Lyric Building
The Lyric Building is a 6-story office building constructed in 1914. The Lyric Theatre occupied a major portion of the building, and it's lobby takes up the ground-floor corner entrance at 1800 3rd Avenue North on the corner of 18th Street.
The project was financed by real-estate developer Louis V. Clark, who purchased three adjoining lots and hired the Hendon Hetrack Construction Company to erect the concrete-framed structure.
The office building continued to operate after the theater closed in 1958. It was sold Birmingham Landmarks, saviors of the Alabama Theatre, for $10 in 1993. Early efforts to restore the theater, in tandem with redevelopment of the office building as an arts center, were not realized.
An extensive project to preserve and renovate the theater was completed in 2016. Some of the ground floor spaces were incorporated into the redesign to accommodate accessible restrooms and reception areas. Notably the longstanding Lyric Hot Dogs restaurant lost its lease in December 2013.
Tenants
Ground floor
- 3rd Avenue North
- 1800: Lyric Theatre lobby entrance
- 1802: former location of Lyric Barber Shop & Lyric Billiard Parlor (1929)
- 1804: former location of Lyric Confectionery / S. M. Theodos home-made candies (1925-1931), The Karmelkorn Shop (1941-1946), Tanner's Inc. confectionery (1953), Merit Finance Co. (1970), First City Mortgage, Birmingham Art Association
- 1806: former location of National Loan & Jewelry Co. (1925-1964), House of Hats (1964), Consolidated Toy Distributors (1971-1976), Birmingham Art Association gallery (1998), Place Design Studio, Create Birmingham (2013)
- 1806½: former location of Lollar's Cameras (1929-1941), Lyric Hot Dogs (1957-2013)
- Health Spot shoe store (1956)
- Bardon's Seven & Nine (1961)
- Foot So Port Shoes (1961)
- Birmingham Beauty Supply (1981-1991)
Rooms
- 2nd floor
- 200-207: AirWay Branches Inc. vacuum cleaners (1952-1953)
- 201-202: A. H. Kessler chiropractor, neurocalometer and x-ray service (1925)
- 201: Elizabeth Holt dressmaker (1941)
- 206: J. R. Roberts & Co. loans / Thomas & Gearhart Realty Co. (1925), Benjamin Kirchner furs (1941)
- 207: Gerhard Mols tailor (1941)
- 201-202: A. H. Kessler chiropractor, neurocalometer and x-ray service (1925)
- 208-210: McGlawn, Denton & Co. / American National Insurance Co. (1925), Lincoln Income Life Insurance Co. (1956-1964)
- 208-209: Lyric Beauty Salon (1941), Provident Indemnity Life Insurance Co. (1952-1953)
- 209: Railway Mail Credit Union (1970)
- 210: Acme Button & Embroidery Co. (1941)
- 211-212: Anthony McDevitt insurance agency (1925-1953), Federal Casualty Co. (1925), Federal Life & Casualty Co. (1941-1956), Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Co. (1941-1956)
- 213-214: Lyric Loan Co. (1941-1953)
- 213: Eborn Realty Co. (1925)
- 200-207: AirWay Branches Inc. vacuum cleaners (1952-1953)
- 3rd floor
- 300-302: Bruno Kiesewetter massage (1941-1953)
- 300: G. M. Owen (1925)
- 301-302: Allison Jewelry Co. wholesale jewelers (1964-1967)
- 303-305: United Cement, Lime & Gypsum Workers District Council No. 5 (1953)
- 303-304: Kentucky Home Mutual Life Insurance Co. (1941)
- 303: Willis Allison Inc. wholesale jeweler (1964)
- 303-304: Kentucky Home Mutual Life Insurance Co. (1941)
- 306-307: Galloway Insurance Agency (1952-1953)
- 306: George Biloe (1925), Empire Loan & Finance Co. (1941)
- 307-308: Finance Money Co. (1925)
- 308: John M. Cooper chiropodist (1941), Edith Davis podiatrist (1952-1971)
- 309-312: Roberts Academy of Speech (1941)
- 309: Roberts Academy of Speech (1953-1956)
- 310-311: Orrion P. Brooks optometrist (1941-1967)
- 311: Phil Joiner attorney (1925)
- 312: E. H. Crawley manufacturer's agent (1925)
- 313: Roberts Academy of Speech / Stacy Arline Roberts (1925), Local Loan Co. (1941)
- 314-316: Birmingham Dental Laboratory (1941-1961), Acme Dental Laboratory (1964-1971)
- 314: E. L. Walker / F. W. Marchand real estate (1925), Lillie Wood dressmaker (1941)
- 315-316: C. B. Powell / Ida Maxwell (1925)
- 300-302: Bruno Kiesewetter massage (1941-1953)
- 4th floor
- 400-418: Lollar's Kodak Parlor (1910-1926)
- 400-411: Lollar's kodak finishing (1941)
- 400: Southern National Insurance Co. (1953), Communications Workers of America Local No. 3902 (1956-1967)
- 404-405: Southland National Insurance Co. (1952-1964)
- 405: Cotton States Life Insurance Co. (1967-1971)
- 408: Commercial Employees Bureau (1953)
- 409-410: Mutual Savings Life Insurance Co. (1952-1956)
- 410: Ebony Personnel Service Employment Agency (1967-1971)
- 412: Ferrell & Vines Loan Co. (1941), Vines Loan Co. (1952-1956)
- 413-415: The Praetorians insurance (1941), Alabama State Department of Labor field office (1953)
- 414: National Association of Letter Carriers (1970)
