Terrace Court
- This article is about Southside apartment building. For the street in Fairfield, see Terrace Court (Fairfield street).
Terrace Court is a landmark apartment building at the corner of Highland Avenue and 20th Street South near Five Points South. The six-story building was designed by William Weston and constructed in 1907 by Richard Massey. It includes retail and office space on the ground floor and first floor. The project was billed as the first high-class apartment building south of Washington D.C.
The original configuration included 24 luxury apartments, separated by fireproofed wall and floors that included sand packed into the voids of the terra-cotta. Notable early tenants included J. F. Leary, T. Ashby Weller, and Robert McLester, all on the fourth floor.
In 2006, Boothby Realty and its investment partners announced a $5 million plan to redevelop Terrace Court as the Terrace on Highland Condominiums. Plans called for 26 condominiums, ranging from 875 to 1,928 square feet, designed by Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds architects. The units were to be priced at $298,000 to $695,000. The courtyard and lobby areas would be restored closer to their original appearance, including a pre-Nazi party swastika design in the lobby tile. A fitness center and concierge were planned amenities for residents. Completion of the renovations was scheduled for 2007. Only the spot occupied by Dave's Pub would remain as commercial space. That plan did not proceed, and the property was foreclosed on by Regions Bank.
In 2010, Red Mountain Development announced a new proposal to purchase and renovate the building for $3.8 million. They plan 40 apartments with a new 44-space covered parking structure across 12th Avenue, as well as 14,000 square feet of retail and office space. A new terrace dining area on the right side of the front facade will complement the existing terrace at Dave's Pub for a new restaurant. A 24-hour fitness center for tenants is also planned. Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds once again provided design services, and Capstone Development Corporation is general contractor.
Commercial tenants
- Optic Nerve
- Stream of Consciousness Koffiehuis, 1993–1995
- Bailey's Pub
- Dave's Pub, –present
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- Chaffin Carousel Carving School, 2009–present
- Sipsey Tavern, 2010–present
References
- Jefferson County Historical Commission. (1998) Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama Images of America Series. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0752413465
- Tomberlin, Michael. (April 23, 2006) "Boothby Realty is on a development spree with plans to convert three Southside apartment buildings to condos. And that's just for starters." Birmingham News
- Tomberlin, Michael. (June 15, 2010) "Renovation planned for Birmingham's Terrace Court Apartments." Birmingham News