Now a condominium, the Hotel Monticello was one of Charlottesville's entries in the skyscraper-building mania of the age, and at twelve stories it dominated the city's skyline when it was completed. On the roof was what was reputed to be the world's largest skylight. The hotel's red brick exterior skin, limestone base, and white-painted wood trim paid homage to its namesake on the nearby hilltop. Intended as a luxury hotel, it had a particularly impressive lobby, and some of that original glamour can still be spied through the doors. A regionally prominent architect based in nearby Lynchburg, Johnson was a versatile designer who worked in a variety of styles from Colonial Revival to Art Deco. He designed a number of important commissions in the Charlottesville area.
