1st Avenue Cut
The 1st Avenue Cut is a depressed railroad bed running through the center of 1st Avenue South from 20st Street South to 24th Street South.
The cut is part of plans for a linear park connecting the Railroad Reservation Park with Sloss Furnace and beyond. It is also at the center of significant recent redevelopment, including the Corporate Realty Building, Jackson Galleries, the Seaboard Flats, Golden Construction, Water Board Building, Williams-Blackstock Architects, and other new or renovated uses along those four blocks.
The presentation of the City Center Master Plan in 2005 showed the possibility of filling the cut to create a tree-lined boulevard. Some residents, vocally represented by then-councilor Elias Hendricks expressed their view that the cut should be preserved for its interpretive and nostalgic value, but "cleaned up" to make it an asset to the area.
The Central City neighborhood sponsored a clean-up day for the cut in June, 2005.
References
- Coman, Victoria L. (April 27, 2005) "Central City looks for help to tidy up old railroad cut." Birmingham News.
- Urban Design Associates. (2005) Birmingham City Center Master Plan Update. PDF