21st Street North
21st Street North is a north-south street running through downtown Birmingham. The street begins as part of Richard Arrington, Jr Boulevard, picking up at the middle of the Rainbow Viaduct over the Railroad Reservation. From there it continues north to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, where it bends onto 10th Avenue North, onto which Richard Arrington, Jr Boulevard continues.
21st Street North proper picks up again north of the BJCC, continuing through Druid Hills on a route that jogs to the east and west at several intersections before ending at 15th Avenue North. Another section picks up on the other side of F. L. Shuttlesworth Drive and bends to the southwest under I-65 to 18th Street North. Yet another section picks up again east of I-65 near Finley Boulevard and continues to just beyond 26th Avenue North, where it bends onto 26th Court North. It picks up again at 29th Avenue North and continues through a residential section of North Birmingham to the campus of Carver High School.
Electric lights were installed 21st Street North from the viaduct to 8th Avenue North in 1945 under the city's contract with the Birmingham Electric Company.
Notable locations
For an alphabetical list of locations, see the 21st Street North category.
- Railroad Reservation/Rainbow Viaduct over Morris Avenue (continues as 21st Street South)
- West side
- 2: former location of McDavid Realty Co. (1927)
- 12½: Producers' Exchange Building (former site of A. C. Keily photo studio)
- Protective Life building (former site of Birmingham Ledger building)
- 2: former location of McDavid Realty Co. (1927)
- East side
- 15: Porter, White & Company
- Steiner Building (former site of William Nabors residence)
- West side
- 1st Avenue North intersection
- West side
- former site of Central Block building
- 100: New City Church, former location of Parisian Dry Goods & Millinery Company (1887-)
- 102: former location of Collins Barber Shop (1923)
- 104: former location of Trimble & Stewart insurance (1887)
- 104½: former location of A. Y. Harper & William Vaughn Attorneys at Law (1887), Mrs. M.H. Churchill dress maker (1887)
- 106: former location of Hilleary, Keith & Kirkpatrick insurance (1887)
- 106½: former location of Salvador Sutton lumber dealer (1888)
- 108-110: former location of Brown & Jacobs (1887), Galatoire's Hotel & Restaurant (c. 1889-1896)
- 108: former location of Kyle Lawson insurance agency (1923)
- 110½: former location of Denson & Dobbs Attorneys at Law (1887), Harry Breeding's architectural studio
- 112: John's City Diner, formerly John's Restaurant
- 114: former location of Hoover & Debeck (1887)
- 114½: former location of Frank S. White & James E. Zuntz Attorneys at Law (1887), Dr. George S. Brown (1887), Dr. A.G. Douglass (1887), Dr. T.E. Dryer (1887). Dr. J.G. Griggs (1887), J.T. Bailey real estate (1887), Cocke & Hudson real estate (1887), Dunlap & Nelson real estate (1887)
- 116: former location of M. M. Smith drug store (1886-1887)
- 116½: Friel & Moore Carriage & Wagon Manufacturers (1887)
- 118: Phenix Insurance Building (built c. 1884), former location of Wilson, Martin & Leedy insurance (1887), Rex Shoe Repair (1984)
- 118½: Weatherly & Putman Attorney at Law (1887)
- East side
- 101: Landmark Center (1915-), former site of Birmingham Railway, Light & Power Building (1902-1914)
- 113: former location of Jas. B. Hopkins & Co. iron and tinware (1885-)
- 115: Harris Building (built c. 1886), former location of Harris Brothers Art Supply, decorators (1887), W.J. Bowen Merchant Tailor (1887), Anery & Sedwick real estate (1887), Smith Print & Copy Center (1984)
- 115½: former location of Sutcliffe, Armstrong & Willett Architects (1887)
- 117-131: Florentine Building (built 1927), former site of Richards House hotel, Jefferson County Bank Building (built 1884, demolished 1926), former location of Focus Phase II, After Dark, Casbah, and Club 21
- 117: former location of George D. Scott Merchant Tailor (1887)
- 117½: former location of Drs. Dozier & Dozier, specialists (1887), C.L. Bass & Co. real estate (1887)
- 117: former location of George D. Scott Merchant Tailor (1887)
- 119: former location of George Eustus real estate (1887)
