White House Department Store and Hotel McCoy
Why it's listed
Rising seven stories at 109 Pioneer Plaza in El Paso, this concrete-skeleton building with brick facing was completed in 1912 to house the White House Department Store and the Hotel McCoy. Trost and Trost designed it in the Chicago School and Sullivanesque manner, with a base, shaft and modillioned cornice, and its two street facades meet in a rounded obtuse angle that follows the original road plan. Groups of one-over-one windows mark the middle floors, and a frieze of rectangular shapes separates the sixth and seventh floors. The store began in 1900 under Felix Brunschwig and his nephews and moved here after outgrowing earlier quarters. It was known for current fashions and for bringing El Paso its first window dresser and fashion show, according to newspaper accounts. The lower two floors have been altered, but the upper floors keep their historic lines. The building sits at the end of South El Paso Street, a major axis toward Juarez, and the hotel remained in operation at the time of listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of the Chicago School format, with a Sullivanesque base, shaft and cornice composition. It is prominently sited at the end of South El Paso Street and reflects the work of Trost. It also housed the White House store, an early and prosperous El Paso retailer, and the Hotel McCoy.
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 80004115, listed September 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 109 Pioneer Plaza, El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | September 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004115 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Trost and Trost |
| Architectural style | Chicago School/Sullivanesque |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is the same as the original: the store and Hotel McCoy, with the hotel described as still in operation. The first two stories have been substantially altered, while the upper floors remain intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 |
| Coordinates | 31.75952, -106.48794 (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 80004115.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65121035
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.