Hotel Richmond was built in two phases. The original 1904 structure was an eight-story building fronting East Grace Street, designed by Harrison Albright. A 1911 expansion added two stories to the original building and an 11-story wing to the north, designed by John Kevan Peebles. A two-story lobby was constructed between the wings, fronting on North 9th Street.
The building’s masonry is richly textured; differently colored brick, terra cotta and stone accent the windows, horizontal divisions and verticals. See the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for a detailed description. At one time (according to old picture postcards) all but the first two floors were painted white, hiding the masterful masonry.
Hotel Richmond’s location – adjacent to the Virginia State Capitol and a block from Richmond City Hall – made it a natural political meeting place. Later, the hotel became Virginia Democratic Party headquarters. The Commonwealth of Virginia purchased the property in 1966 and converted it to government offices, the Ninth Street Office Building. In 2016 the state renovated the building again and renamed it the Barbara Johns Building. The name honors the black student activist who was part of the Brown v Board of Education case that declared “separate but equal” public schools unconstitutional.
The landmark now houses the Office of the Attorney General.
- Name: Hotel Richmond, Ninth Street Office Building, Barbara Johns Building
- Location: 202 North 9th Street
- Year Completed: 1904, 1911, 1966, 2017
- Architect: Harrison Albright, John Kevan Peebles
- Style: neo-Classicism
- Wikipedia: Hotel Richmond
- Architecture Richmond: The Barbara Johns Building, Commonwealth of Virginia
- Google Map
Gallery: Hover over photos for captions; click to view images in lightbox
All images copyright © Kenneth Grant / photos taken October 2019 with Canon 5D Mark iv