For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/21/2017
NRHP Listing Date 11/24/2017
NRHP Reference Number SG100001854
Constructed in 1961, the Tower Building in Richmond’s Scott’s Addition Historic District is a medium-scale International Style office building designed by local architect David Warren Hardwick. The building’s geometrical form, exposed ground-floor structure, flat roof, windows set flush to the outer walls, use of concrete and glass, and lack of traditional ornamentation are all design elements common to the International Style. A character-defining feature of the Tower Building is a plain but decorative, perforated brick exterior that encircles the building’s upper stories. Technically called a brise-soleil, it functions like a baffle to break up sunlight striking the building’s exterior. The combined effect of the Tower Building’s elevated massing and textured brise-soleil creates a distinctive visual pattern, making it a unique modernist landmark in Richmond from the post-World War II era.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: February 18, 2021