 8th Avenue North / Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard intersection
  • west side:
    • 800-830: Birmingham Social Security Administration Center
  • east side:
    • 801-831: U.S. Treasury Building (built 2014)

• 9th Avenue North intersects (street ends)

References

• Cooper, Lauren B. (December 8, 2009) "$1.3M downtown upgrade project set to start." Birmingham Business Journal