5th Avenue North
5th Avenue North is an east-west downtown street in Birmingham's northside. It ends at a drainage headwall for Valley Creek at 7th Street North to the west and becomes Messer Airport Highway to the east as it crosses below the Elton B. Stephens Expressway and the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
The eastern end of 5th Avenue North downtown was once the principal entranceway into Birmingham by rail, as it was the site of the Birmingham Terminal Station. Many of Birmingham's early hotels were constructed along 5th Avenue heading west toward 20th street from the station.
The intersection of 5th Avenue North with 24th Street North is close to the geographical center of Birmingham. A large storm culvert extends from downtown to I-65 below 5th Avenue North.
There is a short, block-long strip of 5th Avenue North adjacent to Forest Hill Cemetery in Woodlawn and another dead-end section between Trotwood Park and I-59. A longer section of 5th Avenue North is located in East Lake between 73rd and 90th Streets. An unconnected short dead-end section can also be accessed by 91st Street North near Zion Memorial Gardens.
History
In 1945 electric lighting was installed on 5th Avenue North between Center Street and 19th street under the city's contract with the Birmingham Electric Company.
In October 1958 5th Avenue North was converted into a four-lane thoroughfare by eliminating on-street parking from Bush Boulevard in the west to 41st Street in Avondale. The move was expected to increase the street's traffic-carrying capacity by 30 percent and was part of a traffic plan by which 1st and 5th Avenues would serve as cross-town thoroughfares while 2nd, 3rd and 4th would serve for bus traffic and as connectors to the downtown business district. The installation of new coordinated traffic signals and the removal of obsolete streetcar wires was part of the conversion.
5th Avenue North was converted from two-way to one-way (eastbound) traffic was from 9th Street North to Red Mountain Expressway in 1973 by the Alabama Department of Transportation's TOPICS (Traffic Operations Program to Increase Capacity and Safety) program.
Notable locations
- 700: former location of George Washington Grocery (1925)
- 808: Abanks Mortuary
- 1301: Jim Burke Pontiac/Buick/GMC
- 1409: Jim Burke Chevrolet/Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge
- 1510: former location of A. G. Gaston's Supper Club
- 1516-1518: former location of Salvation Army Social Services Department (1925)
- 1527: A. G. Gaston Building, former location of Booker T. Washington Business College
- Intersection with 16th Street North
- North side:
- 1600-1630: Kelly Ingram Park
- South side:
- 1605: former location of R. G. Snider Concrete Co. (1925)
- 1617: Freedom Manor
- 1625: former location of Fifth Avenue Hotel (1925)
- 1629: former location of Aqua Lounge night club
- 1631: former location of Le Bistro Hickory House restaurant
- North side:
- Intersection with 17th Street North
- 1704: CAP
- 1729: Hugo L. Black Federal Courthouse, former site of Roden Hotel and Adamson Ford
- Intersection with 18th Street North
- 1800: Robert S. Vance Federal Building
- 1801: Federal Reserve Building
- 1823: former location of the House of Exotics patio lounge
- 1829: former location of Mayer's Wall Paper & Frame Shop
- Intersection with 19th Street North
- former site of Pollock-Stephens Institute and Southern Safe & Fence Company
- 1907: former location of Jane Speed's Book Store
- 1909: Subway Restaurant (former location of Fifth Avenue Coffee House)
- 1911: former location of Dixie Sporting Goods (1948)
- 1913: Chick Fil-A
- 1916: former location of Dixie Drive-It-Yourself System (1948)
- 1915: former location of DeMoes' Lunch Counter, the Alhambra Restaurant, and the Gold Torch restaurant and lounge (1972)
- 1919: former location of Ben Chapman's Bowling Lanes and Lo-Mac Bowl (opened 1950)
- 1920: former location of Apollo Club (1902)
- 1921: former location of Nuncie's Music (1945-c. 1980)
- 1960: Regions Center
- 1961: Wells Fargo Tower, former location of shooting gallery, Krystal hamburgers, Jefferson Federal Savings and Loan Association branch
- Greg's Hot Dogs
- Intersection with 20th Street North
- North side
- 2000: Financial Center, Winged Victory statue
- 2002: former location of Badham & Co. clothiers (1925)
- 2008: former location of Cliff's 1-Hour Valet formal wear and cleaners
- 2012: Birmingham Parking Authority Deck 5
- 2024: former location of Fifth Avenue Shoe Shop (1923)
- South side
- 2001-2011: Viva Health building (built 1976 as First Alabama Bank Building) former location of Tutwiler Hotel (1913-1974)
- 2013: former location of La Paree restaurant (1940-2003)
- 2015: former location of Bender's Antique Shop (1930s), Mary Ball Candies (1949), Cameo Cafe (1990s-2000s)
- 2017: former location of Fred Sington Sporting Goods (1948)
- 2019: former location of the Domestic Electric Company
- 2029: former location of Christian Science Reading Room
- 2033: former location of All-American Cafe (1923)
- North side
- Intersection with 21st Street North
- North side
- 2104: former location of Frank Chambers Engraving Co. (1949)
- 2106-2108: former location of E. T. Shaw & Son undertakers and embalmers (1909-)
- 2108-2110: former location of the Try-Me Bottling Company (1925)
- 2108: former location of Mehr's Music Store & Novelty Shop
- 21xx: former site of Fraternal Order of Police Birmingham Lodge No. 1
- 2128: former location of Wansley Battery Service (1923)
- 2130: former location of Studebaker Birmingham and Superior Engraving Company
- South side
- 2101: Redmont Hotel, former location of First Christian Church
- 2107: Age-Herald Building
- 2117-2119: former location of Ridout's Funeral Home (1923)
- 2129: former location of Hale & Davis electric fans (1923)
- North side
- Intersection with 22nd Street North
- Park Place (Hope VI project)
- former location of Bryan's Lounge
- 2222: former location of Blue Note Lounge (1960s)
- 2224: former site of Downtowner Motor Inn/National 9 Inn
- 2230: former location of Don's Old Fashioned Barbecue, Don Nelson, propr. (1923)
- Intersection with 23rd Street North
- 2300: Bankhead Towers (formerly Bankhead Hotel)
- Park Place (Hope VI project)
- 2301: former location of China Clipper Restaurant
- 2305: Jessie's Place
- 2311: former site of Gulas Restaurant and Lounge
- 2317-2319: former location of Happy John Bollas Barbecue
- Intersection with 24th Street North
- Intersection with 25th Street North
- Intersection with 26th Street North
- 2600: former site of Gus Jebeles' shop, Magic City sign and Birmingham Terminal Station
- 7502: Airport Inn
- 7632: Modern Market, Jr
- 7700: Texaco Super Deli
References
- "Fun facts, historical tidbits and tips to find your way around Birmingham from traffic engineer John Garrett." (January 2, 2007) Birmingham News
- "Fifth Avenue Becomes Through-Street" (October __, 1958) Birmingham News