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The '''Avon Building''' is a 2-story, 220,000 square foot building on the southwest corner of [[29th Street South|29th Street]] and [[7th Avenue South]] in the [[Lakeview]] district of [[Birmingham]]'s [[Southside]].
[[File:Avon Building 1984.jpg|center|thumb|800px|The Avon Building in 1984]]
The '''Avon Building''' (also called the '''Exclusive Furniture Shop''') is a 1- and 2-story, 220,000 square foot building on the southwest corner of [[29th Street South|29th Street]] and [[7th Avenue South]] in the [[Lakeview]] district of [[Birmingham]]'s [[Southside]].


The 1920s building, once the home of the '''Avon Theater''', was heavily damaged as a result of frozen pipes in the winter of [[1983]]-[[1984|84]], forcing tenants to relocate.  
The [[1927]] Tudor Revival style building was designed by [[Charles McCauley]].


It was still vacant when it was purchased in [[1986]] by the newly-incorporated [[Bayer Properties]] for $115,000 as their first redevelopment project. After about $1 million in improvements, [[Straight Furrow Productions]] signed on as the first tenant. Six months later, Bayer accepted a proposal from [[Bombay Café]] to lease the ground level corner space. The restaurant's success helped establish Lakeview as a night-time destination in the 1990s.  
The structure was heavily damaged as a result of frozen pipes in the winter of [[1983]]-[[1984|84]], forcing tenants to relocate. [[Operation New Birmingham]] assisted prospective buyer [[Bayer Properties]] in getting the building listed on the [[List of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places|National Register of Historic Places]] in order to qualify for tax credits for preservation. The listing was approved on [[September 30]], [[1984]].


[[Vazda]] studios made use of the former theater space before they moved to the [[Roger's Trading Company Building]] in [[2006]]. Some of Vazda's production crew made a short documentary about "[[Frank (ghost)|Frank]]", the supposed ghost of a former theater employee.
Bayer initially invested $115,000 in what was their first redevelopment project. After about $1 million in improvements, [[Straight Furrow Productions]] signed on as the first tenant. Six months later, Bayer accepted a proposal from [[Bombay Café]] to lease the ground level corner space. The restaurant's success helped establish Lakeview as a night-time destination in the 1990s.  


In December [[2006]] Bayer sold the building to the [[Redview Group]] for $2.6 million. Redview plans to lease the corner space to the [[Red Mountain Church]].
==Tenants==
* 2831 7th Avenue South: [[Dragonfly Salon]], former location of [[Kwik Cleaners]] (1985), [[Hala Hair & Make-Up Design]]
* 2833–2839 7th Avenue South / 700 29th Street South: [[Bird's Bar & Pizza]] (2017-2018), former location of [[Exclusive Furniture Shop]] (1927-), [[Bombay Café]] (1986-), [[Rare Martini]] (2006-2017)
* 700B 7th Avenue South: former location of the [[Stock Exchange]] consignment shop (1984)
* 702 29th Street South:
* 704 29th Street South: former location of [[Silk Gardens]] (1984)
* 706 29th Street South:


==References==
==References==
* Tomberlin, Michael (December 19, 2006) "Church soon to call historic structure home." ''Birmingham News''
* Vogtle, Pat, Pam King, Alice M. Bowsher, Tom Dolan & Ellen Mertins (February 15, 1985) "[http://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/0ad76e7c-597b-4d0f-8b62-b1680f92e442 Exclusive Furniture Shop]". National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form - accessed March 6, 2017
* {{King-2008}}


[[Category:29th Street South]]
[[Category:Avon Building|*]]
[[Category:7th Avenue South]]
[[Category:1926 buildings]]
[[Category:1920s buildings]]
[[Category:Charles McCauley buildings]]
[[Category:Former cinemas]]
[[Category:Bayer developments]]
[[Category:Bayer developments]]
[[Category:Lakeview]]
[[Category:1986 buildings]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Birmingham]]

Latest revision as of 12:26, 5 September 2022

The Avon Building in 1984

The Avon Building (also called the Exclusive Furniture Shop) is a 1- and 2-story, 220,000 square foot building on the southwest corner of 29th Street and 7th Avenue South in the Lakeview district of Birmingham's Southside.

The 1927 Tudor Revival style building was designed by Charles McCauley.

The structure was heavily damaged as a result of frozen pipes in the winter of 1983-84, forcing tenants to relocate. Operation New Birmingham assisted prospective buyer Bayer Properties in getting the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in order to qualify for tax credits for preservation. The listing was approved on September 30, 1984.

Bayer initially invested $115,000 in what was their first redevelopment project. After about $1 million in improvements, Straight Furrow Productions signed on as the first tenant. Six months later, Bayer accepted a proposal from Bombay Café to lease the ground level corner space. The restaurant's success helped establish Lakeview as a night-time destination in the 1990s.

Tenants

References

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