Frank Nelson Building

Bert Covell's photograph of the First National Bank Building in 1904

Frank Nelson Building in March 2010

The Frank Nelson Building is a 10-story office building located on the northeast corner of 20th Street and 2nd Avenue North in downtown Birmingham. Constructed in 1903 as the First National Bank Building, it was one of the city's first "skyscrapers". It served as the headquarters for the First National Bank of Birmingham. The building was designed by William Weston with Charles Wheelock & Sons and cost about $700,000 to build.

The site for the building, which was owned by T. C. McDonald in 1900, had been announced as the site of a 10-story, 278-room "Hotel Cynthia", which was never built.

A large vertical sign reading "FIRST NAT'L BANK" was attached to the corner of the 3rd-6th floors before 1906. In 1926 the bank negotiated a property swap with real estate developer Frank Nelson Jr. The bank would acquire the "Hood Corner" and adjoining parcels on the northwest corner of 20th Street and 3rd Avenue North in exchange for its building and one adjoining parcel. Nelson honored his part of the agreement by turning over the deeds to the Hood Corner properties. The bank, as agreed, retained its ownership of the existing building for a period not to exceed ten years, and began making monthly payments to Nelson (and to his estate after his death in 1928).

In 1930, however, First National Bank of Birmingham merged with American-Traders National Bank (which Nelson had co-founded) and which occupied the taller American Trust and Savings Bank Building on the southeast corner of 20th Street and 1st Avenue North. The combined bank remodeled the lower floors of that building and relocated in 1940.

Meanwhile, in 1936, at the end of its ten-year term, First National negotiated a new contract with Nelson's estate, including an option for the estate to purchase the bank building for $1,400,000. The building was, in fact, deeded to Nelson's heirs in 1939 and was re-named in his honor.

The Frank Nelson Building features retail shops along both 20th Street and 2nd Avenue. Those shops currently house a UPS Store, Trattoria Centrale, and Pita Loco. The corner space, previously home of A. & A. Ash Jewelers, now houses the offices of software developers Whiteboard It.

The offices served as the home of the Birmingham School of Law from 1996 to 2012. The Woodruff Manufacturing Company also has offices in the building. In 2018 Orchestra Partners led a redevelopment and rebranding of the property as "The Frank".

Tenants

• Ground floor
  • 20th Street North
    • 201: Whiteboard IT, former location of Nelson Drugs, A. & A. Ash Jewelers (1931-2007)
    • 203: Flagg Shoes (1931)
    • 205: building entrance, First National Bank of Birmingham, National Safe Deposit Co. / Brown Bros & Co. / Office Service Co. / Otto Marx & Co. / Cook & Co. / A. E. Campbell Catering Co. / Davis & Cammack / L. Satterfield (1905)
    • 207: Trattoria Centrale (2009-), former location of Adam Hats (1931-1941), Florsheim Shoes (1946), Mary Ball Candies (1964), Puff & Browse Smokeshop (1980s) Roma's Italian Bistro (-2009)
      • 207½: former location of John Sarver (1926)
    • 209: UPS Store, former location of Wainwright Hamm (1926), United Woolen Stores (c. 1931-1964)
    • 211: Royal Hat Shop (1931-1941)
  • 2nd Avenue North
    • 2000: Whiteboard IT, former location of Nelson Drugs, A. & A. Ash Jewelers (1931-2007), The Fountainette (1964)
    • 2002: former location of National Cigar Co. (1931), Oxman Gift Shop, Snow's Cards and Gifts
    • 2004: former location of Esther Brooks (1931), , Utopia Cleaners (1964)
      • 2004B: Guaranty Savings & Loan (1931)
    • 2006: Hartsfield Co. loans (1931), GAC Finance Corp. (1964)

• 2nd floor
  • 201: Lacy Realty Co. (1905)
  • 202-204: S. A. Wood / J. A. Dickinson (1905)
  • 205: Wilson & Alber (1905)
  • 206-207: G. Chisholm (1905)
  • 208-209: Penn Casualty Co. (1905)
  • 210-211: Reid Murdock & Co. / Brown Shoe Co. / P. W. Hall (1905)
  • 212-214: National Cash Register Co. (1905)
  • 217-218: A. E. Meadow / W. W. Clapp (1905)
  • 219-220: Caldwell & Ward / Birmingham Clearing House Association (1905)
  • 221-222: J. B. McClary & Co. / G. Brittain (1905)
  • 223-226: Jemison Real Estate & Insurance Co. (1905)
  • 227-228: Weakley & Weakley / Central Trust Co. (1905)
  • 229-230: West Pratt Coal Co. / Southern Coal Coke & Iron Co. (1905)
  • 231-232: Howells Mining Co. (1905)
  • 233-235: Law Library (1905)
  • 237: Monte Sano Land Company / Eureka Land Co. / J. M. Crowder & Co. (1905)
  • 238: Birmingham Loan & Discount Co. (1905)
  • Birmingham School of Law (1996-2012)

