Lyon Building

Third and James, Downtown

From nps.gov:

"The Lyon Building, erected in 1910, was one of the earliest landmarks of the architectural movement away from Romanesque Revival and toward grander "skyscrapers." Though only six stories tall, it helped alter the character of what had previously been a low-lying residential neighborhood. Its financing reflected another trend during this period: its owners obtained construction funds by selling holdings they had acquired in Alaska during the Gold Rush. Made from reinforced concrete and faced with brick, the building features at its top a terra cotta frieze and a classical cornice. For most of its existence, the Lyon Building offered shops at the street level and offices in the five floors above. In the summer of 1997, however, rehabilitation converted its upper stories into much needed housing for people disabled with HIV and AIDS."