Hotel Montgomery
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Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1911 in downtown San Jose, this four-story reinforced concrete hotel was designed by William Binder for developer Thomas S. Montgomery. Its front is shaped like a U above a full-lot commercial base, with a prominent cornice of modillions, dentils and egg-and-dart molding, pendant escutcheons, and neo-classical balconies on scrolled brackets. Inside, the lobby hallway keeps mosaic marble floors and coffered ceilings. It was among the first local buildings made of poured-in-place concrete and shows how early 1900s downtown commercial buildings were designed. After decades of decline, conversion to single-room and apartment use, and earthquake damage in 1989, the building was moved 186 feet south in 2000, seismically upgraded and rehabilitated. It again operates as a hotel, with 30 rooms per upper floor. It was listed for its architecture, and its integrity was judged sufficient despite the move.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the hotel is a superior, largely intact local example of early 20th-century Commercial style architecture, with Beaux Arts, Neo-Classical and Renaissance Revival elements. It is also one of San Jose's earliest remaining poured-in-place reinforced concrete buildings. Despite the move, it meets the consideration for moved properties because it keeps its design, materials and workmanship.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 06000328, listed April 20, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 211 SW First St., San Jose |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | April 20, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000328 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911 |
| Architect / builder | Binder, William |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th American Movements - Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated after the 2000 move under federal preservation tax credit standards, with final certification in 2005; it continues in use as a hotel with ground-floor restaurant and public rooms. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.33249, -121.88853 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 06000328.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5911764
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.