• 3rd floor
  • 301-302: Suwanee Insurance Co. / M. B. Lewis / Weldon Coal Co. (1905)
  • 302-304: Kay & Johnson (1905)
  • 305: Hodgers & Mimms (1905)
  • 306-307: R. J. Lowe / Henry Morscheimer (1905)
  • 308-309: Kennedy & Whitaker (1905)
  • 310-311: F. M. Lowe / W. H. Carney / Foster & Co. (1905)
  • 312-314: Forcite Powder Co. / C. J. Perry & Co. / Red Feather Coal Co. / Friedman Bros Shoe Co. / Southern Iron & Fuel Co. (1905)
  • 315-316: D. R. Dunlap Mercantile Co. (1905)
  • 317-318: E. B. Hardin / S. W. Purifoy / D. M. Lawson (1905)
  • 319-322: Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Co. (1905)
  • 323-326: Prudential Insurance Co. (1905)
  • 327-328: I. J. Sellers / C. H. Jernigan / Courtney Shropshire physicians (1905), Civitan Club (1920)
  • 329-330: M. A. Copeland / Ballard & Ballard (1905)
  • 331-332: Clyde Charleston Fast Freight Line / Iron City Lumber (1905)
  • 333-335: Walker & Eggleston / Aetna Life Insurance Co. (1905)
  • 336: Clement Gazzam (1905)
  • 337: G. C. Earle (1905)
  • 338: Mitchell Lumber Co. / Mississippi River Cannel Coal Co. / T. S. Smith / G. W. Ratliff (1905)

• 4th floor
  • 401-402: Birmingham Equipment Co. (1905)
  • 405: Southern Welfare & Institutions Bureau (1905)
  • 406-407: Oscar Hayes / T. W. Powers (1905)
  • 408-409: J. C. Hail (1905)
  • 410-411: F. F. Snedecor / A. B. Harris (1905)
  • 412: Miller Real Estate & Business Brokerage / W. M. Little (1905)
  • 415-416: T. D. Parke / E. Gusfield (1905)
  • 417-418: H. R. Coston (1905)
  • 419-420: J. C. Burnam / J. F. Burnam (1905)
  • 421-422: N. P. Cocke / A. F. Toole (1905)
  • 423-424: R. C. Morefield / William Long (1905)
  • 425-426: J. M. Mason (1905)
  • 427-428: S. L. Ledbetter (1905)
  • 429-430: J. D. Heacock (1905)
  • 431-432: E. E. May (1905)
  • 433-435: J. W. Tomlinson / J. W. Logan / R. McCullough (1905)
  • 436: Chisolm & Chisolm (1905)
  • 437: Wright, Williams & Wadley (1905)
  • 438: R. H. Hagood / C. A. Hough (1905)

• 5th floor
  • 501: A. J. Camp / Southern Auditing Co. (1905)
  • 506-507: State Mutual Life & Annuity Assocation (1905)
  • 508-509: J. C. Westbrook (1905)
  • 510-511: Perkins & King / Alabama Dental Supply Co. (1905)
  • 512-514: J. M. McLester
  • 515-516: E. S. Casey / B. D. Sibley (1905)
  • 517-518: H. M. Harton / Sibley Bros / R. D. Johnston (1905)
  • 519-520: F. L. Whitman (1905)
  • 521-524: Atlanta & Birmingham Air Line Railway (1905)
  • 525-526: E. Hammill / C. W. Mills & Co. / Southern Atlantic Life Insurance Co. (1905)
  • 527-530: Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co. / P. C. Ratliff (1905)
  • 531-532: Rittenberry, Berry & Rittenberry (1905)
  • 533-535: Blocton-Cahaba Coal Co. (1905
  • 536-537: Woodward Construction Co. (1905)
  • 538: G. M. Bowers / Lewis Walter (1905)

• 6th floor
  • 601: Virginia Bridge & Iron Co. (1905)
  • 602-604: Nabers & Wood / F. E. Nabers (1905)
  • 605: M. M. Baldwin / C. J. Dougherty (1905)
  • 606-607: Percy Nixon (1905)
  • 608-609: Jefferson Brick Co. / Graves Shale Brick Co. (1905)
  • 610: Moore & Smith (1905)
  • 611-614: Rugby Land & Improvement Co. / East Lake Land Co. (1905)
  • 615-616: P. H. Woodall (1905)
  • 617-618: Kerr & Haley / E. L. Allen (1905)
  • 619-620: Equitable Life Assurance Society (1905)
  • 621-622: Freed & Krouse / Birmingham Bonding & Investment Co. / Frisco Coal Co. / R. H. Fries (1905)
  • 623-626: Sayre Mining & Manufacturing Co. / Little Warrior Coal & Coke Co. / Stockham Pipe & Fittings Co. / Roberts & Schaefer Co. (1905)
  • 627-628: A. F. Griggs (1905)
  • 629-630: Stouts Mountain Coal & Coke Co. / Seloca Coal Co. (1905)
  • 636-637: Leadbeater & Johnston / J. F. Johnston / J. B. Hooper (1905)
  • 638: Standard Trust Co. (1905)

