Robinson-Gardner Building
Also known as: Robinson Brothers Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1899 for brothers J. Lee and Samuel A. Robinson, this two-story brick commercial building stands on West Main Avenue in Gastonia's downtown commercial district. Its second-story facade is a handsome Renaissance Revival composition with pressed metal pilasters, a projecting cornice with dentils, modillions and fleur-de-lis cresting, and a round-arched center bay with a cartouche keystone. The Robinson Shoe Company occupied the building until about 1927, when B. B. Gardner bought it. His family ran a men's clothing store there until 1975, first as The Young Men's Shop and later as Warren Gardner's. The interior retains wood display cabinetry, a pressed metal ceiling and a curved ironwork stair from a 1946 remodeling. Because it is the oldest surviving commercial building of its period in the area and among the most architecturally sophisticated, it is valued for its design and for its long association with local merchants.
Significance in brief: The building is regarded as the oldest known commercial building in downtown Gastonia and as one of the least altered, with an intact Renaissance Revival second-story facade. It also housed two prominent mercantile businesses, the Robinson Brothers Shoe Company and the Gardner family's men's clothing store, over nearly eight decades.
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 99000436, listed April 9, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 173-175 W. Main Ave., Gastonia |
|---|---|
| County | Gaston County |
| Listed | April 9, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000436 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1899-1948 |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a restaurant on the first floor, with offices on the second floor; undergoing rehabilitation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Gastonia Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.26362, -81.18318 (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 99000436.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20679825
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.