Foley, W. L., Building
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Why it's listed
Located at 214-218 Travis Street in Houston's oldest business district, near Old Market Square, this three-story brick commercial building began in 1860, when merchant John Kennedy rebuilt after a fire destroyed much of the block. During the Civil War it served as a Confederate armory. After a fire in 1888 destroyed the northern two bays, the existing three-bay Victorian facade and addition were designed in 1889 by architect Eugene T. Heiner and built by contractors John Lucas and A. C. Moran. Kennedy's son-in-law, William L. Foley, known as the dean of Houston dry goods merchants, ran W. L. Foley Dry Goods Co. here until 1948. The facade features limestone medallions, arched third-story windows with keystones, and a corbelled parapet, while the ground floor has been altered with large sheet glass. A pizza parlor later occupied the building until a 1976 fire damaged the upper floors, leaving the building vacant.
Significance in brief: The building has played a distinctive role in Houston's business district since 1860, serving as a Confederate armory and later as the home of W. L. Foley Dry Goods Co. Its 1889 facade was designed by Eugene T. Heiner, who also designed the nearby Cotton Exchange Building. It is thought to reflect 19th-century commercial architecture near Old Market Square.
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 78002942, listed October 11, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 214--218 Travis St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | October 11, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002942 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1860; 1889 |
| Architect / builder | Eugene T. Heiner, architect (1889); John Lucas and A. C. Moran, contractors |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fire damaged the second and third floors in May 1976; the building is described as unoccupied and vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Main Street/Market Square Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.76321, -95.36153 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 78002942.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7945772
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.