Move over New York — the city of Birmingham has an architectural claim to fame that some might call more impressive than the Empire State Building. Magic City is home to the ‘Heaviest Corner on Earth,’ a crucial indicator of the development of downtown Birmingham. The corner of 20th Street and 1st Avenue North boasts the title, so given in the early 20th century when four of the South’s tallest buildings were erected in the area between 1902 and 1912.
The Woodward Building
The first building on the corner to be erected, the Woodward Building became the city's first steel-frame skyscraper when it was constructed in 1902. The Chicago-style office tower features a light brown facade and boasts 10 floors reaching a height of 132 feet. It was one of the earlier designs of architect William Weston and is characterized by its deep cornice, a highly detailed metal construction that was common in commercial architecture at the time. Although the building’s large size made skeptics doubt its ability to be filled, the Woodward was fully leased at the time of completion.
Brown Marx Building
In 1906 the Brown Marx Building became the second structure on the corner, located on the northeast edge. At 16 stories tall and 210 feet high, the building towered above the Woodward Building, effectively becoming the tallest building in Birmingham. It was named for Otto Marx of Marx & Company and Eugene L. Brown of Brown Brothers, early tenants of the structure. It features a Chicago-style and steel-frame exterior. After the development became successful, William Woodward, financier of the Woodward Building, purchased the building. Over the next two years he catalyzed a massive expansion that nearly doubled the size of the building by 1908. The expansion created a U-shaped plan with an average of about 12,000 square feet per floor and windows that provide natural light to every office. Like its predecessor, the Brown Marx building was designed by William Weston.
Empire Building
Following a similar pattern to its sister structures, the Empire Building became the tallest building in Alabama when it was erected in 1909. It stands as a 16-story, 247 foot tall classical revival style skyscraper on the northwest corner. The building’s facade was molded in terra cotta and features a creamy white color against the city’s skyline. It quickly became a well-known symbol of the South. Today, the Empire Building is home to the boutique hotel Elyton. The hotel maintains the structure’s sense of timeless elegance while incorporating modern convenience and luxury.
John A. Hand Building
In 1912, the John A. Hand building officially completed the ‘Heaviest Corner on Earth,’ constructed for the American Trust and Savings Bank. It easily surpassed the Empire Building’s height, standing at an impressive 284 feet tall with 21 stories. Until the construction of the City Federal Building in 1913, it held the title of the tallest building in Alabama. Like the Empire, it was also constructed in the classical revival style. Over the years the building has been home to several banks, but it now serves as the corporate headquarters for delivery service company Shipt.
Each of the corner’s buildings have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places — today, tourists and residents alike can walk past a marker, erected on May 23, 1985 by the Birmingham Historical Society, that describes the group of buildings. While the name the ‘Heaviest Corner on Earth’ is hyperbolic and promotional in nature, it has stuck through the years and serves as a reminder of Birmingham’s industrious foundations and continued commitment to progress.
Photography: alchetron.com/
References:
Brown Marx Building. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Brown_Marx_Building
Empire Building. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Empire_Building
John A. Hand Building. (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/John_A._Hand_Building
Kazek, K. (2014, October 5). Did you know Alabama is home to 'Heaviest Corner on Earth?'.
AL.com. Retrieved from https://www.al.com/living/2014/10/did_you_know_alabama_is_home_t.html
Rev Birmingham. (2021, September 16). The history of the Heaviest Corner on Earth. Retrieved from http://revbirmingham.org/news/the-history-of-the-heaviest-corner-on-earth/
Woodward Building. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Woodward_Building