Neighborhood in Birmingham · Jefferson County

Five Points South

Five Points South centers on the 20th Street and 11th Avenue South business district near UAB, with Highland Avenue apartment options, local bus corridors and Southside Branch Library.

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Historic commercial buildings with tiled roofs, shopfronts and parked cars on Highland Avenue South. — Archival 2012 streetscape: 2001–2011 Highland Avenue South, photographed December 22, 2012 — Chris Pruitt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Businesses and streetscape may have changed.

20th Street bus travel, Highland Avenue apartments and weekday library access

About Five Points South

Five Points South centers on the 20th Street and 11th Avenue South business district near UAB, with Highland Avenue apartment options, local bus corridors and Southside Branch Library. Full grocery shopping at 20 Midtown is a separate stop farther north on 20th Street.

Highland Avenue apartment example

Cortland Vesta’s address is 2173 Highland Avenue South, near the Five Points South business district. Its operator describes one- and two-bedroom homes in high-rise and boutique-style buildings. Smart thermostats and stainless-steel appliances are listed apartment features; wraparound balconies, large picture windows and several other features apply only to selected homes.

The published pet policy allows up to two cats or dogs, with an 80-pound weight limit and breed restrictions. It lists a $400 fee and $25 monthly charge per pet. The site also carries a construction/occupancy disclaimer, so the leasing team at 205-576-1384 needs to confirm the offered home and amenity readiness.

20th Street buses and the UAB corridor

MAX’s Magic City Connector follows 20th Street between Uptown and Homewood City Center. That makes the 20th Street side of Five Points South a useful place to begin a central-city bus plan. The listed adult Connector fare is 30 cents; it is a separate service from ordinary MAX fixed routes.

Route 14 lists Downtown, UAB Hospital, Five Points South, Southside Library and Palisades Shopping Center among its destinations. Regular fixed-route adult fare is $1.50 one way, and on-bus purchases require exact change. Route 14 adds a bus connection between the district, UAB’s medical workplaces and the Palisades shopping area; the operator’s schedule supplies departure times.

Groceries farther north on 20th Street

Publix 20 Midtown is at 230 20th Street South, farther north along the corridor from the Five Points intersection. It offers produce, meat and cheese, bakery, deli and seafood departments, making it a full grocery stop beyond the district’s restaurant blocks. Store contact is 205-250-7170.

The pharmacy uses the same address but has its own schedule and phone, 205-250-7174. The operator’s listing gives the pharmacy shorter hours than the grocery store.

Publix — 20 Midtown

Southside Library on 11th Avenue

Southside Branch Library is at 1814 11th Avenue South, near 19th Street. Its published opening hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; the branch contact is 205-933-7776. The branch page links its calendar for dated activities.

The site has served as a neighborhood library since 1945, beginning with the home donated by Thomas D. and Amy Smith Parke. The current building opened in 1996.

Birmingham Public Library — Southside Branch

Check these on a visit

Try these in person before you commit to an address in Five Points South.

Ask Cortland Vesta for the offered apartment’s readiness and the pet terms for your household.
Use the 30-cent Connector fare separately from ordinary MAX fixed-route fares.
For a combined Publix and pharmacy stop, use the pharmacy’s own opening schedule.

Neighborhoods and districts near Five Points South

The closest neighborhoods and districts in Birmingham, measured center to center.

All Birmingham neighborhoods and districts

Schools near Five Points South

The 6 closest schools within 5 miles, including any outside the city. Being nearby does not mean a home is zoned for a school: confirm attendance zones with the school or district.

All schools in Birmingham

Ramsay High SchoolHigh
about 0.1 mi · Public · Grades 9–12 · 762 students
Glen Iris Elementary SchoolElementary
about 0.7 mi · Public · Grades Pre-K–6 · 827 students
Arlington SchoolSecondary
about 0.7 mi · Private · Grades 7–11 · 5 students
St Rose of Lima SchoolK–8
about 0.7 mi · Private · Grades Pre-K–8 · 181 students
EPIC Alternative Elementary SchoolElementary
about 0.8 mi · Public · Grades Pre-K–5 · 232 students
Glen Iris Baptist SchoolK–12
about 0.8 mi · Private · Grades Pre-K–12 · 93 students

Distances are approximate. They are straight lines from the centre of Five Points South, not travel distances, and a home at the edge of the area can be noticeably closer to or farther from a school.

Sources & data notesReferences, reporting periods, and how to use this information

Information on this page is compiled from multiple sources and provided for general information. It may be incomplete or out of date, and we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Independently verify important details with the original source, relevant authority, or a qualified professional before making decisions.

Statistics keep their reporting periods. Survey estimates are not current asking prices or quotes for an individual property. Displayed values are rounded.

Five Points South street network and surrounding neighborhoods
City of Birmingham — Five Points South neighborhood mapSource checked 2026-10-20City reference map; the page’s approximate location pin is not a property boundary.
2173 Highland Avenue South, one/two-bedroom options, pet charges and leasing contact
Cortland Vesta — property and pet termsSource checked 2026-10-20The operator includes a construction/occupancy disclaimer; apartment and amenity readiness require confirmation from leasing.
High-rise/boutique layouts, smart thermostats, selected-home features and resident facilities
Cortland Vesta — apartment and community featuresSource checked 2026-10-20
230 20th Street South grocery departments, store contact and separate pharmacy
Publix — 20 MidtownSource checked 2026-10-20
Magic City Connector corridor and Route 14 destinations
MAX Transit — routes and schedulesSource checked 2026-10-20
Distinct Connector and regular fixed-route fares and exact-change requirement
MAX Transit — fares and passesSource checked 2026-10-20
1814 11th Avenue South, weekday hours, history and contact
Birmingham Public Library — Southside BranchSource checked 2026-10-20
Highland Avenue commercial buildings, December 22, 2012 capture date and CC BY-SA 3.0
Chris Pruitt — Five Points South streetscapeSource checked 2026-10-20Archival image; visible businesses are not a current tenant directory.

Photo credits

Image credits and license
Archival 2012 streetscape: 2001–2011 Highland Avenue South, photographed December 22, 2012 — Chris Pruitt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Businesses and streetscape may have changed.
Creator: Chris Pruitt
Original source
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Changes: Resized and converted to WebP; display layouts may crop the image.
Archival 2012 streetscape: 2001–2011 Highland Avenue South, photographed December 22, 2012 — Chris Pruitt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Businesses and streetscape may have changed.