Block 121

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Block 121 is a Birmingham city block bordered by 20th and 21st Streets and by 1st and 2nd Avenues South, now the site of Cityville Block 121, currently under development.

The block was considered for the 72-story Shepherd Centre development, which was proposed in 1987 but never materialized.

The block was most recently occupied mostly by parking lots, but also contained a Birmingham Water Works payment center, a Kinko's/Fed Ex store, an Express Oil Change, and a building that most recently housed Reed Books and Scott's Koneys, all on the 20th Street side of the block.

In 2006 Corporate Realty Development proposed a two-phase redevelopment, which would start with a $24 million full-service Hyatt Place hotel and retail shops, originally scheduled for a September 2008 opening, and then later add a high-rise mixed use building. In August 2007, the block was purchased for $4.3 million by Inland American Communities, Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia and development of Cityville began.

Demolition of the remaining structures on the block was begun in December 2008. Completion is expected in the first half of 2010.

References

• Williams, Roy (May 15, 1994) "Un.real Estate: Pet Projects Grow into White Elephants." The Birmingham News
• "Block by Block" (June 15, 2006) Urban Living 2006, special advertising section. Black & White
• "Cityville Development buys downtown block." (August 15, 2007) The Birmingham News
• Cooper, Lauren B. (August 31, 2007) "City block to get revamped." Birmingham Business Journal
• Cooper, Lauren B. (February 11, 2008) "Express Oil moving downtown location to make room for $33M project." Birmingham Business Journal
• Williams, Roy L. (December 5, 2008) "Long-delayed building project near UAB starts demolition." The Birmingham News