Inside Porter White Co.’s NEW office in the historic Woodward Building

After 40 years in the Steiner Building, local investment banking firm Porter White & Company (Porter White Co.) has moved its offices to the tenth floor of the historic Woodward Building in downtown Birmingham.

Porter White Co. brought us in for a special sneak peek at their new office—keep reading to learn more.

About Porter White Co.

In 1975, Birmingham lawyer Jim White founded Porter White Co. (originally White & Company) as an investment banking and financial advisory firm. Shortly thereafter, the company was hired to be a financial advisor for the City of Birmingham, and:

• Advised the city on acquiring industrial park property to attract jobs to the city
• Helped establish the Birmingham Airport Authority as a standalone entity
• Advised the BJCC on financing for Protective Stadium and the renovation of Legacy Arena
• And more

As of December 2023, Porter White Co. manages more than $700 million in assets for its clients.

Inside Porter White Co.’s new office at the Woodward Building

In 2024, Porter White Co. moved from the Steiner Building—their home of nearly 40 years—to the Woodward Building down the street.

“If you’re going to spend as many hours in the day at work as you do at your home, you want that work enviroment to be something you enjoy.

It’s rare to find a space with tall ceilings and with this much character; you just don’t get that in a cookie cutter suburban office park.”

Goodloe White, President, Porter White Co.

“We’ve purposefully designed our office as an open space to promote teamwork while also ensuring the privacy and security that is required in today’s financial world.”

Jim White, Chairman, Porter White Co.

Located on the 10th floor of the Woodward Building, Porter White Co.’s new offices have an incredible view of the surrounding Birmingham skyline—especially from its corner office rooms.

About the Woodward Building

Located at 1927 1st Ave N, the Woodward Building is the oldest of the four buildings that make up the Heaviest Corner on Earth:

• Woodward Building (1902)
• Brown Marx Building (1906)
• Empire Building/Elyton Hotel (1909)
• American Trust and Savings Bank Building/John Hand Building (1912)

The building was named after William Woodward, an early local iron magnate who funded the construction of the building.

To design the building, Woodward leaned on the expertise of William Weston, a prominent local architect who designed many of Birmingham’s iconic structures, including the Frank Nelson Building, City Federal Building and Terrace Court apartment building.

Here are some fun facts about the Woodward Building:

• It was both the first steel-framed building and the first Chicago-style building in Birmingham
• The total cost of construction was $350,000—nearly $13M in today’s dollars

Excited to see Porter White Co. continue its presence in downtown Birmingham? What is your favorite part of their new office? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!