The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-04
l0-ST0RYHOME
WILL Be BUILT
BY SOUTHERN
Structure In Birmingham To
Cost About 100000 Will
Be Used To CentraIize
All Local Activities Of
This System

Coincident with the announcement
Thursday that 10-story sky scraper
would be built at First avenue. and
Twenty-second street by the South
ern Railway system, came the an
nouncement Thursday night that all
offices in birmingham are to be CEN
tralzed. Offices of the company are
scattered about in four or five down.
town buildings, which it is claimed, is
resulting in great waste of energy.
y number of officials of the South
ern system We're in Birmin CHAM
Thursday, and announced tentative
plans for the projected new structure.
All plans are in the embryo period
yet, but decision has been made def
initely to erect the building. Plans
have not been drawn up yet, and no
contracts have been let. Estimates
concerning the total cost of the new
structure placed the outlay in the
neighborhood of 100000, officials In
charge of the work stating Thurs
day night that earlier press reports
were greatly exaggerated.
Financed BY Railroad.
The building will be entirely
financed by the Southern system
and no other interests will be con-
nected with the project 1t is to be
50X100 feet, and located on the lot
at First avenue, and Twenty-sec
street now improved by a two-story
brick building occupied by the Sharp
Hat company. The lot has been owned
by the Southern railway for many
years. and was formerly the head
quarters for the old Georgia
Pacific railroad before it's absorption
into the Southern system. The new
structure is to be of steel and con-
crete, and fireproof throughout. 1t
will be a beautiful building, and well
planned to add to the beauty of the
landscape. The first two stories will
be of granite and stone, while the
upper eight will be handsome
finish of face brick The corridors
are to be lined with Georgia marble.
and the floors will be tiled. AL
together. it is planned to make it one
of the most beautiful of the office
buildings in Birmingham.
The Southern railway is to occupy
the first six stories, while the upper
parture from the general run of
office buildings will be the fact that
the first floor will be occupied by
the railroad, and will not be let out
to any bank, department store or
other interest. The building is to be
located in the center of the whole-
sale and iobbers district of Brming-
will be a great demand for Offices
on the part of brokers. The upper
four floors will have approximately
10000 square feet of office space
which will go far to alleviate the
general scarcity of space in down.
town office buildings.
o O o
Work Starts In October.
Work on the skyscraper is to be
started about the middle of October.
and will take approximately one year
for cmpletion. Space in the upper
four floors is being leased to be
ready for occupation by the first of
October, 1924.
There was some rumor to the eff
feet that the general headquarters
of the railroad for this district would
be moved from Atlanta to Birming-
ham with the completion of the new
structure. but high officials of the
railroad emphatically denied the
truth of such statements and de-
clared that the only purpose of the
new construction would be to gather
all of the company's forces in Bir-
mingham together under one roof in
order to bring a concert of action
and effort.