Author: gina2

Selma is embarking on a plan to honor its past and embrace its future with the help of DesignPlace. This DesignAlabama program partners Alabama communities with a design team whose goal is to help the community enhance its assets.

The latest DesignPlace participant, Selma is a town that holds an important place in civil rights history and its central Alabama location makes it well positioned for growth. The DesignPlace team recently completed its report to revitalize downtown Selma based on community input.

The plan calls for a more walkable and bicycle-friendly downtown, a wayfinding system to boost tourism, adaptive-reuse of downtown buildings, redevelop the riverfront and historic neighborhoods while keeping their character intact, along with community branding and identity.

Citizen enthusiasm in high, yet a realistic approach to such a comprehensive plan is to start with “the low-hanging fruit,” notes Juanda Maxwell, chair of the Selma Redevelopment Authority. To complete high impact though relatively affordable projects early on. Those that are cost-effective, but will create positive momentum and lead to additional projects.

One such project is façade enhancement on Water Avenue and the first block of Broad Street. Maxwell says some funding is available to help property owners with the cost of façade improvement. Also identified as a project that can be done affordably early on is improving undermaintained small green spaces located downtown.

Another simple but high impact improvement is painting the side of a building near the foot of the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge that creates an unsightly “big blank wall,” Maxwell observes. She points out that this side of the building could be painted temporarily until a more lasting solution is found to make a more positive impression as residents and visitors travel over the bridge.

Maxwell is most excited about Selma’s new branding campaign. One that will showcase all that Selma has to offer – as a historically significant site for equality and democracy to becoming a highly livable community and center of technology in Alabama’s Blackbelt region.
“We’re so excited and the response from the community has been overwhelming,” says Maxwell. “We now have to sit down and prioritize the plan and hold additional meetings to start looking at what we can do and how we can do it.”

 

 

Image 1 and 2- DesignPlace Selma calls for a more walkable and bicycle-friendly downtown, a wayfinding system, adaptive-reuse of downtown buildings, redevelop the riverfront and historic neighborhoods, and community branding and identity. These images are the current and proposed changes to buildings on Broad Street.

Image 3 and 4- Citizen enthusiasm in high, yet a realistic approach to such a comprehensive plan is to start with the most affordable improvements and build from there. These images are additional current images and proposed changes to Broad Street.

Image 5- Selma is embarking on a plan to honor its past and embrace its future with the help of DesignAlabama’s DesignPlace. This proposed development is on Selma Avenue between Broad and Lauderdale.

Image 6- Selma holds an important place in civil rights history and its central Alabama location makes it well positioned for growth. The DesignPlace team recently completed its report to revitalize downtown Selma based on community input.

 

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of  Roman Gary, Jason Fondren and DesignAlabama, Inc.

Transitioning from high school to college can be daunting, so it’s important that incoming freshmen inhabit inviting dormitories. Connectedness is a key component in the design of University of Alabama’s new Tutwiler Residence Hall now under construction for first-year female students.

The 365,000-square-foot dorm is designed to maximize social interaction. A recent study in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice looked at the impact of residence hall design on student academic achievement. The study found that “socializing architecture” is associated with a higher first-semester grade point average.

Scheduled to open in spring 2022, the new facility was designed by Birmingham-based TURNERBATSON in partnership with Mackey Mitchell Architects in St. Louis.

“The team made a concerted effort to maximize the amount of social spaces throughout the residential floors,” explains TURNERBATSON Principal/Vice President Eric Berg. “Our goal was to promote more social interaction outside of the semi-private rooms. We capitalized on the views of the stadium on the northwest corner of the building by creating two-story clubhouses to be used as social spaces by the residents.

In addition to the clubhouses, there are social spaces at the connecting bridges and in the middle of each building. As a result, each resident is within a short distance of their room from reaching a social space.”

The new residence hall will incorporate precast stone, brick veneer, aluminum windows and a sloped, architectural shingled roof that harmonizes with the recently constructed sorority houses nearby.

The double and single-occupancy rooms each have a private bathroom. Amenities include a fitness center, craft room, two clubhouses per floor, storm shelter and laundry facilities.

These enclosed bridges interconnect the complex’s five-story buildings that fit the scale of the surrounding neighborhood. Designing the building with fewer floors also provides a more pleasant experience in the center exterior courtyard that promotes recreation and socializing. Studies were conducted to determine what would help create sunlit space. The team also balanced material/systems costs with long-term maintenance and durability costs. This was done to provide value for the university without compromising the design or quality of construction.

