Hotel Gleason/Albemarle Hotel, Imperial Cafe
Why it's listed
Rising four stories on West Main Street in Charlottesville, this brick building began as the Hotel Gleason, built by Michael S. Gleason in 1896-97 beside his earlier hotel. Next door, the Imperial Cafe was built at the same time. In 1910-11 the two were consolidated as the New Hotel Gleason, and the cafe front was remodeled to match the hotel. The facade has a recessed ground-floor loggia on four Corinthian columns, pressed-tin ornament, a Palladian window within a portico, and a boxy overhanging cornice. The hotel opened a decade after Union Station made West Main Street the area's transportation hub. It was the city's first large, modern hotel and ran for about seventy-five years, later as the Albemarle Hotel, remaining a leading city hotel into the 1950s. It declined, was condemned in 1976, and was rehabilitated in 1981. It is listed as the last survivor of the hotels once lining this street.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the hotel is an impressive example of the Victorian Edwardian style and the last survivor of about six hotels and inns that once stood along West Main Street near Union Station. It was the city's first large, modern hotel and operated for roughly three-quarters of a century. Reviewers ultimately accepted it as architecturally and historically significant within the context of the Charlottesville multiple resource area.
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 83003267, listed August 10, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 617-619 W. Main St., Charlottesville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Charlottesville |
| Listed | August 10, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003267 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian (Victorian Edwardian) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed as a hotel after the City condemned it in 1976, mostly vacant 1977-1981, then extensively rehabilitated in 1981; later used for shops and offices or apartments. The adjoining 611 West Main Street building was demolished in 1980. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | West Main Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.03137, -78.48894 (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 83003267.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15225821
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.