Farley Building

Early postcard view of the Farley Building

The Farley Building is a 126-foot-tall, 9 story building in Downtown Birmingham located on the southwest corner of 3rd Avenue and 20th Street North.

Built in 1909, the building was the fourth steel-frame "skyscraper" erected in Birmingham. It was financed by John G. Farley, a merchant from Benton in Lowndes County. Architects Miller, Martin & Lewis created a graceful composition of dark red brick arches and light-colored spandrels, less severe than the tall buildings that preceded it.

The building's projecting cornice was removed when the 9th story was added.

Tenants

Ground floor

• 20th Street North
  • 220: New York Model Hat Shop (1922), Nisley Co. (1926), Eisley Beautiful Shoes (c. 1929), Russell Stover Candies
  • 222-224: Shaw & Davin equipment dealers, Florsheim Shoes (1964), Classic Basket
    • 222: J. H. Whaley & Co. confectioners (1887)
    • 224: Bromberg & Co. jewelers (1922), Liggett's Drug Store (1924-1940), Craig's Shoes (1964), The Cochran Firm (2015-)
  • Contact Lens Clinic (1960s)
  • Onlie Barber Shop (1909)
  • Hill Shoe Co. (1909)
• 3rd Avenue North:
  • 1925: Thom McAn Shoes (1929), Julie Ann Hat Shop (1964), Elaine's boutique (2019)
  • 1927: Cinderella Shoe Shop (1925-1929), The Adorable Shop (1964), The Barbie Shop beauty salon (2016-)
  • 1929: building entrance
  • 1931-1933: Bromberg & Co. jewelers (1922), Liggett's Drug Store (1924-1940), Craig's Shoes (1964), The Cochran Firm (2015-)
    • 1931: George Kannelis (1917), Herrod's Bakery (2008), Brannon's public house (2009-2011)

Rooms

Birmingham Cultural & Heritage Foundation (-2009) Sigmund Nesselroth, architect 2nd floor 200: C. A. Donnelly (1913), Ballard & Ballard (1913–1917), W. W. Clapp / Boy Scouts of America (1917), Burnett's Beauty Salon (1964) 202-204: A. S. Boyd / Penn Casualty Co. (1909), M. A. Copeland, V. V. Florence (1913) 203: M. A. Copeland / V. V. Florence / H. S. Florence (1917) 204: Mabel Sanders Alterations (1964) 205: J. D. Head (1913), J. J. Strickland (1917), Jaffe Jewelry Co. (1964) 206: J. E. Pugh (1909), R. A. Thagard physician (1913) 207: J. B. Cobbs (1913), Davis & Davis (1917) 208: J. B. Coff insurance (1909) 209: A. D. Hagan (1913), International Correspondence Schools (1917) 210-212: Aetna Finance Co. (1964) 210–211: Black & Davis / H. E. Yockey (1913) 210: Black & Weakley (1909), A. D. Hagan (1917) 212: B. P. Ivey (1913), Boy's Club (1917) 214: Cox Advertising Agency (1913), Philip Dorn / D. H. Markstein (1917) 3rd floor 300-316: Horace Alford attorney (1923) 300: Strickland, physician (1909), A. G. Douglas / Smith & Rodgers (1913), W. H. Levie / W. R. Orr (1917) 302: Rosamond, physician (1909), Boys Club & Children's Aid Society (1913), Allen, Bell & Sadler / L. C. Collins (1917) 303: Allen & Bell / W. H. Sadler Jr / Suitable Land Co. (1913) 304: Smith Kirkpatrick Advertising Inc. (1964) 307: Allen & Bell (1909), M. A. Collins (1917), Allan Morten Printing Service (1964) 308-309: R. A. James, physician (1909) 308: B. McLaurine (1913), R. A. Jones (1913–1917) 309-310: Brides World (1964) 310: J. K. P. Lacey (1917) 311: R. C. Thagard physician (1909), James A. Going real estate & investment (1913–1917) 313: Taylor McCarty (1909) 315: R. H. Fries (1913–1917) 4th Floor 400-404: Alabama Asphaltic Limestone Co. (1964) 400: Stallings-Lacey Court Reporters (1909), Stallings & Brazleton (1913), A. M. Williamson (1917) 401: D. H. Tolman (1913) 402-403: W. R. Dillard physician (1909) 402: J. S. Abney (1913–1917) 404: Miles Copeland Sr physician (1909–1912) 406: O'Connell, physician (1909), Southern Amusement & Supply Co. (1913), South Park Land Co. / G. A. Williams (1917) 407-408: O. P. Brooks chiropractor (1923) 407: Noris Real Estate Co. (1913), Rossie Taylor attorney (1964) 408: O. P. Brooks chiropractor (1917) 408–409: Altrurian Society (1913) 408: Fred Moore attorney (1964) 410: Alabama Insurance Co. / Securities Co. of America (1913), Altrurian Church / Altrurian Society (1917) 414: E. M. Thomas (1913), F. W. Bromberg (1917), Franke & Cornelius Associates real estate / Franke Realty Co. (1964) 415: Farley Building superintendent 5th floor 500-516: C. B. Powell (1909) 500: Murphree & Richardson (1913–1917), William G. Waldrop accountant (1964) 501: Arthur L. Payton business machines (1964) 502-505: United Construction Co. (1964) 502: Harsh, Beddow & Fitts (1913), B. C. Burkhart / T. P. English (1917) 503: Bowman, Harsh & Beddow (1909) 507-512: Robert Tailoring Co. (1964) 507: G. M. Edmonds / H. J. Martin (1917), C. B. Smith 508: J. J. Strickland (1913), Wilder & Tinsley (1917) 510: R. D. Coffman (1909–1917), E. B. Van Keuren architect (1938) 511: McQueen & Ellis (1913–1917), Strange & Chappel 515: H. L. Strickland (1913), A. D. Smith, Hamilton & Acker manufacturers' insurance (1964)