- West side
- 2nd Avenue North intersection
- former location of Labor Temple Hall (1904)
- West side
- City Federal Building
- 208-210: former location of Southern Music Co., Hawkins Book Store (1945)
- 208½: former location of the Commercial Club of Birmingham (1902)
- 210½: former location of Lippe Dance Studio
- 212: former location of Chichester & Co. real estate (1887), Home Federal Savings & Loan (1943-1956)
- 212½: former location of Charles M. Allen & Son builders (1924)
- 214: former location of White & Byrd milk depot & confectioners (1887), New York Combination Store (1887), C.D. Haynsworth real estate broker ), (1887), Dr Gus Coffee House (1940- )
- 214½: former location of Senn & Bethea Attorneys at Law (1887)
- 216: former location of George E. Moore grocer (Birmingham Sandwich Shop (1928), Gatchel's Photo Stock House
- 216½: former location of J. L. Yancy insurance (1887)
- 218: former location of Rogers Printing Co. (1887), Sloss Iron & Steel Company (1887)
- 218½: former location of Birmingham Mining & Manufacturing (1887), Dr. Gwin & Co. specialists
- Jackson Building/Jemison Building
- East side
- 209-211: former location of Lunsford Hotel/Colonial Hotel/Milner Hotel
- 211: vacant lot, former location of Colonial Hotel Cafe (1923), Charles Denton paperhanger and Dr Scholl's Foot Comfort Shop
- 213-217: former location of Jefferson County Building & Loan Association, Jefferson Federal Savings & Loan
- 213: former location of J. M. VanHoose Attorney at Law (1887)
- 213½: former location of Alabama Abstract Co., (c.1887)
- 215: former location of Jesse French Piano & Organ Co. (1877-), Arrington & Ellis insurance (1887)
- 213: former location of J. M. VanHoose Attorney at Law (1887)
- 219: former location of Hollingsworth & Frickhoeffer general contractors (1905)
- 223: former location of F. Govenette confectioner and fruit dealer (1887)
- Massey Building, former location of Remon's and My Brother's Place restaurant
- 3rd Avenue North intersection
- East side
- One Concord Center, former location of Jefferson County Courthouse (1889)
- Downtown YMCA
- West side
- 300: Title Building, O'Carr's, former location of Safari Cup
- 308-310: Alabama State Land Building (built c. 1911), law offices, former location of Electric Blue Printing Co. (1985), former site of Alabama Engraving Company (1905)
- 312-324: Commercial building (built c. 1908)
- 324: ServisFirst Bank, former location of Patterson's Cigar Store (1929), Par Value Loan Company (1984)
- East side
- 4th Avenue North intersection
- West side:
- 400-428: Birmingham Parking Authority Deck 3 (built 1976)
- 400½: former location of George Headley candy factory (1927)
- 408: former location of Wheeler-Lacey & Brown real estate (1949)
- 412: former location of Gridly-Lee Ice Cream Co.
- 414½-416½: former location of Acme Engraving Co. (1949)
- 414½: former location of Walbert Piano Studios (1949)
- 416: former location of Birmingham View Company and Knox Portrait Studio
- 400-428: Birmingham Parking Authority Deck 3 (built 1976)
- East side:
- First Presbyterian Church
- 409: Pathways Women's Center/Safe Haven shelter
- 419½: former location of Plumbers and Steamfitters Building (built 1942)
- Redmont Hotel, former location of First Christian Church
- West side:
- 5th Avenue North intersection
- Birmingham Parking Authority Lot B
- 503: former location of Avalon Hotel (1910)
- 515: B.F. Eborn real estate (1887)
- 517: D. O. Whilldin office (Wininger Law Firm)
- 524: former location of Herbert Brown Motor Company (1948)
- Colonial Center
- Advent Day School/Cathedral Church of the Advent
- 6th Avenue North intersection
- Energen Plaza (former site of Essex House/Daniel-Branscomb Tower (with the Downtown Club, Dale's Cellar), proposed site of Robert E. Lee Klan meeting hall (1924)
- Tutwiler Hotel (1986) (former Ridgely Apartments and former site of the Enslen Building)
- Park Place intersection
- 7th Avenue North intersection
- Jefferson County Courthouse
- former location of First Christian Church and Education Building
- Jefferson County Parking Deck
- 723: Sophia's Deli
- 8th Avenue North intersection
- continues under I-20/59
- 11th Avenue North intersection