Byrd, William, Hotel
Also known as: Dhr 127-0466
Why it's listed
Rising eleven stories at Broad Street and Davis Avenue in Richmond, the William Byrd Hotel opened in October 1925 across from the new Broad Street Station. Richmond architect Marcellus E. Wright designed it as a three-part block with an Indiana limestone base, buff brick shaft and an ornate terra cotta capital. Its steel frame, with concrete, clay tile and gypsum block walls and floors, was promoted as fireproof and modern. The hotel offered 198 guest rooms, a mezzanine ballroom, a dining room, shops, a barbershop and a roof garden. It was the first and only high-rise commercial building on Broad Street west of downtown and served as a gateway image of the city for many travelers. Interiors were altered in 1948 and again in 1961, when it became a motor hotel. Marble floors, the grand stair and other lobby features survive, and a 1996 conversion to apartments aims to restore them.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a good example of an urban Neo-Classical Revival high-rise and of early steel-frame, fireproof construction. It was the first and only high-rise commercial building on Broad Street west of downtown, built to serve the new Broad Street Station area. For many travelers the hotel and the station were Richmond's gateway image.
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 96001454, listed December 16, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2501 W. Broad St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | December 16, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001454 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Wright, Marcellus E., Jr. |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Renovation into apartments began in 1996, with restoration of surviving first-floor finishes and exterior elements planned under rehabilitation standards. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.56029, -77.46664 (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 96001454.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16967639
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.