BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – A massive fire last year destroyed buildings on 20th Street South that had housed businesses and apartments in Five Points South for more than a century.
The property’s owner has now decided to begin demolition, leaving longtime neighbors and business owners reflecting on the area’s history.
Rick Ranelli, whose family opened Ranelli’s restaurant when he was 12, said the buildings across the street were a staple for generations of residents and visitors.
“They just don’t build them like that anymore,” Ranelli said. “I’ve known a lot of people who lived there. A lot of my customers lived there over the years. It has become a piece of Southside history.”…