Pocahontas Building

Status:

Pocahontas Building Update: 7/17/24

The Pocahontas Building, which temporarily housed the General Assembly during the recent construction of its new building, consists of two structures—the West Tower, originally constructed in 1923 as the State Planters Bank, and the East Tower, a 1962 addition. The demolition of the East Tower was approved by the State Art and Architectural Review Board (AARB) in March of 2023 to make way for a new State Courts Building, with the rehabilitated West Tower incorporated as part of the design. In July of 2024 the AARB approved the demolition of the historic West Tower as well, clearing the way for an entirely new State Courts building.

This beautiful 14-story Classical steel tower was designed by Clinton & Russell, a New York firm with a national reputation for constructing early steel skyscrapers. The limestone façade, with its lavishly carved Ionic colonnade with cast iron screen is impressive and contrasts handsomely with the Mutual Building and First & Merchants Bank Building on opposite corners of 9th and Main Streets. All three buildings are listed as contributing structures to the Main Street Banking Historic District, reflecting Richmond’s transformation in the early 20th century into a modern metropolis and banking center.

Historic Richmond, along with Preservation Virginia and Partnership for Smarter Growth, submitted a comment letter to the AARB regarding this project. Historic Richmond also spoke at the meeting on July 12, 2024. Our efforts resulted in the item being moved from the consent agenda to the regular agenda, providing an opportunity for discussion amongst the Board. Although the demolition itself has been approved, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources must sign off on plans to mitigate the loss of this historic resource.

You can read our full comment letter here.

Photo 1: Mathew Oswald
Photo 2: Page 169 from "Architecture in Downtown Richmond," by Robert P. Winthrop with photographs by Richard Cheek, published by Historic Richmond in 1982.