Lamar Building

{{refimprove|date=July 2011}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2022}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}{{Infobox building

| name = Lamar Building

| image = The Lamar Building in Downtown Augusta.jpg

| caption = The Lamar Building on Broad Street in Downtown Augusta.

| location = 753 Broad Street, Augusta, Georgia

| coordinates =

| status =

| start_date =

| completion_date = 1918

| opening =

| building_type = Office

| antenna_spire =

| roof = {{convert|238|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}

| top_floor =

| floor_count = 17

| elevator_count = 3

| cost =

| floor_area =

| architect = I.M. Pei & Partners; G. Lloyd Preacher; William Lee Stoddart

| structural_engineer =

| main_contractor =

| developer =

| owner = Pace Burt

| management =

| website = {{URL|www.thelamarbuilding.com}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Lamar Building

| embed = yes

| nrhp_type =

| image =

| caption = Site of building in U.S. state of Georgia

| location = 753 Broad St., Augusta, Georgia

| coordinates = {{coord|33|28|31|N|81|57|54|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = USA Georgia#USA

| built = 1913

| architect = G. Lloyd Preacher, W.L. Stoddard

| added = April 24, 1979

| area = {{convert|0.35|acre|1}}

| refnum = 79000744{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

}}

}}

The Lamar Building is a 17-story skyscraper in Augusta, Georgia. It was scheduled to be completed in 1916, but the Augusta Fire of 1916 forced crews to demolish the building and restart. It was finally completed in 1918. A penthouse level was added in 1976, designed by I. M. Pei. In July 2011, the architectural critic James Howard Kunstler labeled it his "Eyesore of the Month", saying the addition is reminiscent of a Darth Vader helmet.James Howard Kunstler, [http://www.kunstler.com/eyesore_201107.html Eyesore of the Month] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202121034/http://www.kunstler.com/eyesore_201107.html |date=2011-12-02 }}, July 2011

Pei's addition presaged the glass pyramid he designed for The Louvre in Paris.{{cite web |url=https://www.n-georgia.com/nps-augusta-lamar-bldg.html |title=Lamar Building |accessdate=October 27, 2020}}

The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Fire insurance maps indicate a height of 165' (50 m) to the top of the roof at the 16th floor, just beneath the penthouse addition.

It has been the tallest building in Augusta ever since it was built. The Marion Building stands next to the Lamar Building and has been called its "sister building".{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120729171106/http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&id=lamarbuilding-augusta-ga-usa&lng=3 Lamar Building, Augusta, U.S.A.]}} Emporis.com. Retrieved 2010-08-07

The Lamar Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Restoration efforts

After sitting vacant for many years, the building was sold in June 2021 to Albany, Georgia-based developer Pace Burt.

Burt, who has worked on multiple other historic renovation projects in the Southeast, has released plans for the building to be converted into a high-end, multi-family development with under 70 units. {{Cite web|date=2021-06-06|title=Historical Renovator Purchases Lamar Building|url=https://www.theaugustapress.com/historical-renovator-purchases-lamar-building/|access-date=2021-09-04|website=The Augusta Press|language=en-US}}

References

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