Image 1- Scheduled to open in spring 2022, the new facility was designed by Birmingham-based TURNERBATSON in partnership with Mackey Mitchell Architects in St. Louis.

Image 2- Enclosed bridges interconnect the complex’s five-story buildings that fit the scale of the surrounding neighborhood.

Image 3- The new residence hall will incorporate precast stone, brick veneer, aluminum windows and a sloped, architectural shingled roof that harmonizes with the recently constructed sorority houses nearby.

Image 4-This aerial photo of University of Alabama’s new Tutwiler Residence Hall now under construction shows the interconnectedness of the 365,000-square-foot dorm that is designed for social interaction.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Turner Batson Architects

North College Street Historic District in downtown Auburn is a trove of architecturally and historically significant buildings that date from 1848 to 1937. Of note is a Dutch Colonial Revival-style house designed in 1927 by Frederick Child Biggin, the first dean of Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA). In Biggin’s day, the SAPLA was the School of Architecture and Applied Arts and Auburn University was Alabama Polytechnic Institute.

The house was purchased by AU engineering alumnus Walt Woltosz ’69 and his wife Ginger, who planned to use it as a gameday house. Once they learned that the architect and original owner was Biggin, they decided to donate the house to the APLA. Now called the Biggin-Woltosz House, it was dedicated as an SAPLA facility in September 2019.

“We had been given access to the house in April of 2019. Since April, the house has been used for faculty meetings, seminars and small events with faculty, students, alumni and industry partners,” says Christian Dagg, head of Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.

Biggin designed himself a quintessential Dutch Colonial Revival home, a subtype of the Colonial Revival style popular during the first half of the 20th century.

The two and three-quarter story house features two roof pitches, a gambrel roof, dormers, a wood clapboard exterior, gable-end chimneys and a symmetrical façade. When the SAPLA acquired the house, it had already undergone significant alterations that included a 900-square-foot addition to the rear of the house, a new kitchen and remodeled bathrooms. In addition, roughly 500-square-feet of concrete parking space that surrounded the house was removed.

When it was gifted to the school there was not a lot of work that needed to be done,” Dagg points out. “Signage has been added to both the interior and exterior, the internet connectivity back to campus was improved and surplus furniture from campus was moved over to the house. We didn’t have to do much of anything. Our colleagues in facilities have been a huge help in the transition from a residence to a university building.”

One other building on campus is named for Biggin. Originally home to the College of Architecture Design and Construction, Biggin Hall now houses the Department of Arts and Art History. Biggin (1869-1943) is buried in Auburn’s historic Pine Hill Cemetery.

Image 1- Work began in 1999 by the city of Auburn to create the North College Street Historic District. Several years ago, the district erected a marker that provides key information about the district’s architectural and historical significance.

Image 2- As Auburn University and the city of Auburn grew, early leaders and professors built their homes in what is now the North College Historic District. A variety of architectural styles are represented, from early Greek Revival to Dutch Colonial Revival favored by Frederick Child Biggin.

Image 3- Located in the North College Street Historic District in downtown Auburn, this Dutch Colonial Revival-style house was designed in 1927 by Frederick Child Biggin, the first dean of Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA).

Image 4- The Biggin-Woltosz House is now part of the Auburn University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA). The house was donated by AU engineering alumnus Walt Woltosz ’69 and his wife Ginger and is used for a variety of school functions.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Auburn University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, City of Auburn and Cynthia Williford, City of Auburn’s Public Affairs Office

Birmingham planners and developers have long understood that parks improve the quality of inner-city life. As a result, the city has transformed swaths of derelict and underused land into vibrant urban parks and among the latest is the Parkside district.

A primary objective for this new public space is interconnectedness, reflected in Parkside’s master plan created by Tom Leader, principal of Berkeley, Calif.-based TLS Landscape Architecture who also created the master plan for nearby Railroad Park. Birmingham’s Orchestra Partners commissioned Leader to design a master plan that enhances walkability and connects Parkside to surrounding neighborhoods.

Parkside becomes accessible to the city by linking green spaces and neighborhoods from east to west and north to south. The project includes historic preservation and mixed-use redevelopment plans for Powell Avenue Steam Plant and several historic warehouse buildings west of Railroad Park surrounding Good People Brewing. Parkside and Railroad Park create a major urban trail head for the Jones Valley Trail Corridor.

“The mission is to capture the essence of Birmingham by creating a district which stitches back connections from east to west and north to south,” Leader explains. “Crafting a place that brings people together in an environment that pays tribute to the region’s rich industrial past, yet is also fresh, vibrant and new.”

