First National Bank Building
Also known as: Old First and Merchants National Bank Building
Why it's listed
Rising nineteen stories at Ninth and East Main Streets in downtown Richmond, this steel-frame office tower was completed in 1913 as the home of First National Bank. It was the city's first high-rise and its tallest building when finished. Alfred Charles Bossom, working with the New York firm Clinton and Russell, clad the structure in limestone, granite and brick, with fifty-foot fluted Corinthian pilasters at the base and terra cotta ornament concentrated at the base and top floors. Inside, the two-story banking room and elevator lobby carried the richest finishes, including marble, brass and carved bronze elevator doors. Two hand-made Diebold vault doors remain in use. The bank, founded in 1865, merged with Merchants Bank in 1926 and stayed in the building until 1975. Renovations in 1963 and the loss of the cornice in 1966 altered the exterior, yet the tower still reads as a landmark of early skyscraper design and Neoclassical financial architecture.
Significance in brief: It is one of the finest Neoclassical commercial buildings in Richmond and the city's first high-rise tower, the tallest in the city when completed. It combines monumental classical ornament with early steel-frame construction. It also served for over half a century as headquarters of the state's oldest banking institution, and is one of three adjacent Bossom-related financial buildings.
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 82004586, listed April 12, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 825--27 East Main St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | April 12, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004586 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1911-1913) |
| Architect / builder | Alfred Charles Bossom in assoc. with Charles W. Clinton. |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in fair condition; maintained for office rental after the bank moved out in 1975, with renovation for office space planned. The cornice was removed in 1966 and other alterations were made in 1963. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Within district | Main Street Banking Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 37.53821, -77.43660 (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 82004586.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16891293
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.