Monticello Hotel (1898-1976)

Kevin Geisert, SMC Research Librarian, May 2024

The Monticello Hotel was a historic building located in an area of downtown Norfolk, Virginia where Town Back Creek once flowed. For three quarters of a century, the hotel towered over East City Hall Avenue, Granby Street, and Monticello Avenue. This building project led to even more urban development in the heart of Norfolk. Addresses for Monticello Hotel included 108 East City Hall Avenue and 212 Granby Street.[1] Local architects J. E. R. Carpenter & John Kevan Peebles teamed up with New York firm Scott, Edelsvard & Fortin on its design.[2] Built in a Romanesque Revival style, the hotel became a major Norfolk landmark that folks admired for many years. President David Lowenberg of the Monticello Realty Company oversaw construction, which took place between 1896-1898.[3] Opening Day was on Tuesday, September 27, 1898 with Sylvanus Stokes listed as proprietor. The hotel remained a visible part of downtown until 1976 when demolition teams razed it to the ground. The Norfolk Federal Building sits on the former Monticello Hotel site. This newer structure has been there since 1979.[4]

Establishing a tourist destination in the area proved to be a boon for Norfolk. This grand hotel topped the list of Tidewater property values when it opened. Its valuation then surpassed $1,000,000 by 1911 when Monticello Realty Company sold the hotel to a syndicate led by Colonel Charles H. Consolvo.[5] Catering to a lavish lifestyle, Monticello Hotel staff greeted affluent guests from all over the nation. Well-known figures, such as Gary Cooper, “Buffalo Bill” Cody, and General Douglas MacArthur stayed there as they visited Norfolk.[6] The seven-story hotel had 250 rooms and many amenities for guests to enjoy. Comfortable furniture, stores, and restaurant area with luxury food provided patrons with special accommodation during their vacation.[7] A catastrophic fire in January 1918 destroyed the edifice, which prompted Norfolk to begin work on a massive rebuilding project. As a result, the public benefited from a much improved Monticello Hotel when it resumed operations. Two extra floors and a larger dining area meant greater capacity to serve more patrons. The new Starlight Room, designed as a ballroom, provided space to have community events and dances. Throughout Prohibition, guests enjoyed using the billiards parlor for recreation as well. Monticello Hotel once again sustained damage when a hurricane came through the area in 1933. This time it was flooding that ravaged downtown Norfolk.[8]

Circa 1950 photograph of the Monticello Hotel at 108 East City Hall Avenue and Granby Street in Norfolk, Virginia. Source: Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection (MSS 0000-187)

Source: Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection (MSS 0000-187)

Tuesday, January 1, 1918, remains one of the most memorable dates in Norfolk history. On that New Year’s Day, Monticello Hotel burst into flames, which consumed the entire building. It happened before four in the morning and took more than a day to bring under control. This crisis lasted until evening on January 2. Responding firefighters had to battle not just the raging inferno but also unusually frigid weather. An extreme cold front caused temperatures in Norfolk to plummet below zero. Reaching a low of -9 degrees, these brutal conditions hampered firefighting efforts. The conflagration originated at nearby Granby Theater, but it soon engulfed Monticello Hotel and other downtown buildings within just a few hours. Three firefighters lost their lives trying to extinguish the blaze and another seventeen sustained injuries. Estimated monetary figures for the damage exceeded a million dollars. Neighboring cities Portsmouth and Suffolk lent assistance during the emergency. Portsmouth offered more manpower and use of their engines while Suffolk Mayor M. E. Stallings rushed an extra pumper in the direction of Norfolk. By afternoon, Norfolk Mayor Windham R. Mayo had placed the city under martial law. Authorities initially believed the fire to be deliberately set by German subversives looking to strike a blow for Kaiser Wilhelm II in World War I. That mayoral declaration gave Marines and other military personnel carte blanche to detain individuals suspected of sympathizing with the German cause. Investigators later released them when sabotage had been ruled out as a contributing factor. When the disastrous episode was all over, Monticello Hotel had been burned to the ground.[9]

