Lafayette Residence Park
Also known as: Lafayette; VDHR File #122-0826
Why it's listed
Lafayette Residence Park is a planned suburb on the north bank of the Lafayette River in Norfolk, Virginia. It was platted in 1902 as a high-class residential community, with winding streets described as French in method, small parks at awkward intersections, and a streetcar line along Lafayette Boulevard. Growth was slow at first, with about eleven buildings by 1908. A revised plat that year created smaller lots, and construction accelerated before and after the First World War as middle-class residents arrived. The earliest houses are large Queen Anne and Colonial Revival dwellings with wrap-around porches and bracketed detailing. Later blocks hold modest Colonial Revival houses, Craftsman bungalows, twin dwellings, apartment buildings and two churches, along with a former grammar school designed by Vance Hebard. About 284 buildings contribute to the district. It was listed for its concentration of both high-style and simpler architecture, and for a layout that has avoided commercial or industrial intrusion.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district meets Criterion C for its large concentration of high-style architecture, along with plainer designs built as the market demanded. Early Colonial Revival and Queen Anne houses were followed by smaller Colonial Revival dwellings and Craftsman bungalows for middle-income residents. Its curvilinear streets, circles and small parks also remain largely consistent with the original design.
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 99000071, listed January 27, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Tidewater Dr., Dupont C., Fontainbleau Crescent, La Salle Ave., Orleans C., and Lafayette R., Norfolk (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk |
| Listed | January 27, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000071 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Vance Hebard (Lafayette Grammar School); Benjamin F. Mitchell (Church of the Epiphany); most buildings by local builders and architects |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, Bungalow/Craftsman, Shingle Style, Gothic Revival, Classical Revival, Tudor Revival, Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival, Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still largely residential, with some single-family houses subdivided into apartments; renewed interest has led to renovation and restoration of many houses. Churches and a converted school building remain. |
| Acreage | 112 |
| Coordinates | 36.87682, -76.26715 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 99000071.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16893877
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.