Virginia Department of Highways Building
Also known as: State Highway Commission Building; 127-0844-0001
Why it's listed
Built in 1939 on East Broad Street in Richmond, this four-story, 82,000-square-foot office building was designed by Carneal, Johnston & Wright to bring the Virginia Department of Highways under one roof. The agency had grown rapidly after the 1932 Byrd Road Act gave it responsibility for about 35,900 miles of county roads, and its staff was scattered across several downtown offices. The Public Works Administration paid 45 percent of the cost. Steel and reinforced concrete construction is faced in limestone, Virginia greenstone and pink granite. An eighteen-pilaster colossal colonnade defines the Broad Street front, with bronze urns and stone eagles adding to the Stripped Classicism design. In 1940, Richmond citizens polled by Architectural Record named it the city's outstanding recent building. It is listed for its link to state highway work and for its architecture, and it remains the main offices of the Virginia Department of Transportation with a high degree of integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it reflects the state's expansive highway construction and maintenance mission (Criterion A). It is also presented as an elegant example of the Stripped Classicism style favored for government buildings in the 1930s and 1940s (Criterion C). It retains a high degree of integrity and is still used for its original purpose.
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 04000270, listed April 5, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1401 E. Broad St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | April 5, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000270 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Carneal, Johnston & Wright, architects; Virginia Engineering Co., contractor |
| Architectural style | Stripped Classicism/WPA Modern |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as the main offices of the Virginia Department of Transportation; periodically upgraded and connected by second-story pedestrian bridges to adjacent buildings. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Within district | James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.53830, -77.43048 (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 04000270.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902766
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.