Hill Building

{{Short description|Building in North Carolina, United States}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox building

| name = Hill Building

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| image = Durham Main Street.JPG

| caption = Historic View of Hill Building From Parrish Street

| former_name =

| location = 111 Corcoran Street
Durham, North Carolina, US

| coordinates = {{coord|35.996133|-78.901749|region:US-NC|display=inline,title}}

| status =

| start_date = 1935

| completion_date = 1937

| est_completion =

| topped_out =

| opening =

| building_type = office

| antenna_spire =

| roof =

| top_floor = 17

| floor_count =

| elevator_count =

| cost =

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| architect = George Watts Carr of Durham, NC was the Architect; Shreve, Lamb & Harmon of Empire State Bldg. fame were design consultants

| engineer =

| main_contractor =

| developer = Greenfire Development

| owner = Greenfire Real Estate Holdings and 21c Museum Hotels

| management = 21c Museum and Hotels

| references =

}}

The Hill Building is a 17-story modernistic skyscraper located in Durham, North Carolina. Built in 1935–1937, the Hill Building was designed by George Watts Carr.{{citeweb|url=https://ncarchitects.lib.ncsu.edu/buildings/B001501|title= NC State University - NC Architects and Builders}} New York City architecture firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon{{cite web|url=http://nc.asce.org/CE%20Trails/web_pages/hillbldg.htm|title=Hill Building|accessdate=2010-05-12|publisher=American Society of Civil Engineers - North Carolina|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100730112438/http://nc.asce.org/CE%20Trails/web_pages/hillbldg.htm|archive-date=2010-07-30|url-status=dead}} best known for the design of the Empire State Building, acted as consultants.

Named for John Sprunt Hill, and built to house the Durham Bank & Trust Company, the building is outfitted with Art Deco ornamentation, interior fluted doors and an exquisitely crafted letter box. The building is in the heart of downtown Durham, located at the intersection of Main and Corcoran Streets. The Hill building was home to Durham Bank & Trust and its successor, Central Carolina Bank and Trust, from 1937 until its 2005 purchase by SunTrust Banks,{{cite web|url=http://endangereddurham.blogspot.com/2006/10/main-and-corcoran-nw.html|title=Old Post Office/Hill, CCB, SunTrust Building/Main and Corcoran - NW|publisher=Endangered Durham|date=2006-10-06|accessdate=2010-05-12}} which had its local headquarters in the building until 2006.Jack Hagel, "SunTrust Bank sells tower: The deal will double the bank's name in the skyline," News & Observer, July 15, 2006.

Greenfire Real Estate Holdings, which bought the Hill Building in 2006, successfully renovated the building into a 165-room luxury hotel. The city of Durham voted to add $4.2 million after a September 20, 2010 public hearing regarding this plan, and Durham County voted to add $1 million. Greenfire hoped historic tax credits would provide $11 million, and other tax credits would add $4 million.{{cite news|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/10/672882/durham-schedules-hearing-on-hotel.html|title=Durham schedules hearing on hotel|work=News & Observer|date=2010-09-10|accessdate=2010-09-10}}{{cite news|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/21/693773/city-oks-42-million-greenfire.html|title=Durham approves $4.2 million Greenfire deal|work=News & Observer|date=2010-09-21|accessdate=2010-09-21}}{{cite news|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/01/01/892755/top-10-story-lines-to-follow-in.html|title=Top 10 story lines to follow in 2011|work=News & Observer|date=2011-01-01|accessdate=2011-01-01}}

In February 2013, Greenfire formed a joint venture with Kentucky-based hotel operator 21C Museum Hotels. Construction began in late July 2013 and was completed in 2015.

Skanska was in charge of the construction project in partnership with 21c Museum Hotels. The renovation also includes a plan for a contemporary art museum, upscale restaurants, bar and ballroom. The museum is open 24 hours per day and offers free admission. An estimated $48 million was spent to complete the entire renovation for the Hill Building.{{cite web|author=21c Museum Hotels|author-link=21c Museum Hotels|url=http://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/blog/news/21c-begins-renovation-and-restoration-of-downtown-durhams-historic-hill-building/ |title=Downtown Durham NC | Opening 2015 |publisher=21c Museum Hotels |date=June 28, 2013 |accessdate=May 4, 2014| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310061435/http://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/blog/news/21c-begins-renovation-and-restoration-of-downtown-durhams-historic-hill-building/ | archivedate= March 10, 2014 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web | url=https://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/durham/ | title=Hill Building: Museum, Boutique Hotel & Restaurant in Durham, NC | publisher=21c Museum Hotels | accessdate=February 11, 2019}} The hotel itself was inducted into [https://www.historichotels.org/us/ Historic Hotels of America], the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in 2019.{{Cite web |title=Hotel History - 21c Museum Hotel Durham by MGallery |url=https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/21c-museum-hotel-durham-by-mgallery/history.php |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=Historic Hotels of America |language=en}}

File:Hill Building Durham.jpg|Closeup view of Hill Building

File:Hill Building Durham 2.JPG|Hill Building at Corcoran Street

File:Durham NC downtown skyline.jpg|Hill Building in contrast to the Duke Clinical Research Institute, both dominating Durham's skyline

File:Bullfls.jpg|"Durham Bull" Statue In Front of Hill Building

File:Hill Building, Durham, North Carolina.jpg|Hill Building juxtaposed next to One City Center, across the street

File:Hill Building Cornerstone.jpg|Engraving identifying George Watts Carr as the architect of the building.