Age Building
212 20th St N. Along the way, you pass the Age Building (ca. 1889) a narrow structure of tall, elegant proportions, molded
classical decoration, and large areas of glass characteristic of
cast-iron-front façades, one of only two that survive downtown.
Return to your starting point by continuing south to Morris Ave.
ALABAMA POWER COMPANY
LOWER DOWNTOWN
Title Building
NW corner 3rd Ave & Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N. On the north side of 3rd Ave is the city s second steel-frame skyscraper, the
nine-story Title Building (1903). Designed by the architect of the
fi rst two buildings at the Heaviest Corner, it has fi ne brickwork
but is regrettably missing its cornice, removed in 1956.
First Presbyterian Church
2100 4th Ave N. A block north, at Richard Arrington
Jr Blvd and 4th Ave N, First
Presbyterian Church (1888)
is the oldest church building
downtown. Its red pressed
brick, terra cotta tiles, and
multicolor slate roof are characteristic of the Victorian Gothic
style. The church s most distinctive feature, its handsome bell
tower, marked the original entrance off what is now Richard
Arrington Jr Blvd. In 1921 the entrance was relocated to 4th
Ave because of street widening. You can still see the terra cotta
decoration and broad arch that marked the old entrance on what
is now the side of the church. In 1924 a 25-bell carillon was
installed in the tower.
Birmingham Green
20th St. N. Walk west one block to 20th Street, and turn left again to return to your starting point. Historically 20th Street
served as the city s primary north-south axis, running from the
railroad tracks to the park. In the 1970s the street was landscaped
as part of a downtown revitalization effort and became known as
Birmingham Green.