Lakeview Design District
Originally developed in the late 19th century, the historic Lakeview District is named for an artificial lake and other attractions that defined the former Lakeview Park. The park contained the Lakeview Hotel and Pavilion, complete with a swimming pool, skating rink, bowling alley, and ball park that was home to the first Alabama-Auburn football game in 1893. Rolling hills and wooded countryside enhanced the landscape, and the fashionable residences of South Highlands, as well as an electric trolley constructed around 1895, surrounded the lake.
The present day Lakeview District bears few of these original attractions, but the area has continued to flourish throughout its varied history. The area grew during the late 1920s when depression-era Birmingham saw a need to diversify its economy from the steel industry. The Birmingham Kiwanis Club investigated the possibilities of future industrial development, stressing the need for industries that would provide employment for women, who made up only five percent of industrial wage earners in Birmingham at that time. This initiative, as well as the completion of the 24th Street viaduct in 1926, sparked further growth of the district, which soon became home to new businesses such as the Martin Biscuit Company and the Dr. Pepper Syrup Plant. The subsequent growth resulted in the North Lakeview Light Industrial District, featuring warehousing and light manufacturing.
Pepper Place
Today, the Pepper Place Complex is the focal point of the
Lakeview District. Formerly the Dr. Pepper Syrup Plant and
Bottling Company, the complex is a group of seven buildings
totaling more than 227,000 square feet. After extensive
renovation, the complex currently houses Birmingham's
premier design center as well as a Farmer's Market, theater,
and several resataurants. The Pepper Place Complex is among
Birmingham's 24 commercial revitalization districts that are
subject to design review protection. This highly visible
renovation project has been celebrated in several major
magazine articles and a CNN television feature.
Dr. Pepper Building
When the Dr. Pepper Company moved its location from Waco to
Dallas, Texas in 1930, it also planned for the construction of a
new plant to handle shipments to bottlers and fountain accounts
east of the Mississippi River. Due to its extensive rail shipping
services, Birmingham was selected as the location for the new
Dr. Pepper syrup plant and was completed in 1931, one year
following the opening of the Dallas facility. The opening of the
Birmingham plant prompted an increase in sales in the eastern
part of the country and significantly reduced the company's
major shipping expenses. The factory continued its operation
until 1982.
Designed by local Birmingham architect David Oliver Whilldin, the three-story industrial building's simple design contains concrete post-and-beam
construction and floors along with twelve inch thick red brick exterior walls.
Its most prominent features are the multi-paned windows and bold
Dr. Pepper sign. The interior is standard industrial space with unfinished
natural brick walls, a cement floor, and an open truss ceiling supporting
wood beams. Artifacts, such as the scales that were used to weigh the
Dr. Pepper syrup and the vaults where the secret formula was stored, can
be found in the current businesses. The building is a certified historic
structure contributing to the historic North Lakeview Light Industrial District.
Martin Biscuit Building
Edgar Martin, a young salesman for the Huston Biscuit Company in
Birmingham, began his own business at 2423-25 First Avenue around
the year 1900. The first company building was brick and three stories
high with a 5,000 square foot floor plate. Under the name of
The Martin Cracker Company, the business was sold in 1907 to
American Bakers and reorganized as the Martin Biscuit Company,
producing cookies and crackers and, at one time, candies. Among
some of the company's products were vanilla wafers, ginger snaps,
and moon pies.
The company's later expansion required locating to a larger plant.
The site selected was at the corner of 2nd Avenue South and 29th
Street. The new $32,000 brick building was completed in 1928,
constructed with 14" thick brick walls and an exterior cladding of
red brick with concrete trim.
While the company survived the depression and the First World War,
it was not able to meet the challenges that the World War II era would bring.
Martin Biscuit Company's established reputation began to wane as they
subcontracted with the Nabisco Company. Due to sugar rationing in
World War II Martin Biscuit was not able to meet the sugar demands
for its products. The company was liquidated in 1947 and the building
was sold in 1950 to Walker Drug Company.
The Walkers used the building as its company's wholesale warehouse,
constructing an addition in 1958. The newer section of the building is
similar to the older portion with red brick and concrete trim. The architect
for the addition was Fred Renneker, Jr. and Hallmark and Bachus served
as the contractor. Baptist Health Systems bought the building from the
Walkers in the 1970s and used it for storage.
Sloss Real Estate Group, Inc. acquired the 56,000 square foot building in
1997; it has been extensively renovated and currently houses a cluster of
unique and creative businesses, ranging from antiques and graphic design
to garden supplies and woodworks.
