Reich Dry Goods Company
Also known as: United Services Organization; Armed Services Y.M.C.A.; Army-Navy Young Men's Christian Association
Why it's listed
Built around 1895 in downtown Columbus, Georgia, this three-story brick building began as a wholesale grocery and later became a dry goods store. Loeb and Kaufmann occupied it from 1896 to 1916, and Frank C. Reich established the Reich Dry Goods Company there in 1916, remaining until 1940. That year the Army and Navy branch of the Y.M.C.A. opened in the building as the original U.S.O. center in Columbus, serving soldiers from nearby Fort Benning. A 1947 remodeling, costing $50,000, rebuilt the south facade in the Art Moderne style, with metal multi-light windows, terra-cotta details and a monumental limestone entrance. The Y.M.C.A. operated here until the mid-1960s. Inside, exposed timber posts, beams, plank floors and brick walls survive from the original construction. The building is now loft apartments. It was listed for its commercial history, its wartime recreation role and its architecture.
Significance in brief: The building is significant locally for architecture as a good, intact example of a late 1800s commercial building later remodeled in the Art Moderne style. It is also significant for commerce, through its use by wholesale grocers and then the Reich Dry Goods Company. It is further significant for recreation and culture as the original U.S.O./Y.M.C.A. facility serving soldiers from Fort Benning during and after World War II.
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 04000240, listed April 1, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 14 W 11th St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | April 1, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000240 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1895-1953 |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement/Art Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Following a certified rehabilitation, the building is divided into loft apartments, with historic structural systems, window openings, floors and stairwells still visible. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.46692, -84.99427 (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 04000240.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134392346
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.