Anderson Brothers Building
Why it's listed
Anderson Brothers Building is a three-story, seven-bay brick structure at 1417-1427 University Avenue in Charlottesville. William N. Roach erected a two-story brick building on the lot in 1848, and a bookstore has occupied at least one of its store rooms since 1852. The Anderson family took over the business in the 1870s and bought the building in 1886. The present building was constructed around the older one in 1891-92 and was later renovated and expanded in 1927, 1960, 1966 and 1970. Its front is clad in metal, with paired Corinthianesque columns on tall decorated pedestals, a massive parapet entablature, modillions, floral bands and plaques bearing the name ANDERSON BROTHERS. It is the largest building with a metal-clad facade left in the city, and its core dates to 1848. Anderson Brothers is also the oldest business in Charlottesville still operating in its original location, which makes the building a key landmark at the University Corner.
Significance in brief: It is the largest building with a metal-clad facade remaining in Charlottesville. Its core dates to 1848, and the survey calls it the most important building on the University Corner. It also houses Anderson Brothers Book Store, the oldest business in the city still operating in its original location.
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 82001797, listed October 21, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1417-1427 University Ave., Charlottesville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Charlottesville |
| Listed | October 21, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001797 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; in use as a book store, with apartments on the upper levels. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Rugby Road-University Corner Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.03485, -78.50010 (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 82001797.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15181036
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.