Reviewed by: Pat Byington
Cobb Lane demolition nearing completion [PHOTOS]
Reading time: 2 minutes
A little over four months since it was devastated by an early-morning fire, the remains of three historic residential buildings dating back to the early 1900s are nearly gone.
About Cobb Lane
Located in Birmingham’s Five Points South neighborhood, Cobb Lane is a one-block brick street named for Virginia Cobb, a Birmingham restauranteur who operated the famous Cobb Lane Restaurant from the 1950s until her death in 1987.
In the early 2000s, Cobb Lane evolved into an electric, Bohemian destination with establishments like the Blue Monkey Lounge, the J. Clyde and Delta Blues Hot Tamales. However, Blue Monkey and the J. Clyde closed in 2019, followed by Delta Blues Hot Tamales in 2020.
Cobb Lane suffered a devastating fire on Halloween 2025.
Just before dawn on Friday, October 31, a fire broke out in the Haskins William residence, a vacant Victorian Colonial Revival style house constructed in 1901 and located at 1312 20th Street South. Despite the quick response of the Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service, the blaze quickly spread to the neighboring Dian Apartments (1314–1318 20th Street South) and Cobb Lane Apartments (1300 20th Street S), two historic apartment buildings dating back to the early 1900s.
Although the Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service got the fire under control on Friday, it continued to smolder well into Saturday afternoon.
Cobb Lane residences nearly demolished
Due to the extensive destruction caused during the fire, the Birmingham City Council approved the demolition of the damaged buildings in January. The buildings damaged by the fire were:
- Haskins William residence (1312 20th Street South), built 1901
- Dian Apartments (1314–1318 20th Street South), opened 1914
- Cobb Lane Apartments (1300 20th Street S), built 1908
As of Wednesday, March 4, the Cobb Lane Apartments have been completely demolished, leaving just the remains of the Haskins Williams residence and the Dian Apartments.
What do you want to see replace these residences on Cobb Lane? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!
