Fourth Avenue Historic Preservation

Business along Fourth Avenue slid into economic decline during the 1970s. As buildings deteriorated, developers began to buy and demolish them. Most of these structures were owned by absentee landlords who did not care about their buildings or the area. But tearing down the buildings also took with them the cherished memories of Black Birminghians. The buildings housed the only businesses and entertainment venues  that they could truly call their own in a rigidly segregated city.

Urban Impact wanted to save and restore the remaining buildngs — and save the memories of treasured places – before they were completely gone.

In April 1982, Urban Impact worked successfully to have the Fourth Avenue Business District nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. This designation brought with it tax incentives and investment advantages to businesses and building owners. With the assistance of Mayor Richard Arrington and the Birmingham City Council, Urban Impact created many programs to improve business opportunities for socially- and economically-disadvantaged business owners in the area.

These programs encouraged many of the black merchants – who were renting their buildings from the absentee landlords — to purchase their buildings outright. The programs and other incentives from the historic designation enabled the city and the merchants to completely renovate the inside and outside of Fourth Avenue buildings.

Urban Impact also worked strategically with local media and the police to end illicit criminal activity along Fourth Avenuein the early ’80s. This activity had tarnished the district’s reputation, scared away customers and kept the area economically depressed. With newly refurbished buildings owned by the merchants themselves, and an end to distracting criminal activity, Urban Impact successfully helped revitalize the entire Fourth Avenue area.

Today, Birmingham’s Fourth Avenue Historic District is one of only a few remaining Black business districts that remains intact in the State of Alabama.