Ownership changed hands multiple times during its existence. Aran Corporation purchased the property from Consolvo’s estate in 1947. Shortly afterward, the new owner unloaded it to Texas National Hotel Corporation. Then nearly two decades later, Alex Martone and Claude L. Leach bought the hotel. Finally, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) paid $240,000 for the site in 1975 and planned construction of a Norfolk Federal Building. Suburban development had led to the hotel closing for good in 1970. On the afternoon of Sunday, January 25, 1976, downtown Norfolk forever changed when Monticello Hotel collapsed in a pile of rubble. Residents had expected this sad ending for some time but were now left with just memories to tell future generations. Crowds awaiting the fateful explosion gathered in downtown Norfolk to witness history being made. Following an unexpected delay, Controlled Demolition, Inc. delivered a tremendous blast throughout the building, which caused it to disintegrate within seconds. Nearly half a century later, Monticello Hotel remains an integral part of Norfolk’s past.[10]

Sources:

1. 1941 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 442.;

“Monticello Hotel, 1898,” The Historical Marker Database, accessed March 18, 2024. historical marker database.pdf.

2. John E. Wells and Robert E. Dalton, The Virginia Architects 1835-1955:

A Biographical Dictionary (Richmond, Virginia: New South Architectural Press, 1997), p. 75, 344-345.

3. “Monticello Hotel Changes Hands; Consolvo Heads New Owners," The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), October 6, 1911, p. 1.

4. The Historical Marker Database;

Tony Stein, “’Monticello Minuet’ Danced at Farewell Blast,” Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), January 26, 1976, p. B9;

Jim Raper, "The Monticello Tumbles Into Norfolk’s Past,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia, January 26, 1976, p. A1;

Mark Schliefstein, “Federal Building Exhibits Flaws,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), May 14, 1979, p. C1;

William L. Tazewell, “Monticello Bought by City Syndicate,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), August 15, 1963, p. 10.

5. “Monticello Hotel Sold to Local Syndicate and New Owners Take Charge: C. H. Consolvo President and Hotel Manager,”

The Norfolk Landmark (Norfolk, Virginia), October 6, 1911, p. 1.

6. Jakon Hays and Maureen Watts, “An August Afternoon Stroll to the Monticello Hotel,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), August 24, 2017, Section: Back in the Day, p. 1.

7. “Monticello Hotel, Bill of Fare,” CIA Digital Collections, accessed March 28, 2024.

http://ciadigitalcollections.culinary.edu/digital/collection/p16940coll1/id/10194;

The Norfolk Landmark, p. 1.

8. The Historical Marker Database.

9. George H. Tucker, “What Happened Here?” New Norfolk, March 1969, Volume 3, p. 17-18;

“The Day I Shall Never Forget,” Virginia Record, April 1967, Volume 89, Number 4, p. 10-12, 17.

10. Stein, p. B9;

Raper, p. A1 and A3.

Street Address: 108 East City Hall Avenue and 212 Granby Street

Name (Original): Monticello Hotel

Name (Also Known As): n/a

Architect: Carpenter & Peebles and Scott, Edelsvard & Fortin

Contractor: Monticello Realty Company (David Lowenberg-President)

Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival

Cost (Original): $750,000

Construction Date: 1896-1898

Opening Date: September 27, 1898

Demolition Date: January 25, 1976

GPS: 36.848015, -76.290898

Major Keywords/Search Terms:

Sources:

1) Primary Sources:

1. Books and Pamphlets:

▪ Walker, Carroll. Norfolk: A Tricentennial Pictorial History. Norfolk, Virginia: The Donning Company Publishers, 1981, p. 11, 17, 48-53, 76, 81, 83, 97, 103, 134, 175.

City Directories (Selected):

▪ 1898 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 317.

▪ 1917 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 504.

▪ 1941 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 442.

2. Documents/Collections:

▪ Albert L. Roper Retirement Dinner Stenographer’s Notes, 1924, MSS 2014-016. Sargeant Memorial Collection,

Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Norfolk Hotels Collection, 1870, 1899, undated, MSS 0000-524. “Box 4, Folder 4: Items 2, 4, and 5.”

Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Sargeant Memorial Collection Ephemera Collection, 1682-2016, MSS 0000-NEC. “Box 29, Folder 9.”

Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Will Colonna Correspondence, MSS 0000-339. Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library,

Norfolk, Virginia.

3. Maps/Plats/Surveys:

▪ Sanborn Map Company. “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Norfolk, Independent City, Virginia.” New York:

Sanborn Map Publishing Co., 1898, Sheet 6.

https://digitalsanbornmaps.proquest.com/browse_maps/46/8960/43941/46022/621245?accountid=58398.

▪ Sanborn Map Company. “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Norfolk, Independent City, Virginia.” New York:

Sanborn Map Publishing Co., 1910-1921, Volume 1, Sheet 7.

https://digitalsanbornmaps.proquest.com/browse_maps/46/8960/43943/46024/621349?accountid=58398.

▪ Sanborn Map Company. “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Norfolk, Independent City, Virginia.” New York:

Sanborn Map Publishing Co., 1928, Volume 1, Sheet 8.

https://digitalsanbornmaps.proquest.com/browse_maps/46/8960/43944/46027/621671?accountid=58398.

▪ Sanborn Map Company. “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Norfolk, Independent City, Virginia.” New York:

Sanborn Map Publishing Co., 1928-Aug. 1950, Volume 1, Sheet 8.

https://digitalsanbornmaps.proquest.com/browse_maps/46/8960/43945/46031/622069?accountid=58398.

▪ Sanborn Map Company. “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Norfolk, Independent City, Virginia.” New York:

Sanborn Map Publishing Co., 1970, Volume 1, Sheet 8.

https://cdm15987.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/NorfSnbn1970/id/8/rec/2.

4. Newspapers/Magazines/Journals (Selected):

1911

▪ “Monticello Hotel Sold to Local Syndicate and New Owners Take Charge: C. H. Consolvo President and Hotel Manager.”

The Norfolk Landmark (Norfolk, Virginia), October 6, 1911, p. 1 and 7.

▪ “Monticello Hotel Changes Hands; Consolvo Head New Owners: Consolvo Will Be the New Manager.”

The Virginian-Pilot

(Norfolk, Virginia), October 6, 1911, p. 1, 9.

1919

▪ “Monticello in Norfolk, a Beautiful and Stately Hostelry.” New York Hotel Review (Broadway, New York),

Gehring Publishing Company, March 29, 1919, vol. xiii, sec. 2, p. 1-56.

1948

▪ “Monticello Hotel Brings $1,500, 000; Buyer Seeks Jefferson in Richmond.”

The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), August 6, 1948, p. 28.

1963

▪ “Norfolk Group Buys Monticello Hotel.” Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), August 14, 1963, p. 1.

▪ Tazewell, William L. ”Monticello Bought by City Syndicate.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), August 15, 1963,

p. 1.

▪ Sullivan, Frank. “Monticello’s Renewal in Pace With ‘New Look’ Downtown.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia),

September 3, 1963, p. 24.

1965

▪ “Lofty Tower Planned for Monticello Hotel.” New Norfolk, January 1965, Volume 3, Number 1, p. 17 and 22.

1967

▪ “The Day I Shall Never Forget.” Virginia Record, April 1967, Volume 89, Number 4, p. 10-12, 17.

1969

▪ Tucker, George H. “What Happened Here?” New Norfolk, March 1969, Volume 3, p. 17-18.

1970

▪ Bobbitt, Joseph R., Sr. “Hotel Closing Wednesday, 1 ‘Reopening.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), August 25, 1970, p. B1.

1975

▪ Hubbard, Clifford. “Norfolk Hotel Bought: $240,000 Paid for Monticello.”

The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), June 4, 1975, p. B1.

1976

▪ Stein, Tony. “‘Monticello Minuet’ Danced at Farewell Blast." Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), January 26, 1976, p. B9.

▪ Raper, Jim. “The Monticello Tumbles Into Norfolk’s Past.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), January 26, 1976,

p. A1 and A3.

1979

▪ Schleifstein, Mark. “Federal Building Exhibits Flaws.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), May 14, 1979, p. C1.

