Southside (Birmingham)

Southside
View of Birmingham looking north from the crest of Red Mountain, with Southside (including UAB and Ramsay High School) in the immediate foreground.
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP Codes	35205
Area code(s)	205

The historic Southside community is situated on the hilly and forested slopes of Red Mountain just south of Birmingham, Alabama's central business district. The neighborhood includes the landscape from Railroad Park to the crest of Red Mountain, and from Interstate 65 to U.S. Highway 31 (or "Red Mountain Expressway"). It is one of the most densely populated residential neighborhoods in the city and home to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and its adjacent hospitals, the state’s second largest employer. The Birmingham Business Journal forecasts Southside to have the highest income growth over the next four years of any zipcode in the metro area.

Southside is one of the most cosmopolitan neighborhoods in Birmingham, and is well known as a hub for bohemian culture. Five Points South in particular has long been a popular nightlife and entertainment district. Because of the international draw of UAB, Southside is the most racially and ethnically diverse neighborhood in Birmingham and is also considered one of its main “gayborhoods”, playing host to the city’s annual gay pride parade each June. With its college town atmosphere, the community has a high percentage of bicycle commuters, and according to walkscore.com, has two of the top three most walkable zip code neighborhoods in the metropolitan area. Southside has several local businesses, and many residents are employed in the medical, research, and banking industries that anchor Birmingham’s economy, or at one of the numerous law firms located in Five Points South. George Ward Park, Vulcan Trail, and the new Railroad Park afford residents with opportunities for outdoors recreation and scenic views. The Vulcan statue, Birmingham’s city symbol, crowns the crest of Red Mountain and is visible from most areas of the neighborhood. Other attractions include Good People Brewery, Dreamland Bar-B-Que, the Frank Fleming Storyteller Fountain, the Alys Stephens Center and the new Regions Field baseball stadium.