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[[Image:Frank Nelson Building 1904.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Bert Covell's photograph of the First National Bank Building in 1904]]
[[Image:Frank Nelson Building.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Frank Nelson Building in March 2010]]
[[Image:Frank Nelson Building.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Frank Nelson Building in March 2010]]
The '''Frank Nelson Building''' is a 10-story office building located on the northeast corner of [[20th Street North|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 "[[List of buildings by height|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 '''Frank Nelson Building''' is a 10-story office building located on the northeast corner of [[20th Street North|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 "[[List of buildings by height|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.
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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 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'''".
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]] began a redevelopment and rebranding of the property as "'''The Frank'''". The project was awarded $5 million in [[Historic Preservation Tax Credit]] from the state of Alabama and secured $6.15 million in financing the Atlanta-based Ardent Companies. In [[2021]] Orchestra Partners modified its redevelopment plan to include residential units on floors 2 through 10. The ground floor will feature an open courtyard space. Construction began in June of that year.


==Tenants==
==Tenants==
{|-
| valign="top" |
* Ground floor
* Ground floor
** 20th Street North
** 20th Street North
*** 201: [[Whiteboard IT]], former location of [[Nelson Drugs]], [[A. & A. Ash Jewelers]] (1931-2007)
*** 201: [[Whiteboard IT]], former location of [[Nelson Drugs]], [[A. & A. Ash Jewelers]] (1931-2007)
*** 203: [[Flagg Shoes]] (1931)
*** 203: [[Flagg Shoes]] (1931)
*** 205: building entrance
*** 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)
*** 207: [[Trattoria ZaZa]] (2009-), former location of [[Adam Hats]] (1931-1941), [[Florsheim Shoes]] (1946), [[Mary Ball Candies]] (1964), [[Puff & Browse Smokeshop]] (1980s) [[Roma's Italian Bistro]] (-2009), [[Synovus Bank]] branch (2023–)
**** 207½: former location of [[John Sarver]] (1926)
**** 207½: former location of [[John Sarver]] (1926)
*** 209: [[UPS Store]], former location of [[Wainwright Hamm]] (1926), [[United Woolen Stores]] (c. 1931-1964)
*** 209: [[UPS Store]], former location of [[Wainwright Hamm]] (1926), [[United Woolen Stores]] (c. 1931-1964)
Line 32: Line 33:
*** 2006: [[Hartsfield Co.]] loans (1931), [[GAC Finance Corp.]] (1964)  
*** 2006: [[Hartsfield Co.]] loans (1931), [[GAC Finance Corp.]] (1964)  


* Upper floors
* 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)
** [[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]] (1904–1909)
** 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)
| valign="top" |
* 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)<!--not in CD-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]]
** [[Woodruff Manufacturing Company]]
** 935: [[Jefferson Construction Company]] (1905)
 
** [[Civitan Club]] (1920)
* 11th floor
** 1100: [[Henry Sprott Long & Associates|Long & Pacely]] architects (1946)
|}
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:1903 1st Natl Bank rendering.jpg|1903 rendering of the First National Bank Building
Image:Frank Nelson Building 1904.jpg|1904 Bert Covell photo of the First National Bank Building
File:1st Natl Bank Bldg postcard.jpg|1900s postcard view of the First National Bank Building
File:1906 1st Nat Bank.jpg|1906 photograph of the First National Bank Building
File:1908 1st National Bldg.jpg|1908 photograph of the First National Bank Building
</gallery>


==References==
==References==
Line 42: Line 211:
* ''First National Bank of Birmingham v. State'' (1954) 77 So. 2d 653
* ''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
* Satterfield, Carolyn Green (1976) "Historic Sites of Jefferson County, Alabama" Jefferson County Historical Commission
* Van der Bijl, Hanno (March 31, 2021) "National Park Service approves new plan for historic Frank Nelson Building." {{BBJ}}
* Van der Bijl, Hanno (May 21, 2021) "Orchestra Partners launches $40M redevelopment of historic Frank Nelson building." {{BBJ}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Locate | lat= 33.515751 | lon=-86.806152 | zoom=16 | type=h }}
{{Locate | lat= 33.515751 | lon=-86.806152 | zoom=16 | type=h }}
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=franknelsonbuilding-birmingham-al-usa Frank Nelson Building] on Emporis
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=franknelsonbuilding-birmingham-al-usa Frank Nelson Building] on Emporis


[[Category:Frank Nelson Building|*]]
[[Category:Frank Nelson Building|*]]

Latest revision as of 10:35, 18 April 2024

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 began a redevelopment and rebranding of the property as "The Frank". The project was awarded $5 million in Historic Preservation Tax Credit from the state of Alabama and secured $6.15 million in financing the Atlanta-based Ardent Companies. In 2021 Orchestra Partners modified its redevelopment plan to include residential units on floors 2 through 10. The ground floor will feature an open courtyard space. Construction began in June of that year.

Tenants

Gallery

  • 1903 rendering of the First National Bank Building

    1903 rendering of the First National Bank Building

  • 1904 Bert Covell photo of the First National Bank Building

    1904 Bert Covell photo of the First National Bank Building

  • 1900s postcard view of the First National Bank Building

    1900s postcard view of the First National Bank Building

  • 1906 photograph of the First National Bank Building

    1906 photograph of the First National Bank Building

  • 1908 photograph of the First National Bank Building

    1908 photograph of the First National Bank Building

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
  • Van der Bijl, Hanno (March 31, 2021) "National Park Service approves new plan for historic Frank Nelson Building." Birmingham Business Journal
  • Van der Bijl, Hanno (May 21, 2021) "Orchestra Partners launches $40M redevelopment of historic Frank Nelson building." Birmingham Business Journal

External links

Locate with
Google Maps

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