5. Photographs/Images:

▪ David Pender Grocery Company Collection, 1928-1955, undated, MSS 0000-620. “Photograph of Nine Men at Monticello Hotel, Including Tommy Thompson and Jack Dempsey.” Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library,

Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Jim Bradshaw Norfolk Memorabilia Collection, 1851-2000, MSS 2015-019. “Postcards of Monticello Hotel.”

Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Keith and Pam Atkins Norfolk Ephemera Collection, circa 1940s-1960s, MSS 2017-027-i. “Photograph of Man and Woman at Monticello Hotel.” Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Norfolk and Redevelopment and Housing Authority Photograph Collection, RG 06/0000-01.

“Series 2, Item 1, 28, 146, and 1028.

▪ Richard A. Old Papers, 1913-1937, MSS 0000-034. “Photographs of Monticello Hotel Fire.”

Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Sargeant Memorial Collection Postcard Collection, circa 1900-1980, MSS 0000-PCC. Sargeant Memorial Collection,

Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

1) Secondary Sources:

1. Books and Pamphlets:

▪ Haile McPhillips, Peggy. Historic Photos of Norfolk. Nashville, Tennessee: Turner Publishing Company, 2008, p. 75.

▪ Parramore, Thomas C., Peter C. Stewart and Tommy L. Bogger. Norfolk: The First Four Centuries. Charlottesville, Virginia: University Press of Virginia, 1994, p. 265.

▪ Shank, Joseph E. Shank’s Raw Materials: Volume III, 1890-1899, 1069, 1088.

▪ Shank, Joseph E. Shank’s Raw Materials: Volume IV, 1899-1906, p. 1443.

▪ Shank, Joseph E. Shank’s Raw Materials: Volume V, 1906-1919, p. 1612, 1684, 1777, 1870.

▪ Shank, Joseph E. Shank’s Raw Materials: Volume VI, 1919-1931, p. 1896.

▪ Shank, Joseph E. Shank’s Raw Materials: Volume VII, 1931-1965, p. 2304, 2551.

▪ Walker, Carroll. Norfolk: A Tricentennial Pictorial History. Norfolk, Virginia: The Donning Company Publishers, 1981,

p. 11, 17, 48-53, 76, 81, 83, 97, 103, 134, 175.

▪ Wells, John E. and Robert E. Dalton. The Virginia Architects 1835-1955: A Biographical Dictionary. Richmond, Virginia:
New South Architectural Press, 1997, p. 75 and 344-345.

▪ Yarsinske, Amy Waters. Lost Norfolk. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2009, p. 22-23.

▪ Yarsinske, Amy Waters. Norfolk Through Time. Arcadia Publishing, 2015, p. 28.

2. Documents/Collections:

▪ Folder: “Norfolk, VA Buildings-Hotels and Motels-Monticello Hotel.” Norfolk Clippings Files, MSS 0000-NCF,

Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

▪ Sargeant Memorial Collection Card Catalog. Legacy Subject: “Hotels. Monticello Hotel.”

▪ The Virginian-Pilot Index Cards, MSS 2020-005. Subject: 1947-1980: “Monticello Hotel.”

▪ The Virginian-Pilot Index Cards, MSS 2020-005. Subject: 1981-1988: “Monticello Hotel.”

3. Newspapers/Magazines/Journals (Selected):

2017

▪ Hays, Jakon and Maureen Watts. “An August Afternoon Stroll to the Monticello Hotel.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia),

August 24, 2017, Section: Back in the Day, p. 1.

4. Websites:

▪ Forest Lawn Cemetery. “David Lowenberg.” Accessed March 18, 2024.

https://www.historicforrest.com/HSites/NorfolkVA/forestLawnCemetery/davidLowenberg.html.

▪ The Historical Marker Database. “Monticello Hotel, 1898." Accessed March 18, 2024.

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=48238.

▪ CIA Digital Collections. “Monticello Hotel, Bill of Fare." Accessed March 28, 2024.

http://ciadigitalcollections.culinary.edu/digital/collection/p16940coll1/id/10194.

▪ Wikipedia. “The Monticello Hotel.” Accessed March 18, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monticello_Hotel.