Must-See RVA! — Railway & Power Building

AKA Old Vepco Building
702 East Franklin Street
Built, 1913
Architect, Alfred C. Bossom

A very fine early high-rise, the Vepco building uses Adam details, with handsome and elegant Palladian windows on the upper floors. The use of the delicate Classical elements on a skyscraper is unusual but architecturally effective.

Not surprisingly, electricity was made into an important element of the design. The lower level cornice is crowned with garlanded lanterns. The top of the building was roof garden surrounded by large lanterns. The building originally must have presented a rather festive appearance when it was fully illuminated.

Roof gardens were popular elements at the turn of the century in Richmond. The Hotel Richmond, the Jefferson Hotel and at least one private house also supported roof gardens. Modern air pollution and rooftop air conditioning units seem to have done away with roof gardens in Richmond. [ADR]

Today, the building is called the Edison, and has been converted into downtown apartments. The Virginia Electric and Power Building letters, long gone.

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