| Address | 100-102 W. Trade St., Charlotte |
|---|---|
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| National Register | ref 78001964, listed 1978-09-18 |
| Research depth | dossier, independently sourced |
What we established, and from where
The Independence Building at 100-102 W. Trade Street was listed on the National Register on 18 September 1978 and demolished in September 1981. NPS records its styles as Beaux Arts and Renaissance, its architects as Frank P. Milburn and William L. Stoddart, and its significant year as 1909.
documented National Park Service (NRHP) / NC State Historic Preservation Office · checked 2026-09-14
The nomination states the Independence Building was the first steel-frame high-rise erected in North Carolina.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-17
Eight architectural firms took part in the final stages of the design competition.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-17
It was the first skyscraper built by the J. A. Jones Construction Company of Charlotte.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-17
A 1927-28 remodelling raised the building to fourteen storeys.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-17
Radio station WBT put its transmitter and studios on the eleventh floor.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-17
At the time of the nomination the building's future was in doubt; it was demolished later.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-17
The primary source
The National Register nomination is the fullest account of this property that exists, written by a researcher and reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office. The nomination (National Park Service).
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