16th Street North

16th Street North is one of the primary north-south streets on the western side of downtown Birmingham's business district. It connects the city's historic 4th Avenue Historic District to the Fountain Heights residential neighborhood.

16th Street does not cross the Railroad Reservation. It begins at Morris Avenue and continues north-northwest under I-20/59. At 14th Avenue North it takes slight turn to the north. Past 15th Avenue North it becomes an alley, bending northeast to connect to 17th Street North.

At I-65 a separate section of 16th Street North is carried over the interstate on the 16th Street Overpass, which is a continuation of 17th Street North. The overpass forms an interchange with exits from north and southbound interstate traffic, and one onramp onto I-65 South. From there it continues uninterrupted past Acipco to 35th Avenue North, just shy of the ridge of Sand Mountain at Zion Heights.

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the 16th Street North category.

1927 view of the 200 block of 16th Street North, with the Thomas Jefferson Hotel under construction.

• Morris Avenue intersects

• 1st Avenue North (U.S. Highway 78) intersectis
  • 100-120: Innovation Depot (former Sears Roebuck & Company)
    • 100-108: former site of W.P. Brewer Sash, Door & Blind Factory (1885-)
    • 110-120: former site of Iron City Foundry & Machine Works (1884-), J. E. Ramsay & Co. / Central Milling Co. (1926)
  • 130: former location of Fies & Sons (1926)
  • 101-111: former site of Mineral City Foundry (1875–1878), H. T. Beggs & Sons Foundry (1885-1887)
  • Thomas Jefferson Hotel (also known as Cabana Hotel and Leer Tower)

• 2nd Avenue North intersects
  • former location of the Royal Restaurant
  • west side (Block 90):
    • 200–210: former location of ARC Equipment Sales
      • 206: former location of Ella Wilson restaurant (1904)
    • 212–224: Edwards Motor Co. Building (built 1928) Nextec, former location of Edwards Motor Co. (1928–1944), Railroad Furniture Co. (1979), Sticks 'N' Stuff (2007)
      • 216: former location of Kentucky Livery Co. (1926)
  • east side (Block 89):
    • 201–209: Industrial Staffing of Alabama
      • 209: former location of W. J. Schimmel, veterinarian & farrier (1923)
    • 221: Anthony's Barber & Style Shop

• 3rd Avenue North intersects
  • former location of Modern Sign Company
  • 306-310: former location of Independent Laundry Co. (1926), Luxe Body Shop (1970)
  • 312–328: Lee Building, 1-story commercial building
    • 312: Next Tatt 2 (Samone Lewis May 2022–), former location of Fuller Products Co. (1970), T. P. I. R., Homecoming Coffee & Gift Shop (2011), Home Locators of Alabama (2015), Teacakes Inc., Color Me Beautiful, Fyehair
    • 314: Kirby Insurance Agency (1963–), former location of Treat-Rite store (1927)
    • 316: M J Oil World (2011–), former location of J. E. Connell & Son tailoring (1970)
    • 318: The Hook Up barber shop (2015–)
    • 320: Ferrill African Wear (2017-), former location of Emma Lou's Salon de Coiffures (1970), The Vault Clothiers
    • 322: Your Flower Shop, former location of Wilbert & Willie's Barber Shop (1970)
    • 324: Muhammad's Mobile Services, former location of One Love barber shop
    • 328: former location of Silver Sands Restaurant (1970), Mrs B's On Fourth restaurant (–2019)

• 4th Avenue North intersects
  • west side (Block 64):
    • 400–412: Metropolitan AME Zion Church (built 1955)
    • 414: former location of D. M. Wilson vehicle service (1926)
    • 420–430: A. G. Gaston Building (built 1960)
      • 420–424: L. R. Hall Auditorium
      • 422: former location of Citizens Drug Store (1970)
      • 424: former location of Alexander & Co. insurances / Vulcan Realty & Investment (1970)
  • east side (Block 63):
    • 401–411: former location of Sentell Oil gas station (1970), John Ray's Supper Club, Club Mozambique (1970s), Infinity Club Connection
      • 411: former location of Rapid Printing Co. (1970)
    • 413–431: Arthur D. Shores Law Center
      • 413: Alfreda Gray attorney, former location of Ethel's Flowers (1970)
      • 415: former location of Post Office Motor (1926), Johnny's Inc. vending machines (1970)

• 5th Avenue North intersects
  • west side (Block 43)
    • 500–516: A. G. Gaston Motel
    • 520–530: Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
      • Fred Shuttlesworth statue
  • east side (Block 44)
    • 501–531: Kelly Ingram Park, formerly West Park (dedicated 1871)

• 6th Avenue North intersects
  • 16th Street Baptist Church
  • former location of Jockey Boy Restaurant
  • 611: former location of Birmingham Auto School (1926)
  • 613: former location of C.J, Knighten contractor (1887)
  • 614: former location of the Pettiford House
  • 615: former location of Social Cleaners (1962)
  • 616: former location of Bradford Funeral Home / Jefferson County Burial Society (1926)

• 7th Avenue North intersects
  • 700: former location of Hill Grocery Co. (1926)
  • 702: former location of Pinkey Lewis bar (1937)
  • 730: former location of Edwards & Miles grocers (1887), S. A. Cohen & Son (1926)

• Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard North intersects
  • 807: former location of Charles McDermott grocer (1887)
• I-20/I-59 (no interchange)

• 9th Avenue North intersects (east only)
  • 900: Flowers Baking Company, former location of the Home Baking Company
  • 909: former location of Hattie Taylor restaurant (1904)

• 10th Avenue North intersects
  • 1034: former location of Great A & P Co. (1926)

• 11th Avenue North intersects
• 11th Court North intersects (east only)
• 12th Avenue North intersects
• 12th Court North intersects (west only)
• 13th Avenue North intersects
• 13th Court North intersects (west only)
• 14th Avenue North intersects
• 15th Avenue North intersects
• I-65 interchange (south only)
• 17th Street North intersects (north only)
• 16th Terrace North intersects

• • 1884: Restoring The Kingdom Ministries
  • 1904: former location of Mars Petcare
  • 2001: former location of Dixie Packing Co. meat packers (1925), National Packing Co. (1926)
  • 2011: former location of Dixie Meat Market (1926)
  • 2109: Tire Centers Birmingham
  • 2400: Motley Construction Company
  • 2512: former location of Chubby's restaurant and lounge
  • 2610: Eagle's Restaurant
  • 2700: Birmingham Entertainment Center (also known as Club Chubbys), (2009-)
  • 2713: former location of William Blakely restaurant / Centennial Social Club (1926-1928)
  • 2811: former location of Martin Furniture & Clothing Co. (1926)
  • 2815: former location of Acipco Repair Shop (1926)
  • 2831: former location of Acipco Pharmacy / C. H. Smith physician (1926)
  • 2901: former location of Acipco Auto Service Station (1926)
  • 2905: former location of Acipco Art Cleaning (1926)
  • 2907: former location of Hill Grocery Co. (1926)
  • 2908-2916: former location of Acipco Co-Operative Store (1926)
  • 2921: former location of American Cast Iron Pipe Co. (1926)
  • 3117-3113: Acipco United Methodist Church (1926-)
  • 3200: ACIPCO Medical Group