Birmingham’s Terminal Station

@tjtower — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 21:56:40 +0000

The following is a story from the Birmigham Post-Herald on June 26, 1969:

Committee Seeks To Save Terminal

The Women’s Committee of 100 wants to save Birmingham’s Terminal Station. Headed by Mrs. Carl C. Brown, the group’s committee for historic preservation will meet at 10 a.m. Friday with Kenneth Daniel, president of the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce; Fritz Woeber representing Birmingham architects; Maj. Gen. G. Reid Doster, representing a proposed aviation museum. and Col. Joseph L. Shannon, president of the Aero Club, to discuss possibilities for saving and restoring the building. The terminal, built about the turn of the centry when trains offer the only means of inter-city transportation, is owned primarily by Southern Railway. A public hearing is schedule for June 20 before the Public Service Commission is Montgomery. Souther Railway is asking permission to tear down the building and replace it with a new, modern facility. Mrs. Brown said some of the committee’s ideas for restoring the structure, with its tiny, mosaic-like tiles along the walls include establishment of a Transportation Museum there. “In order for it not to be a a dead museum, it could be made to come to alive with attractive snack bars, a resturant similar to the one in operation there when the terminal was in its glory, and gift shops.” she said.

via BhamWiki.com | courtesy BPL Archives

There are “innumerable other possibilities” for restoring the building. showing “the beauty of the Vitorian era,” Mrs. Brown said. Just back from a trip which included Istanbul, Turkey, Mrs. Brwon said the terminal is modeled after St. Sophia, a Mosque dating back to the 15th centry, which is being converted into a museum. She said the many rooms in the terminal where once waiting rooms for people with long lay-overs. including a nursery for women with babies. There were also several baggages rooms, which could be converted into gift shops, using their exposed beams as part of the decor. she said. “We want it to fit into the present day business economy of Birmingham,” she said. It could be made into a first-class tourist attraction, and would offer a contrast between the old and new because it is across the street from the new Post Office going up. “The terminal repersents the glory of Birmingham.” Mrs. Brown said. She said is is structuarally sound, acording to Birmignham architects. The group to meet Friday will alter go Souther Railway’s vice president in residence, Glenn Taylor. asking that the terminal not be torn down.

TERMINAL SILHOUETTE—The Terminal Station here looks like the Turkish built around church it was modeled after, with its dome and towers silhouetted against the evening sky. The towers are the Christian versions of the Turkish minarets, tall, slender, pointed towers from which a summons to prayer is issued. (Post-Herald photo by Bill Mobley).

Together let’s prevent another landmark of Birmingham from demolition.

Let’s Restore Greatness.

Press Release

@tjtower — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 21:42:26 +0000

Birmingham, AL

A grassroots effort is underway to preserve and restore downtown Birmingham’s historic Thomas Jefferson Hotel (formerly Cabana Hotel, later Leer Tower). Founded by Birmingham resident Matthew Sheets, Thomas Jefferson Tower, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to restore greatness to the Birmingham landmark. “It’s a beautiful building with an amazing heritage,” says Sheets. “We can’t afford to let another Birmingham landmark crumble.”

The organization is working with community leaders to acquire the building, stop the deterioration, and take action toward a full restoration.

“We’re seeing enormous support from the Birmingham community, which is a testament to the building’s appeal,” Sheets says. “As we work to raise funds through grants and private investors, the support from the community is invaluable. We truly believe that together with the Birmingham community and its leaders, we can restore greatness to this historic landmark.”

Completed in 1929, the Thomas Jefferson stood as one of Birmingham’s most luxurious hotels. The building featured an ornate marble lobby, a large ballroom, and a rooftop mooring mast intended for use by airships. The hotel’s luxury status made it a prime spot for celebrities and distinguished guests including presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover, entertainers Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles, and sports icons Pete Rose and Bear Bryant.

Located on the corner of 2nd Avenue North and 17th Street, the historic hotel sits in the heart of an area experiencing its own reviatlization. With the building’s proximity to Innovation Depot, Railroad Park, and the new baseball stadium, there is tremendous momentum only footsteps away.

More Information:

Website: http://tjtower.com
Video: http://youtu.be/KdTkUlkGE_U
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TJTower
High Resolution Photos: http://tjtower.com/photos.zip

Media Contact:

Matthew Sheets

Thomas Jefferson Tower

(205) 304-0670

matt@tjtower.com

www.tjtower.com

The Thomas Jefferson Tower - Let's Restore Greatness