“The plan calls for development in both the east and west sides of Parkside that will create one place for all Birmingham to come together. We do this by creating two new unique, yet complementary destinations within the district.”

At the west end of Parkside are single-story nondescript warehouses. The master plan transforms a two-block area – from 12th Street South to 14th Street South between 1st and 2nd Avenues South – into an urban-commons. Lively street life is created with such features as pedestrian-friendly streets and alley ways, public plazas, rooftop gardens and other amenities.

Buildings will be revitalized into retail, restaurant and mixed-use spaces. Fitness centers, healthy restaurant concepts and trendy fashion retailers will mix with open areas, study spots and dynamic architecture designed to encourage social interaction. The plan also includes the use of weathered steel, corrugated galvanized steel, reclaimed timber and other materials that honor Birmingham’s industrial heritage.

To the east where Parkside engages with 20th Street South is the Steam Plant site and adjacent parking lot. Once renovated, Steam Plant will be used as an entertainment venue for movies, music, retail, restaurants and other functions set in an historic yet modern building. A communal center on the adjacent lot will be used for hospitality events and the arts. In addition, the vacated Powell Avenue will provide a place for food trucks, impromptu performances, art shows and other public gatherings.

Image 1- The new master plan for Birmingham’s Parkside district is designed with interconnectivity in mind. This was achieved by creating a district that “stitches back connections from east to west and north to south,” observes Tom Leader, principal of Berkeley, Calif.-based TLS Landscape Architecture who designed the Parkside master plan and also the master plan for nearby Railroad Park.

Image 2-  Creating a place that brings people together in an environment that pays tribute to the region’s rich industrial past, yet is also fresh, vibrant and new is a key component of the Parkside master plan.

Image 3 – The plan calls for development in both the east and west sides of Parkside that will create one place for all Birmingham to come together. This was accomplished by creating two new distinct yet complementary destinations within the district.

Image 4: Buildings will be revitalized into retail, restaurant and mixed-use spaces. Fitness centers, restaurants and retailers will mix with open areas, study spots and dynamic architecture designed to encourage social interaction.

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of  TLS Landscape Architecture

 

Quality design affects quality of health, particularly for patients battling cancer. Architect Doug McCurry of TRO Jung|Brannen in Birmingham considered the role a building plays in the health of its inhabitants when he designed the new 60,000-square-foot Spencer Cancer Center at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika that opened June 2019.

The freestanding two-story cancer center is adjacent to the main hospital campus. Built on a moderately sloping wooded site, the upper level provides eye-level views from the medical treatment area to the existing tree canopy and allows patient to enter on both levels.
This allows ease of access to radiation and medical oncology treatments. The entire center is designed with convenience and stress reduction in mind. Each area flows into the next to make the cancer-treatment process easier.

“The design is contemporary in nature,” explains McCurry, who grew up in Opelika. It features a stone base, and aluminum and glass on the top story. Clerestory, the high section of wall with windows above eye level, provides abundant natural light.

During his many years practicing architecture, McCurry has seen significant changes in healthcare design that’s moved away from sterile settings. He designed the center to suggest an art museum more than a healthcare facility.

“I like to use the term of healing art,” McCurry continues. “Research shows that healthcare environments that display art can actually help reduce pain and shorten hospital stays. Patients respond especially well to nature themes.”

McCurry also oversaw the interior design and selected the finishes. He chose a neutral palette that provides an ideal backdrop for colorful artwork and furnishings.

On the upper level is the main entrance that contains the two-story lobby and reception area. An outpatient pharmacy, medical boutique and staff offices are located off the main lobby. Registration, patient and family waiting areas are separated from the main lobby to provide privacy, comfort and access to the gardens.

Medical oncology is also on the second level with 38 infusion bays, four private oncologist offices, each with three exams rooms and nursing support, infusion pharmacy, and a laboratory.

Radiation oncology is on the lower level. Additional areas provide space for staff and radiation oncologist offices, exams and treatment rooms, and a private radiation patient entrance and waiting area. Additional amenities include conference rooms, gift shop, chapel and a café with access to the garden.

McCurry was also involved with the landscaping and worked with the EAMC landscapers. The site itself was used to shape much of the building design and the parking lot. “We moved very little dirt,” he notes, “and we didn’t take out any major old-growth trees.”

