Five Points South is a melting pot, many of its residents and business owners say.

Over a span of 130 years, the district in Birmingham's Southside became known as a "town within a city" and a retail and culinary destination in the Magic City.

Five Points South is Birmingham's town square, said Steve Alexander, who lives and works in Southside. When people want to eat or drink, or when they want to protest, they head to Five Points South, he said.

While the Birmingham neighborhoods of Avondale, Lake View and downtown are enjoying a rebirth, Five Points South merchants and residents are banding together for the first time to bring the focus back on their district.

"We are going to bring the focus back on Five Points ourselves," said George Reis, owner of Ocean Restaurant and 5 Point Public House Oyster Bar.

Merchants and residents formed the Five Points Alliance, a non-profit organization, and, this year, are setting out to draft and adopt a master plan for the district.

Organizers, which also include UAB and REV Birmingham, hope the 130th anniversary of Five Points South will serve as a catalyst to move the neighborhood forward.

The planning process begins this week with the first in a series of community involvement meetings. The first meeting is for civic leaders and is set for Wednesday, March 29 at 9 a.m. at the Starbucks at 1927 11th Ave S. Click here for upcoming meetings and events.

"I want to really bring our neighborhood together: the merchants and the residents. We have a lot of churches right in that neighborhood," said Reis, who serves as president of the Five Points Alliance board. "I would love to bring all of that together and have a true synergy of an inner-city neighborhood."

What is Five Points?

Five Points South received its name for the intersection at its core, which is forced into a five-pointed star by the convergence of 20th Street South (in two directions), 11th Avenue South (in two directions), and Magnolia Avenue.

Before becoming a part of Birmingham, Five Points was originally incorporated as the town of Highland for about six years. Highland was a hub for streetcar lines, which sparked the building of houses and apartment buildings. The influx of residents sparked commercial development.

The neighborhood became a microcosm of Birmingham, according to The Journal, a publication of the Birmingham Historical Society. This diversity and mix of residential, retail, bars and restaurants and service businesses remains 130 years later.

"We embrace that grungy edgy vibe here," said Joe Babin, owner of Orbit Salon in Five Points and alliance member. "(Five Points) is a nice little bubble for different cultures."

Reis said he opened Ocean Restaurant in Five Points 15 years ago.

"If you wanted to be a fine dining restaurant, you went to Five Points," he said.

Five Points boasts a number of nationally acclaimed restaurants such as Highlands Bar & Grill, Bottega, Chez Fonfon and Hot and Hot Fish Club.

Map of Five Points South (REV Birmingham)

Master plan

Brian Templeton, a project manager for UAB Planning Design and Construction, serves on the board of the Five Points Alliance and is assisting in the drafting of a master plan. He said the process will take 18 months and require input from residents, business and property owners, and others.

A master plan uses crowd-sourced information to identify the needs and wants of a neighborhood, he said. This lets all of the stakeholders invest their money wisely.

Templeton said the master plan will include maps of the neighborhood's street and sidewalk network, major trees and landscaping, and active and passive green spaces.

By identifying what the neighborhood already has, Templeton said, stakeholders can help identify what the neighborhood needs -- such as bike lanes or more parks.

"The goals are really going to be driven by the community, and that is why we are seeking community input," he said.

The process will also include studying how Five Points South can tie into other parts of the city, such as the Glen Iris neighborhood, UAB, Vulcan Trail and Railroad Park. It also will look at long-range greenspace plans and business district guidelines.

John Boone, of Orchestra Partners, said he and his partner recently invested in the "undervalued market" of Five Points South with the purchase of the old Bailey Brothers Music Co. Building on 20th Street. It has stood vacant for about two years.

Orchestra Partners plans to open a yet-to-be named social bowling concept by the end of the year. The project will include an upscale bar, restaurant and other attractions.

"Now everyone wants to live downtown and people are excited about Birmingham," Boone said. "It is easy for people who have lived here for a long time to invest back into Five Points with this alliance."

He said Five Points South has been stagnant, but now is the time to kick-start neighborhood reinvestment.

Five Points South's biggest asset, according to Boone, is its walkability. This factor will keep the neighborhood sustainable, he said.

Moving forward

Alexander said one of the priorities of the alliance is to bring the City Action Partnership (CAP), a safety program, to Five Points South. This would require support from at least two-thirds of the property owners of the Five Points business district.

"We believe that CAP's presence was instrumental in the success we've all seen downtown in recent years, so we would like to see that extra level of public service added to the experience of everyone who works in, lives in, or visits Five Points South," he said.

Because of its non-profit status, Five Points Alliance can accept tax-deductible donations and is eligible for grants for streetscape and building improvements.

Another goal of the alliance is to develop "Operation Facelift" that will encourage property owners to update commercial facades.

Much of this is already happening.

According to REV Birmingham, more than $29 million is projected to be invested in Five Points South in 2017. These projects include the new Homewood Suites and the rebranding of Hotel Highland to Hotel Indigo. It also includes renovations of the Bailey Brothers Building, Shepherd-Sloss Building and Highland Manor Apartments renovation.