Empire Building

The Empire Building in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, was constructed in 1909. After completion, the sixteen-story Classical Revival skyscraper became the tallest building in Alabama. A local paper called Birmingham View documented its construction monthly. Foundations were set by January, the first column of the top tier of structural steel was in place three months later. By May 1909, the exterior terra cotta block had been mortared and anchored. By mid-June, the building was almost finished. Teams of expert craftsmen, using limited machinery, hand-carried the construction materials needed to build the tower. The exterior of the building is covered in a molded terra-cotta with pink granite columns showcasing the First Avenue entrance. Four years later, the American Trust and Savings building across the street, took the “tallest building in Alabama” title. These two buildings along with the Brown-Marx Tower and the John Hand Building were proclaimed the “Heaviest Corner on Earth.” Today, it remains the most prominent corner in downtown Birmingham.

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A wrought iron awning hangs over the entrance at 1928 1st Avenue North.
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The Empire Building was sold in 1964. After a year-long remodel, the building reopened with City National Bank occupying the ground floor.

Originally, a drug store occupied the ground floor, with offices and businesses on the upper floors.  In 1982, the Empire Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. After sitting vacant for three years the Empire building was purchased by investors in 2012. A $27 million renovation revamped the 107-year-old building into a five-star boutique Marriot hotel. The Elyton Hotel opened in 2017 with 117 guest rooms, a restaurant, and a rooftop bar.

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Dusty iron pendant chandeliers adorn the ground floor lobby.
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Looking up through the center of the lobby staircase.
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The Empire Building is one of the most ornate buildings in Birmingham.
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A terra-cotta cornice wraps around the entire top of the building with a prominent E on display.
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Cracked and chipped, the lady in the moon overlooks Birmingham.
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For more photos of the former Empire Building as well as many others, check out Abandoned Birmingham.

 

Published by Abandoned Southeast

Welcome to AbandonedSoutheast.com! My obsession with abandoned places has inspired me to create this blog. My goal is to showcase the obscure, historic often forgotten places I have visited across the Southeast. I hope to preserve the past through documentation and photographs. You can reach me at AbandonedSoutheast@gmail.com

14 Replies to “Empire Building”

  2. Gorgeous architecture. The craftsmanship in this building is amazing….they surely don’t make them like this anymore. Would love to see it after the renovation! By the way…love your site and your instagram! Keep it up!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  3. As skyscrapers go, this one’s a beauty, strange thin shape and the ornate top floors. The artistic details are striking. Though you do “abandoned” it’ll be interesting if you took pictures once it’s renovated 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. Pingback: Empire Building — Abandoned Southeast – Magic City Radar
  7. Pingback: Abandoned, Not Forgotten: A Look at the Haunting Beauty of Modern Ruins – darakmandugagmailcom
  10. Pingback: Brown-Marx Tower – Abandoned Southeast

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