Image 1: The freestanding two-story cancer center is adjacent to the main hospital campus. Built on a gently sloping wooded site, the upper level provides eye-level views from the medical treatment area to the existing tree canopy and allows patient to enter at both levels.

Image 2: Architect Doug McCurry of TRO Jung|Brannen in Birmingham took into account the role a building plays in the health of its inhabitants when he designed the new 60,000-square-foot Spencer Cancer Center at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika.

Image 3: The design of the new cancer center focuses on convenience and stress reduction. Each area flows into the next to make the cancer-treatment process easier for both patients and their families. Comfortable seating and a neutral palette are primary interior design features.

Image 4: McCurry oversaw the interior design and selected the finishes. He designed the center with the “healing arts” in mind, and his goal was to evoke an art museum more than a healthcare facility.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of  Tim Hursley

The firing at Fort Sumter was still 14 years away when the Grand Hotel in Point Clear was constructed in 1847. The 40-room hotel overlooking Mobile Bay not only survived the Civil War, but many natural disasters over the years and was recently renovated by Goodwyn Mills Cawood, who also managed previous renovations including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

On the Alabama Historical Commission Register, the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa is now part of the Marriott’s exclusive Autograph Collection of independent-style properties. The Grand has grown to include 405 guestrooms, all refurbished during this latest award-winning renovation said to be the most extensive in the hotel’s long history.

The property encompasses over 30 acres heavily populated with mature live oak trees and over 400,000 square feet spread across a dozen buildings ranging from 25 to 100 years old, notes Jacquelyn Hart, one of the lead architects/interior designers on the Grand Hotel renovation.

Each building represents a different era of the Grand’s history and was renovated in a style distinct to its era. Outdoor spaces, landscaping and vistas across Mobile Bay tie the buildings together.

The design team was instructed to protect the legacy of the Grand, celebrate its rich history and storied traditions, while at the same time modernize accommodations, venues and amenities to appeal to new generations, Hart adds. Another challenge was to keep the resort in operation during the three-year design and construction process.

The heart of the resort is the main building, encompassing the Grand Central reception desk, the historic Hearth Room with its renowned hexagonal two-story fireplace, Bucky’s Bar & Lounge, The Grand Hall, Oak + Azalea gift shop, the new 1847 Bar and two new restaurant venues.

Guestrooms in the historic Main Building are inspired by the hotel’s early years including its military past. The Bay and Marina House guestrooms provide a contextual mid-century aesthetic with nods to an important nautical history. The Spa Building guest rooms and suites reflect a modern-day Fairhope residence.

“This storied and historic Queen of Southern Resorts,” adds Hart, “has been thoughtfully rejuvenated for generations to come.”

Image 1 – The Grand Hotel’s conference center was part of the most recent renovation of this storied resort that overlooks Mobile Bay. Goodwyn Mills Cawood was careful to retain the Grand’s historic character while updating its many venues and amenities.

Image 2- Like the Southern Roots restaurant, the ambiance of the Grand Hotel’s Bayside Grill also offers mid-century modern ambiance. The Bayside Grill outdoor patio is an ideal spot to enjoy the resort’s exceptional waterfront setting.

Image 3- A focal point of the newly renovated Grand Hotel is the Grand Hall, where visitors can enjoy high tea and other amenities that reflect the resort’s bygone elegance.

Image 4-Described as “chic yet casual,” the Grand’s Southern Roots restaurant features mid-century modern furniture and lighting. Its row of large windows offers panoramic views of the property and the bay.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Goodwyn Mills & Cawood

Not merely a spot for students to hang out between classes, student commons are a fundamental part of campus life and serve many functions. TAG/The Architects Group, Inc. recently completed the new Student Commons Building at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, an independent, parochial, co-educational preparatory school in Mobile.

The two-story, 25,000-square-foot Student Commons will serve as a hub of student activity on the St. Paul’s campus. The new facility includes offices, classrooms, innovations lab, and a kitchen and dining area, which was expanded to accommodate St. Paul’s growing student population.

“It is so rewarding to design a building that the students love,” says David M. Barr, AIA, TAG Principal-In-Charge. “Students have already watched the NCAA Tournaments during their lunch hour and the class of 2019 has enjoyed Senior Grandparents Day and other exciting events in the new building.”

Though, as Barr points out, the new Student Commons is not “all fun and games.” The building also houses an innovations lab and a writing center, which provides space for collaborative learning with advanced technology, and new and improved space for the school’s community service program, counseling services and admissions office.

