he Havana building at 1015 Navarro Street was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style by architect Arthur J. Herrmann and built in 1914 by Edward F. Melcher for use as a residential hotel. Melcher sold the property to Nat Washer in 1926, beginning a 10-year period where the building changed hands frequently but was not kept up until the Jaffe family took it over in 1938. Operating it as a rooming house, Mrs. Jaffe lived there until 1973 when it was again sold and divided into thirty units.

By the early 80s all the tenants had disappeared, and a partnership made plans to convert the building into offices and a restaurant, but it never materialized. In 1986, the Havana was named to the National Register of Historic Places, but by then it was in serious disrepair. The Resolution Trust Corp. took over in 1988. Current owner Theresa Greer purchased the property in 1992 and completely rebuilt, remodeled, renovated, and restored the dilapidated structure. Great attention was made to original detail and each of the twenty-seven rooms was appointed with period furnishings. Thanks to Greer, the 1914 Melcher Building has a new, permanent identity as downtown's premier boutique hotel, The Havana Riverwalk Inn.