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[[Warren, Knight & Davis rendering of the remodeled Clark Building in 1962|right|thumb|375px|Warren, Knight & Davis rendering of the remodeled Clark Building in 1962]]
[[Image:Clark Bldg rendering.jpg|Warren, Knight & Davis rendering of the remodeled Clark Building in 1962|right|thumb|375px|Warren, Knight & Davis rendering of the remodeled Clark Building in 1962]]
The '''Clark Building''' is a 2-story commercial building located on the northwest corner of [[20th Street North|20th Street]] and [[4th Avenue North]] in [[downtown Birmingham]]. It was constructed in [[1909]] for General [[Louis Clark]] and remained in his family for generations. The [[Commercial Realty Company]], owners of the building in [[1962]], commissioned a full remodeling and modernization of the structure from [[Warren, Knight & Davis]] and [[Brice Building Company]].
The '''Clark Building''' is a 2-story commercial building located on the northwest corner of [[20th Street North|20th Street]] and [[4th Avenue North]], on [[Block 60]] in [[downtown Birmingham]].
 
It was designed by [[Harry Wheelock]] and constructed in [[1908]] by [[T. C. Thompson]] for General [[Louis Clark]]. He expected the building to house [[Drennen's Department Store]], but no agreement was reached and the space was subdivided for smaller shops. The property remained in his family for generations.
 
The [[Commercial Realty Company]], owners of the building in [[1962]], commissioned a full remodeling and modernization of the structure from [[Warren, Knight & Davis]] and [[Brice Building Company]].


The building housed the [[Birmingham Press Club]], and later a ballet school, on the second floor. The ground floor space housed [[Smith & Hardwick]] book store, while the basement was home to [[Cafe Italiano]] and its [[Piccolino Lounge]].
The building housed the [[Birmingham Press Club]], and later a ballet school, on the second floor. The ground floor space housed [[Smith & Hardwick]] book store, while the basement was home to [[Cafe Italiano]] and its [[Piccolino Lounge]].
In the early 1980s, all of Block 60 was considered for redevelopment under the [[Downtown Master Plan]] created for the city by [[Pedro Costa]] and Angelos Demetriou. Developer [[Raymond Gotlieb]]'s [[Metropolitan Development Inc.]] entered into an agreement with the city to construct a 28-story Westin Hotel and office complex on the block, but was never able to secure options on enough of the land to proceed. The possibility of condemning property for redevelopment was debated in the [[Birmingham City Council]], but was not pursued. Nevertheless, the threat led owners, the [[Noland Family Trust]], to decline long-term leases and prompted tenants to seek new locations. The building became vacant by [[1986]] when the high-rise [[Wells Fargo Tower|SouthTrust Tower]] opened across the alley.
The Clark Building was slated for demolition in the mid 1990s, but was saved by the efforts of [[Richard Arrington Jr]], [[John Lauriello]] and [[Bob Moody]], along with [[Operation New Birmingham]]. They recruited the law firm of [[Lightfoot, Franklin & White]] to purchase the building and renovate it as their headquarters offices. The renovations, aimed at restoring the building's historic appearance, were completed in [[1998]] by the [[Charles & Vinzant Construction Company]]. The building was re-roofed in [[2019]].
In [[2022]] Lightfoot, Franklin & White sold the Clark Building for $7.75 million, but stayed on as tenants.