- 416-417: Southern National Insurance Co. (1941)
- 416: Sherrill Alterations (1970)
- 400-411: Lollar's kodak finishing (1941)
- 400-418: Lollar's Kodak Parlor (1910-1926)
- 5th floor
- 500-502: Alabama State Federation of Labor (1953)
- 501: Birmingham Stenographic Bureau (1925)
- 502: Monroe Calculating Machine Co. (1925), Structural Iron Workers Local No. 92 (1941)
- 503-504: King Optical Co. (1952-1956)
- 503: Bevie Paper Products Co. (1925), All States Life Insurance Co. (1941)
- 504-505: G. M. Howie real estate (1925), The Weekly Call newspaper (1941), United Cement, Lime & Gypsum Workers District Council No. 5 (1961-1971)
- 505: Robert E. Maxwell optometrist (1953)
- 506: Employees Loan Society (1925), David Snead chiropractor (1941), Wilbur Newberry optometrist (1953-1956)
- 507-508: National Realty Co. (1925)
- 507: Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Lodge No. 590 (1941-1967)
- 508: Barnes Realty Co. (1970-1971)
- 508-509: North American Accident Insurance Co. (1941), Robert H. Walker chiropractor (1953), Joseph Waldner chiropractor (1952-1956)
- 509: United Transportation Union Local 590 (1970-1971)
- 509-510: H. E. McNamara / T. L. Fossick advertising novelties (1925)
- 510-513: Walter Allbritton dentist (1941), W. Klyde Allbritton Jr dentist (1941-1964), Dick Allbritton dentist (1952-1953)
- 511: J. W. Schick building contractor (1925)
- 512: J. M. Keever / National Realty Co. (1925)
- 513: Alabama Retail Food Dealers Association / B. C. Apperson / Birmingham Retail Grocers & Butchers Association / The Grocers Journal (1925)
- 514-516: A. J. Hope chiropractor (1923)
- 514-515: Alabama State Federation of Labor (1941-1956)
- 514: Morrow Brokerage Co. (1925)
- 515-516: W. H. Wells chiropractor (1925)
- 515: Kime Carbon Co. paper & ribbon manufacturers (1952-1956)
- 516: W. Klyde Allbritton Jr dentist (1953)
- 514-515: Alabama State Federation of Labor (1941-1956)
- 516-519: Alabama Association of Credit Men (1941)
- 516: The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Birmingham (1964)
- 517-519: Co-Operative National Detective Agency (1925)
- 517-518: Charles M. Edwards chiropodist (1952-1956), International Association of Machinists Lodge No. 271-372-359-252-2418 (1961-1965)
- 500-502: Alabama State Federation of Labor (1953)
- 6th floor
- 600-602: J. C. Glover chiropractor (1923), Glover & Albert chiropractors (1925)
- 600: Cox Agency advertising (1941), Empire Loan & Finance Co. (1952-1956)
- 602: International Products Co. luggage (1941), Bahá'ís World Faith Center (1953)
- 603-605: Alabama Independent Merchants Association / Merchants Journal magazine / Grocers & Merchants Association of Jefferson County / Consumers & Taxpayers Association of Alabama / Birmingham Retail Merchants Association (1941)
- 603: General Multigraphic Co. (1925)
- 604-605: J. R. Ezell Co. manufacturers' agents (1953)
- 604: Alabama Labor Council (1964-1967)
- 606: Alabama Child Welfare Department (1925), Commercial Employment Bureau (1941), National Bankers Life Insurance Agency (1952-1953)
- 607: Sims Realty & Investment Co. / Sims Investment Co. (1925), Brown & Hill Corp. investments & loans (1941-1956)
- 608: Amalgamated Association of Street & Electric Railway Employees (1925), Horace Weaver architect (1941), Barnes Realty Co. (1961-1964), United Federation of Postal Clerks Local No. 303 (1970)
- 609-618: Colby Decorating Co. (1925)
- 609-610: Clifton Moore chiropractor (1941), Alabama Fire Insurance Service (1952-1967)
- 611-613: William Albert chiropractor (1941)
- 611-612: Yester Ceramic Laboratory Inc. (1961-1964)
- 611: Alma Taylor chiropractor (1953)
- 611-612: Yester Ceramic Laboratory Inc. (1961-1964)
- 614-615: Alonzo Lawley chiropractor (1952-1971)
- 615: William Huckabee chiropodist (1941)
- 616: Amalgamated Association of Street & Electric Railway Employees of America Local No. 725 (1941-1953) / Amalgamated Bus Union Local No. 725 (1964), Amalgamated Transit Union Local No. 725 (1967-1971)
- 618: Clarence Klenk music teacher (1941), Hanby-Nobinger & Mitchell Inc. real estate (1953)
- 600-602: J. C. Glover chiropractor (1923), Glover & Albert chiropractors (1925)
- Alabama News Magazine Inc. (1952)
- Auto Insurance Agency (1961)
- Avalon Beauty Supply (1971)
- Company Employers Group (1961-1967)
- Dixie Insurance Agency (1961)
- Encyclopedia Americana (1952)
- Ferguson Alterations / Lorene Ferguson (1961-1967)
- Greyvan Lines Inc. (1952)
- Home Reader Service Inc. (1961)
- Kennesaw Life & Accident Insurance (1961)
- Mitchell Inc. realty (1952)
- Mitchell Larimer Agency insurance (1961)
- Oneida Total Integrated Enterprises (1952-1967)
- Southern Hearing Aid (1967)
- The Spectator newspaper (1920)
- Tucker Realty Co. (1956)
- Union Bankers Insurance Co. (1956)