Commercial Building at 500 North Tryon Street
Why it's listed
Built in 1921 on the northeast corner of Tryon and Eighth Streets, this two-story brick commercial block was designed by Charlotte architect Louis Asbury for developer O. J. Thies, who held it as a rental property. Its facade uses ochre decorative brick, green ceramic tile on the pilasters and pent roof, marble bulkheads and stone details, and a recessed entry with original tall upper windows. Built during Charlotte's car-sales boom, it housed automobile dealerships until 1933, after which it held a grocery, a paint store, a stamp redemption center and a piano company. The building is regarded as a rare survivor of the small-scale commercial type on North Tryon Street, and as the only known automobile dealership by Asbury. Its interior wood posts, beams, floors and two-story lobby were kept during a 1990-1992 conversion to offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a rare surviving small-scale commercial building in Charlotte, and the oldest remaining one of its type on North Tryon Street. It is associated with the automobile sales boom of the 1920s and is the only known surviving small-scale commercial building and only known automobile dealership design by architect Louis H. Asbury in Charlotte.
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 92001615, listed November 20, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 500 N. Tryon St., Charlotte |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | November 20, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001615 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921-1933 |
| Architect / builder | Louis Asbury (architect); O. J. Thies (developer) |
| Architectural style | Enframed window wall building |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Renovated 1990-1992 for office use; the document states it was in good condition after renovation. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.23020, -80.83825 (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 92001615.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461101
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.