• 7th floor
  • 702-704: Powell & Blackburn (1905)
  • 705: G. W. Reese (1905)
  • 706-707: J. T. Palmer (1905)
  • 708-709: L. F. Luckie (1905)
  • 710-711: Eubank & Dillard / B. E. Kidd (1905)
  • 712-714: A. F. Crane (1905)
  • 715-716: Manhattan Life Insurance Co. / H. Rich & Sons (1905)
  • 717-718: Brown, Murphy & Crawford (1905)
  • 719-720: New York Life Insurance Co. (1905)
  • 723: Thermol Med Co. (1905)
  • 724-726: Stallings & Nesmith / J. R. Moore (1905)
  • 727-728: N. E. Fort / B. S. Catchings (1905)
  • 729-730: J. M. Lowrey (1905)
  • 731-737: Campbell & Walker / H. H. McClelland / J. R. Evans (1905)
  • 738: New York Life Insurance Co. (1905)

• 8th floor
  • 801-804: Weatherly & Stokely / L. A. Keene / T. B. Hubbard (1905)
  • 805: C. A. Calhoun (1905)
  • 806-807: Buell Mining Co. (1905)
  • 808-809: Industrial Finance & Trust Co. / Robert Ross / Zell & Co. / American Guarantee Co. (1905)
  • 810-811: George Eubank (1905)
  • 812-814: South-Eastern Tariff Association (1905)
  • 817-818: Underwood & Thach / G. Bondurant (1905)
  • 821-830: Alabama Consolidated Coal & Iron Co. / Gray Ore Iron Co. (1905)
  • 831-832: R. C. Redus (1905)
  • 833-835: Cabaniss & Weakley (1905)
  • 836: E. C. Crow (1905)
  • 837: Woodward Stenography Bureau / W. E. Fort / Alabama Benevolent Burial Association (1905)
  • 838: C. G. Brown (1905)

• 9th floor
  • 901: Masonic Annuity Association of Alabama (1905)
  • 902-904: J. F. Webb / N. L. Miller / C. S. Ellis (1905)
  • 905: Southern Co-Operative Home Purchase Co. (1905)
  • 906-907: Franklin Life Insurance Co. / Virginia State Fire Insurance Co. (1905)
  • 908-909: T. P. Powell / Leland Caldwell (1905)
  • 910: W. J. Dangaix / G. B. Reeves (1905)
  • 912-914: Frazier & Lathem / F. I. Tarrant / J. D. Lanier (1905)
  • 917-918: Ward & Houghton (1905)
  • 919-920: Baugh & Williams (1905)
  • 921-928: Tillman, Grubb, Bradley & Morrow / H. P. White (1905)
  • 933-934: A. O. Lane (1905)
  • 935: Jefferson Construction Company (1905)
  • 935-936: J. W. Farrior & Co. (1905)
  • 937: H. K. White / S. R. Flinn & Co. (1905)
  • 938: International Correspondence Schools (1905)

• 10th floor
  • 1001-1005: J. J. Pearson (1905)
  • 1006-1007: Y. E. Holloway (1905)
  • 1008-1009: National Home Builders Co. / W. R. Coleman (1905)
  • 1015-1016: C. F. Roblin / W. B. Reynolds (1905)
  • 1017-1018: Ivy Leafe Coal Yard / W. C. Shackelford (1905)
  • 1021-1022: J. A. Montgomery / Terry & Gahagan Construction Co. / Ramsay Engineering Co. (1905)
  • 1023-1024: Yolande Coal & Coke Co. / Ashby Brick Co. (1905)
  • 1025-1026: Kelley Co. (1905)
  • 1027-1028: William C. Weston architect (1905)
  • 1029-1030: Rust Engineering Co. (1905)
  • 1033-1035: Kaul Lumber Co. (1905)
  • 1037: J. M. Morgan & Co. / Brown & Joy (1905)
  • 1038: Davis Drilling & Prospecting Co. / J. L. Davidson (1905)
  • Woodruff Manufacturing Company

References

• "British Shipping Industry" (August 6, 1903) Taranaki (New Zealand) Herald. Vol. 50, No. 12,325
• First National Bank of Birmingham v. State (1954) 77 So. 2d 653
• Satterfield, Carolyn Green (1976) "Historic Sites of Jefferson County, Alabama" Jefferson County Historical Commission

External links

Locate with
Google Maps

• Frank Nelson Building on Emporis