6th floor 600: A. G. Douglass (1917), Henry Salemi attorney (1964) 601-603: E. S. Moore (1909) 601: Atlas Insurance Co. (1913), Independent Life Insurance Co. (1917), American Detective Agency (1964) 602-603: Zula C. South commercial artist (1964) 605-607: Grinnell Co. sprinklers (1964) 604: McGeever Bros & McDavid / McDavid Investment Co. / Southern Indemnity Association (1917) 605: L. P. Hill, real estate (1909) 606: R. L. Bevill, physician (1909–1913) 607: T. P. Vowell, physician (1909), J. E. Garrison (1913–1917) 608-612: U.S. Selective Service System Local Board No. 37 & No. 126 (1964) 608: W. S. Malone / A. W. Joost (1913) 609: Economical Tailoring System (1913) 611: George H. McFadden & Bros. (1909) 613: Heaton & Stickle (1913–1917), Glendale Land Co. / Irondale Land Co. (1917) 615: William Draper podiatrist (1964) 7th floor 700-705: Sparrow Advertising Agency (1964) 700: N. C. Glass / E. T. Glass / H. E. Mitchell (1913) 701: Glass physician (1909) 702: Gaston & Pettus (1909), American Concrete Steel Rail Road Tie Co. (1913) 704: Kirkpatrick, Culley, McCorkle & Bayliss (1913), W. G. Kirkpatrick (1917) 706: P. B. Green (1913) 705: D. F. Florence, physician (1909) 707-708: John E. Evans accountant (1964) 707: Lola Taylor (1913–1917) 708: Southern Indemnity Association (1913) 709-710: Juddie White podiatrist (1964) 709: Southern Indemnity Association (1909), Maner-Dowdy Co. (1917) 711-713: Sparrow Advertising Agency overflow (1964) 711: W. L. Wooten (1913–1917), J. L. Wooten (1917) 712: Meridian Life Insurance Co. / Provident Life Insurance Co. 713: S. C. M. Amason (1913), H. M. Harton (1913–1917) 8th floor 800: Howard Patent Fountain Co. / J. E. Howard (1913), Ford Bros Realty & Insurance Co. (1917), Brockman Hearing Aid Specialists (1964) 801: Green & Howard, physicians (1909), H. M. Henderson (1917) 802: F. W. Shugart (1913), Schwab Investment Co. (1917) 804: Dr Gwin Specialist Co. (1913), Z. T. Rudolph / J. H. Hard (1917) 805: J. T. Glover (1909), Carpenters District Council (1913), The Adorable Shops storage (1964) 806-807: James H. Bradford attorney (1964) 806: P. E. Rittenburg, physician (1909) 807: R. L. Leatherwood (1909), R. T. Shugart (1913), Southern Firm Advertising Co. (1917) 808: U. L. Allen (1909), W. K. Dean (1913) 809: Baptist State Executive Committee / H. L. Strickland (1917) 811-812: Jefferson County Consumer Finance Exchange (1964) 812: T. M. Ramey (1913) 813: W. T. Masterson, physician (1909) 814: Tri State Executive Committee YMCA (1913) 9th floor 900: Knights of the Maccabees Hall (1913), F. Raymond Ingram attorney (1964), McMillan Mediation 901: T. M. Bradley real estate (1909), Bishop & Bishop (1917) 902-908: T. H. Joy (1909) 902: Joy Construction Co. (1913), W. K. Dean / Alex Hood (1917) 904: R. W. Rankin (1913) 905: J. G. La Coste (1913) 906: R. P. Darden / E. W. Stillwell (1913) 907: Margon Advertising Co. (1909), T. L. Medders & Co. / I. J. Abbott / B. C. Burkhart (1913) 908: E. E. Pugh (1909), B. W. McDuffie (1917) 910: Sibley, physician (1909), W. R. Ward (1913) 912-914: Housal Agency Inc. real estate (1964) 912: D. B. Anderson (1913) 913: Clark Williams (1909), United Mine Workers (1917), William Harrison, Alabama State Federation of Labor 915: J. H. Weaver (1917), Paul J. Hendrix Co. typewriter repairs (1964)

References

• White, Marjorie Longenecker (1977) Downtown Birmingham: Architectural and Historical Walking Tour Guide. Birmingham: Birmingham Historical Society.

External links

• Farley Building on Emporis.com