McGeahy Building
Why it's listed
Built between 1925 and 1930, the two-story brick commercial building at 7 1/2 Biltmore Plaza in Biltmore Village, Asheville, sits next to the Biltmore Estate Office on a prominent site. Its design is credited to local architect Ronald Green, who worked during a period of strong construction in Asheville in the 1920s alongside Douglass Ellington. The facade shows simple Sullivanesque ornamentation and a variety of decorative brickwork. The building is considered one of the few buildings of high architectural quality constructed in Biltmore Village during the 1920s. It also reflects the growth of the Asheville area in the years following the Vanderbilt era, when the village was developing beyond the estate's original plan. The structure is described as notable and well maintained, and it remains a representative example of commercial architecture from the decade in the village.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as one of the few high-quality architectural buildings erected in Biltmore Village during the 1920s and as a reminder of the growth of Asheville in the years after the Vanderbilt era. It is attributed to local architect Ronald Green and is cited for its simple Sullivanesque ornamentation and decorative brick patterns.
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 79001679, listed November 15, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 7 1/2 Biltmore Plaza, Asheville |
|---|---|
| County | Buncombe County |
| Listed | November 15, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001679 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1925-1930 |
| Architect / builder | Ronald Green (architect) |
| Architectural style | Sullivanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well-maintained |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.56765, -82.54273 (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 79001679.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18154257
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.