St. Nicholas Hotel
Also known as: Lee Hotel
Why it's listed
Located in downtown Albany, Georgia, near the railroad lines, this three-story brick hotel was built around 1906-1908 for the firm Cruger and Pace. Atlanta architects Bruce and Everett designed it, and C. D. Smith built it. The building has about 50 rooms, a flat roof behind a brick parapet, and ground-floor storefronts along Washington Street and Flint Avenue. Its main entrance has Ionic stone columns and a tile floor inlaid with the hotel's name. Inside, original wainscoting, wood stairs and hallway layout survive. The hotel was intended for train passengers and traveling salespeople, and it is the only one of several such Albany hotels still standing. Circus performers stayed here, and bandleader Harry James was born in the building in 1916. A tornado in 1940 caused heavy damage, and the hotel reopened as the Lee Hotel. After a 1984 purchase and rehabilitation, it now serves as a transitional center.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good example of a small, 50-room commercial hotel built near the railroads to serve rail passengers, with retail space on the ground floor. It is also a surviving work of the short-lived Atlanta firm Bruce and Everett. It is the only remaining Albany hotel of its kind, and bandleader Harry James was born there in 1916.
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 91001851, listed December 19, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 141 Flint Ave., 300--310 Washington St., Albany |
|---|---|
| County | Dougherty County |
| Listed | December 19, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001851 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1908-1941 |
| Architect / builder | Bruce and Everett of Atlanta (Alexander C. Bruce; Alexander F. N. Everett); builder C. D. Smith construction company |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | After rehabilitation begun with a 1984 purchase, the building reopened as a transitional center; the steam heat system is still operational. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Albany Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 31.58037, -84.15142 (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 91001851.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85802924
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.