Montgomery Building (Spartanburg, South Carolina) facts for kids
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Montgomery Building
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Montgomery Building in 2020
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 187 N. Church St., Spartanburg, South Carolina |
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| Area | 1.55 acres (0.63 ha) |
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | Lockwood, Greene & Co. |
| Architectural style | Chicago School |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000760 100002126 (decrease) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 25, 2011 |
| Boundary decrease | February 21, 2018 |
The Montgomery Building is a famous and historic building located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It was built in 1924 and stands ten stories tall. For many years, it was the tallest building in Spartanburg.
This important building is made of a steel frame covered with special concrete panels. When it first opened, it held offices for textile companies and cotton traders. It also had a theater and even a radio and television station. The Montgomery Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as a special part of history.
In 2016, a plan was announced to give the building a big makeover. This $29 million project aimed to turn it into a place with apartments, offices, and shops. The renovation started in 2017 and was finished in December 2018, bringing this historic landmark back to life.
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Building History
The Montgomery Building was completed in 1924. It was designed by the company Lockwood, Greene & Co. The building's style is known as Chicago School architecture. This style often features tall, steel-framed buildings with simple, strong designs.
For decades, the Montgomery Building was a busy center in Spartanburg. It housed many different businesses. Textile companies, which are important in South Carolina's history, had their offices here. Cotton brokers, who bought and sold cotton, also worked in the building. It was a hub of activity for the city.
The Carolina Theatre's Story
A large theater was built right next to the Montgomery Building. It was first called the Montgomery Theatre. This theater was huge, with seats on the main floor and two balconies. It could hold 1,300 people! It was the biggest theater in Spartanburg.
The Montgomery Theatre hosted many different kinds of shows. People could watch touring musicals, plays, and vaudeville acts. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with many short acts, like comedy, music, and dance.
In 1932, a new company took over the theater. They renamed it the Carolina Theatre. They also added a bright, eye-catching sign outside. The Carolina Theatre started showing movies in addition to live shows. It quickly became the top movie theater in the city.
A very famous event happened in 1956. Even though it was mostly a movie theater by then, the Carolina Theatre hosted a live performance by Elvis Presley. Over the years, the theater was updated several times. A renovation in 1970 removed or covered many of its original beautiful details. Soon after, the Carolina Theatre closed. People started going to newer movie theaters in the suburbs instead.
Modern Renovation Project
In 2016, two developers from Charleston, James Bakker and Tom Finnegan, announced a big plan. They wanted to spend $29 million to renovate the Montgomery Building. They bought the building in February 2017.
Their plan was to make it a "mixed-use" building. This means it would have different types of spaces. The ground floor would have shops and restaurants. The second and third floors would be for offices. The top seven floors would have 63 apartments. The basement would include a fitness center and storage for residents, plus more office space.
This renovation was very special because of the building's outside panels. The Montgomery Building had thousands of precast concrete panels on its exterior. Over time, these original panels started to break down. This was because of the old concrete mix and how they were made.
To fix this, molds were made from the original panels. Artists carefully improved these molds to capture all the tiny details. Then, new panels were created using these molds. The new panels looked exactly like the old ones but were made with modern, stronger materials. This helped keep the building's historic look.
The renovation work on the ten-story building began in early 2017. The entire project was completed in December 2018. The Montgomery Building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
It's important to know that the Carolina Theatre was not part of this 2018 renovation. However, the same developers plan to restore the theater in the future. They will ask for ideas from the local community to decide how the theater will be used next.
Awards and Recognition
The renovation of the Montgomery Building has received many awards. These awards celebrate the careful work done to preserve and update the historic building. Some of the awards include:
- The 2020 Gignilliat Preservation Award from the Spartanburg County Historical Association.
- The 2021 Palladio Award for Commercial Adaptive Reuse from Traditional Building Magazine.
- The 2021 Preservation Honor Award from Preservation South Carolina, SCDAH, and the Office of the Governor.
