South Carolina > Greenville County > Landmark #173915

Imperial Hotel

Also known as: Hotel Greenville
201 W. Washington St., Greenville, South Carolina

Photo 

Imperial Hotel

Photo taken by Michael Miller in February 2021

Enlarge

Map 

Street View 

Description 

The Imperial Hotel is significant as Greenville’s first skyscraper, illustrating the commercial growth of the city, and as the third example of early high rise architecture in South Carolina. Designed by Greenville architects F.H. and J.G. Cunningham as a seven-story, ninety-room commercial hotel, construction was begun in 1911 by W.M. Jordan of Greenville and completed in 1912. The hotel was constructed during a period of economic prosperity brought to Greenville by an expanding cotton textile industry. The hotel was constructed as a seven-story skyscraper with a buff colored brick veneer over a steel frame. By 1930 it was the largest hotel in Greenville with 250 rooms. The “U” shaped footprint of the building is largely unadorned with the first floor façade featuring elliptical fanlighted windows followed by six floors with six-over-one windows. The building has a flat roof topped by a metal boxed cornice supported by brackets. There are Art Deco influenced decorative moldings applied below each set of brackets. The first floor lobby area has Terrazzo tile floors, marble stairs and baseboards, brass rail detailing and pine paneling. Listed in the National Register September 12, 1985. - SCDAH

National Register information 

Status
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 1985
Reference number
85002167
Architectural styles
American Movement: Chicago; Other architectural type; The Commercial Style
Area of significance
Architecture
Level of significance
Local
Evaluation criteria
C - Design/Construction
Property type
Building
Historic function
Hotel
Current function
Hotel
Period of significance
1900-1924
Significant years
1911; 1912

Tags 

20th Century (29,076)
American Movement (6,254)
Brick (42,462)
Built 1911 (917)
Built during 1910s (8,828)
Chicago (382)
F.H. & J.G. Cunningham (1)
Greenville County, South Carolina (116)
 Greenville MRA (43)
Greenville, South Carolina (41)
Have Street View (46,450)
Hotel (2,690)
Private owner (54,398)
South Carolina (2,160)
W.M. Jordan (1)

Update Log 

  • February 22, 2021: New photo from Michael Miller
  • September 12, 2014: Updated by Michael Miller: Added "Description" & "Street View" and Imported Photo
  • September 12, 2014: Photo imported by Michael Miller

Sources 

Comments 

Post a comment here Contact webmaster