Caples, Richard, Building
Why it's listed
Standing on a prominent corner lot at 300 E. San Antonio Avenue in El Paso, this office and retail building was designed by the firm Trost and Trost and completed in 1910. It was the first reinforced concrete structure in downtown El Paso, built with a frame of poured concrete posts and lintels reinforced with steel rods, infilled with tile blocks and faced with brick. Local newspapers described the new method in detail, and the building was claimed to be fireproof. Originally it had two office towers separated by a light well, rising from a single-story base. In 1915-16 two more floors were added, introducing Romanesque details such as arched windows springing from pilasters and foliated panels. The original cornice has been removed and the ground floor sheathed in modern materials. An early photograph shows a Woolworth store on the ground floor. Today the ground floor holds a retail business, while much of the upper space appears unused.
Significance in brief: When completed in 1910 it was the first reinforced concrete structure in downtown El Paso. It reflects architect Henry Trost's early experimentation with reinforced concrete, and the 1915-16 addition brought Romanesque decorative influence. It was claimed to be fireproof when built.
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 80004102, listed September 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 300 E. San Antonio Ave., El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | September 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004102 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Trost and Trost |
| Architectural style | Early 20th century commercial with Romanesque addition |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ground floor serves a retail establishment; much of the upper space appears to be unused. The ground floor has been sheathed in contemporary materials and the original cornice has been removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 |
| Coordinates | 31.75807, -106.48659 (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 80004102.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65103901
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.