Expanding the dining area took precedence, says Daniel J. Borcicky, AIA, TAG Principal Architect/Director of Design: “Lunch waves were getting to be very hectic and the need for expansion and upgrades was a priority. The school’s colors of blue and red were also incorporated in the furniture, fixtures and equipment to let the students know that this is their place and to promote school pride.”

St. Paul’s Episcopal School is part of a residential neighborhood and is adjacent to historic Spring Hill College. Because of its location, a design challenge was to maintain the neighborhood feel and minimize disruption during construction.

While most construction was scheduled during the summer, the final phases took place during the fall, which included the school’s football season. Despite this challenge, the work flowed smoothly and credit is given in large part to the efforts of TAG’s Construction Manager Tom Kelly, CM, CFM, LEED AP and the builder, Ben M. Radcliff Contractor, Inc.

 

Image 1- TAG/The Architects Group, Inc. recently completed the new Student Commons Building at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, an independent, parochial, co-educational preparatory school in Mobile. The two-story, 25,000-square-foot Student Commons will serve as a hub of student activity.

Image 2 – The new facility includes offices, classrooms, innovations lab, and a kitchen and dining area, which was expanded to accommodate St. Paul’s growing student population. On the wall in an area designed with seating options is a display devoted to donors who helped make the new Student Commons possible.

Image 3 -Tables in the dining hall are moveable so the school can utilize the space for multiple events such as Grandparent’s Day lunch, student dances and lectures. Its primary use, however, is to serve students meals and is located directly next to the cafeteria.

Image 4 -Various materials were used for the walls and floors, which make for a pleasing and distinctive space. The new facility includes offices, classrooms, innovations lab, and a kitchen and dining areas, which was expanded to accommodate St. Paul’s growing student population.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of TAG Architects

Years before her name was synonymous with the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks worked as a seamstress in downtown Montgomery. A new city park has opened on the site of the former Montgomery Fair department store where Parks worked in the alterations department during the mid-1950s.

Located at 29 Dexter Ave., Lower Dexter Park was designed by Chambless King Architects to be a “playful urban space.” One that replicates the look of the 1940s building with a new façade that serves as the entry to the open-air park and features a limestone paver engraved with a quote from Parks.

“The City of Montgomery took a huge step to invest in this project and enable our team to bring a fresh urban experience to the site, while also respecting and bringing attention to its important history,” explains project manager Mike Show of Chambless King Architects.

The city decided to demolish the building, which was in disrepair and structurally unsound. The award-winning park – along with the replica of the Montgomery Fair department store façade – was created to provide egress for adjacent buildings and is part of the revitalization of the Dexter Avenue area.

Facing Dexter Avenue, the façade was recreated using reclaimed materials from the original building. It is held up with piers and a steel subframe, and the street-level area is open to connect to street activity. Most of the large vitrolite glass tiles were salvaged from the original façade. This pigmented structural glass was commonly used on storefronts during this era. Many of the large glass blocks in the center window were also salvaged.

Window frames were recreated without glazing in order to reduce wind load on the free-standing façade structure and to maximize breeze and light. The deck, designed like observation space, was built with tough, dense garapa hardwood that’s resistant to decay and insects. Native grasses were planted to create movement.

Chambless King Architects won the AIA Alabama 2019 Honorable Mention Award for the 29 Dexter Pocket Park. A juror called the park “a beautiful use of remnant space, transforming it into something useful and attractive with economic means.”

 

 

 

Image 1- Native grasses were planted to create movement and bring a touch of nature to this urban setting. Lower Dexter Park opened in June 2018 and is part of the revitalization of the Dexter Avenue area.

Image 2- The focal point of Lower Dexter Park is a replica of the Montgomery Fair department store façade. Facing Dexter Avenue, the façade was recreated using reclaimed materials from the original building. Salvaged glass block and white and blue vitrolite tiles from the original facade create an eye-catching entry to the public park.

Image 3- The deck, which overlooks neighboring tall buildings in downtown Montgomery, was built with resilient garapa hardwood. The façade/park project was developed to provide egress for adjacent buildings at 25 Dexter Ave., 35 Dexter Ave. and into the ornate historic Kress Building at 39 Dexter.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Chambless King Architects

Craig King and wife Cindy were looking to purchase a new building for the family’s 100-year-old business, J. P. King Auction Company. When they saw a building at 414 Broad Street in downtown Gadsden’s Historical District, it was possible to envision it for their offices on the lower level and luxury loft apartments above.

The couple employed Gadsden architect B. Craig Lipscomb to renovate the 6,250-square-foot, two-story building for their auction company headquarters with upscale apartments on the second level while maintaining as many of the historic building’s original elements as possible.