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==Tenants==
* 400-410 20th Street North
** 400:  former location of [[Industrial Savings Bank]] (1926-1929), [[Schwobilt Clothes]] (1964), [[Central Bank]] (-1983)
** 400½: former location of [[Mary Beard's Tea Room]], [[Café Italiano]] (1966-1974)<!--or 1968-1977-->, [[TC's Restaurant]], [[Piccolino Lounge]], [[Uptown Downtown]] (1981-1982)
** 402: former location of [[20th Street Fruit Store]], [[Delight Barber Shop]] ([[W. J. Bosbonis]] & [[W. G. Choron]] 1926-1929), gift shop (1931), vacant (1964), [[Charles Arndt]] clothiers (-1983)
** 404: former location of the [[Stork Shoppe]], [[Toledo Scale Co.]] / [[Old Dutch Ribbon & Carbon Co.]] (1922), [[Mehr's Music Store & Novelty Shop]] (1926-1930), furrier (1931)
*** 404½ : former location of [[New South Publishing Co.]] (1938-1939)
*** 404A: former location of [[Lollar's Cameras]] (1926), [[A. C. Keily]]'s photo studio, [[Turner Studio Co.]] (1931)
** 406–408: [[Smith & Hardwick]] booksellers (1949-1990)
*** 406: [[Faulkner's Stationery]] (1926-1929), jeweler/furrier (1931), [[Birmingham Press Club]]
*** 408: [[Peerless Laundry]], [[Domestic Electric Co.]] (1922), [[Studio Book Shop]] ([[Maurice Gottlieb]] 1920-1931), [[Birmingham Book Exchange]] (1937), [[Lampland Novelties]] (1964), [[Remington]] (-1983)
** 410: [[Claradon Hat Shop]], [[E. & W. Dry Cleaning]] / [[Stephenson Studio]] (1920-1926),  art supplies (1931), [[Statesman Barber Shop]] (1964), [[Tutwiler Drug Co.]] (-1983)
*** 410A: former location of [[Vernon Harris Florist]] (1934-1964)
* 1922-1928 4th Avenue North
** 1922: [[Hickman Cycle Co.]] (1913–1922), [[Spivy & Johnson Portrait Co.]] (c. 1929)
** 1924: [[National Shoe Fixery]] (1929), [[Tom's Cafe & Steak House]] (1946), [[The Angus]] (1956), [[Birmingham Club for Young Executives & Professionals]] (1964), [[Cane Break|Cane Break Supper Club]] (late 1960s), [[Grundy's Music Room]] (1979-1992)
** 1926: [[Gregory & Blake]] insurance agents (c. 1929)
** 1928: former location of [[Industrial Savings Bank]] (1926-1929), [[Schwobilt Clothes]] (1964), [[Central Bank]] (-1983)
** [[Birmingham Club]]
* Rooms
** basement: [[Greenwood Cave]] (1922–1926),  [[Mary Beard's Tea Room]] (1935–1944), [[Cafe Italiano]] (1966-1974), [[Cane Break|The Cane Break]] (1960s-1970s), [[Piccolino Lounge]], [[Uptown Downtown]] (1981-1982)
** 200: [[National Aid & Burial Co.]] (1926)
** 201: [[A. C. Keily|Keily Studio]] photographers (1926)
** 202: [[Dictaphone Sales Co.]] (1926)
** 203-204: [[Black Finance Co.]] (1926)
** 205-206: [[E. C. Fruttiger]] (1926)
** 207: [[O. V. Hunt]] photographer (1926)
** 208: [[Southern Distributing Co.]] (1926)
** 209: [[Picard Laboratories]] (1926)
** 212: [[Alabama Geological Survey]] (1926)
** 214: [[Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory]] (1926)
** 221: [[J. C. Breeden]]/[[H. Y. Webb]] (1926)
** 222-223: [[Gerhard-Mols Tailoring Co.]] (1925)
** 228: [[Turner Studio Co.]] photographers (1920-1926)
** 236: [[Retta Dawson]], dressmaker and designer (1925), [[Stella Lynn]] (1926)
** [[Communist Party USA District 17]] offices (1937)
==References==
==References==
* {{CD-1926}}
* "[http://www.birminghamrewound.com/features/ClarkBldg%20%2807-62%29.jpg Clark Building, Fourth and 20th, to get face-lifting]" (July 1962) {{BN}} - via [[Birmingham Rewound]]
* "[http://www.birminghamrewound.com/features/ClarkBldg%20%2807-62%29.jpg Clark Building, Fourth and 20th, to get face-lifting]" (July 1962) {{BN}} - via [[Birmingham Rewound]]
* Lauriello, John (October 2010) "[http://www.jeffcohistory.com/newsletter_oct_10.html The Damn Yankee that Stayed - Part 2]" Jefferson County Historical Association Newsletter
* Parker, Illyshia (October 11, 2022) "Clark Building gets new owners, tenant signs new lease." {{BBJ}}
==External links==
* [http://www.emporis.com/building/clark-building-birmingham-al-usa Clark Building] on Emporis.com
* [http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=27515 Clark Building] at the Historical Marker Database


[[Category:1909 buildings]]
[[Category:Clark Building|*]]
[[Category:1908 buildings]]
[[Category:Wheelock & Wheelock buildings]]
[[Category:Warren Knight & Davis buildings]]
[[Category:1962 buildings]]
[[Category:1962 buildings]]
[[Category:20th Street North]]
[[Category:1998 buildings]]
[[Category:4th Avenue North]]

Latest revision as of 17:41, 18 February 2023

Warren, Knight & Davis rendering of the remodeled Clark Building in 1962

The Clark Building is a 2-story commercial building located on the northwest corner of 20th Street and 4th Avenue North, on Block 60 in downtown Birmingham.

It was designed by Harry Wheelock and constructed in 1908 by T. C. Thompson for General Louis Clark. He expected the building to house Drennen's Department Store, but no agreement was reached and the space was subdivided for smaller shops. The property remained in his family for generations.

The Commercial Realty Company, owners of the building in 1962, commissioned a full remodeling and modernization of the structure from Warren, Knight & Davis and Brice Building Company.

The building housed the Birmingham Press Club, and later a ballet school, on the second floor. The ground floor space housed Smith & Hardwick book store, while the basement was home to Cafe Italiano and its Piccolino Lounge.

In the early 1980s, all of Block 60 was considered for redevelopment under the Downtown Master Plan created for the city by Pedro Costa and Angelos Demetriou. Developer Raymond Gotlieb's Metropolitan Development Inc. entered into an agreement with the city to construct a 28-story Westin Hotel and office complex on the block, but was never able to secure options on enough of the land to proceed. The possibility of condemning property for redevelopment was debated in the Birmingham City Council, but was not pursued. Nevertheless, the threat led owners, the Noland Family Trust, to decline long-term leases and prompted tenants to seek new locations. The building became vacant by 1986 when the high-rise SouthTrust Tower opened across the alley.

The Clark Building was slated for demolition in the mid 1990s, but was saved by the efforts of Richard Arrington Jr, John Lauriello and Bob Moody, along with Operation New Birmingham. They recruited the law firm of Lightfoot, Franklin & White to purchase the building and renovate it as their headquarters offices. The renovations, aimed at restoring the building's historic appearance, were completed in 1998 by the Charles & Vinzant Construction Company. The building was re-roofed in 2019.

In 2022 Lightfoot, Franklin & White sold the Clark Building for $7.75 million, but stayed on as tenants.

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Tenants

References

External links

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