Their efforts were recognized with a 2018 Main Street Alabama Award of Excellence for Architectural Design.

Constructed sometime between 1888 and 1894, the building housed many businesses over the years including a dry goods and a dress shop. The red brick masonry building has a recessed front entry with show windows. Second story windows feature stone jack arches with keystones. The façade is capped by a molded pressed cornice with console brackets at the sides decorated with acanthus leaves and lions heads in bas relief.

The interior first floor structural brick side walls have been left exposed and clear sealed. The entry floor is black and white hexagonal ceramic tile work. On the second level, the original hardwood floors and plastered walls were left intact.

The building was determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historical Places and qualified for the Wallace Property Relief Constitutional Amendment (Lid Bill) for reduced ad valorem tax. In addition, the city of Gadsden provided a grant for Facade improvement in the amount of $2,250 and $5,000 per apartment.

Craig says their award-winning restoration project was a valuable learning experience.

“We love the old architecture of downtown Gadsden and my wife Cindy and I loved that we were able to restore a historically distinctive building like this that was going into disrepair,” he explains.

“Newer construction does not have the character of the older historical buildings, and we hope that more incentives will become available in the future to assist other developers to be able to make restoring older buildings a more viable investment.”

 

Image 1: The 6,250-square-foot, two-story brick masonry building features a recessed front entry with display windows. The restoration project received the 2018 Main Street Alabama Award of Excellence for Architectural Design.

Image 2: Gadsden architect B. Craig Lipscomb renovated the building as headquarters for J.P. King Auction Company. The second level was transformed into luxury loft-style apartments.

Image 3: The interior first floor structural brick side walls have been left exposed and clear sealed. Over the years, the building was home to many businesses including a dry goods and a dress shop.

Image 4: As many of the historic building’s original elements as possible were kept intact during the renovation project including the ornamental hardware.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of J.P. King Auction Company

 

Entertainment venues that offer food, drink and games under one roof – a concept that has caught on in cities such as Nashville, Denver and Brooklyn – has come to Birmingham.

An old Woolworth building in Birmingham’s Five Points entertainment district is now Woolworth Recreation and Refreshment billed as “Alabama’s first social house.” The concept is a gathering place for all ages, providing family fun and a neighborhood spot to kick back and socialize in a lively atmosphere. The venue is also available for private parties and other events.

Woolworth Recreation and Refreshment opened in the summer of 2018 with two bars and a restaurant downstairs and another bar on the rooftop that offers sweeping views of the street and city.

A variety of old-school games are available including duckpin bowling, tabletop shuffle board, foosball, ping pong, pinball, Pac Man and darts.

From a spatial standpoint, a number of changes were made to the two-story building to convert it into a social house, says architect Mike Gibson of Creature, formerly Golden Construction and Appleseed Workshop. Gibson designed the interior to mitigate the sounds from the games area with screens, insulation and carpet on the walls so diners in the upscale restaurant would not be bothered by the noise.

Gibson was looking for the opportunity to design a social house in Birmingham with a high-quality restaurant and the owner of the Woolworth building, Orchestra Partners, was open to the idea.

The venue was named for the building’s original occupant and also because a 5-10 split in bowling is called the “Woolworth,” notes Gibson, who spent time in New York looking at the Woolworth headquarters to gain inspiration.

One of the project’s most eye-catching elements is the rooftop bar engulfed in faux ivy. While some designers might have second thoughts about using fake greenery, it works here and not only looks great but provides practical benefits.

Gibson intended to use real ivy, but realized it would be high maintenance and take too long to grow. Just like the real thing, the plastic version provides shading and pleasing dappled light. And as Gibson points out, “Who cares if it’s fake?”

Image 1: Duckpin bowling is one of many old-school games available to play at Woolworth Recreation and Refreshment. Other popular games offered include tabletop shuffle board, foosball, ping pong, pinball, Pac Man and darts.

Image 2: The stylish entertainment venue is housed in a former Woolworth five and dime building. The two-story building is owned by Orchestra Partners, a Birmingham redevelopment company.

Image 3: Though similar venues offer casual dining fare, the plan for Woolworth Recreation and Refreshment called for an upscale restaurant, which is designed to block the sounds coming from the arcade and game areas.

Image 4: The rooftop bar offers great views of downtown Birmingham. The bar’s distinctive décor includes faux ivy greenery walls and ceiling that are visible from the street.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Chris Luker