Category Archives: Commercial

Trustees’ Office and Store, Hancock Shaker Village (1813)

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Daniel

Trustees' Office and Store

In 1813, the Shakers of Hancock constructed a building, the Trustees’ Office, in which to conduct business and accommodate visitors from what they referred to as “The World.” Part of Hancock Shaker Village, it is located just across the border from Hancock in Pittsfield (the town line passes through the eastern end of the village). In 1852 the Shakers more than doubled the size of the original building by extending it to the south. It was also reoriented to face west. A kitchen ell was added in 1876, which joined the Office to a woodshed to the east. The entire structure was completely altered in an eclectic Victorian style in 1895. There was also a gift shop/fancy goods store in the building. The Office was home to the Trustee and Central Ministry Eldress Mary Frances Hall (b. 1876) until her death in 1957. (more…)

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Posted in Commercial, Organizations, Pittsfield, Victorian Eclectic | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Dewey Block, Northampton (1912)

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Daniel

Dewey Block

Born in Ireland and coming to America as a child, John T. Dewey became a businessman in Northampton. He built the commercial block at 24-36 Pleasant Street in about 1912. It is a Romanesque Revival building that features brick, cast iron and stone arches. Taking advantage of an alleyway on the north, the facade of the Dewey Block extends around the northwest corner.

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Old South Building (1903)

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Daniel

Old South Building

Adjacent to the Old South Meeting House (Church) in Boston, and surrounding it on the north and east, is the Old South Building, constructed as an office rental property by the church in 1903. Designed by Arthur Bowditch, it is located on the site of Gov. John Winthrop‘s second house, where he died in 1649. The house was used as the parsonage house of Old South, until it was demolished by the British during the Revolutionary War for firewood during the siege of Boston. The current building‘s address is 294 Washington Street and 10 Milk Street. The three postcards in this image (see link) show the area before the building was constructed (left) and after (center and right).

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Posted in Boston, Commercial, Neoclassical | Leave a comment

79 Broad Street, Westfield (1820)

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Daniel

The origins of the building at 79 Broad Street in Westfield are uncertain and complicated by the fact that the house has been completely altered inside. It was built between 1810 and 1830 and is said to have been a blacksmith shop. It was later converted into a residence and is now used as offices. The building is transitional in style from the Federal to the Greek Revival and has an addition and a projecting pediment and brackets that were added in the later nineteenth century. The front doorway was added in the late 1970s.

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Posted in Commercial, Federal, Houses, Westfield | Leave a comment

Burnside Building (1880)

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Daniel

At 339 Main Street in downtown Worcester is the Burnside Building, built in 1880. The structure is a five-story brick commercial building designed by the architects Bradlee, Winslow and Wetherell of Boston and built by the Norcoss Brothers in an eclectic Romanesque style with sandstone trim. The building replaced an earlier commercial block on the site and was erected by the heirs of lawyer Samuel Burnside. His daughter Harriet Burnside also left money for the construction of Burnside Fountain in Worcester.

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Posted in Commercial, Renaissance Revival, Worcester | Leave a comment

Clovis Robert Block (1888)

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Daniel

The Clovis Robert Block, at 338-348 Main Street in Holyoke, is a stylistically Eclectic Victorian commercial structure, with apartment space on the upper floors, completed in 1888. The the building‘s front facade has a distinctive Queen Anne-style three-story projecting central bay made of copper. It was constructed during a period when many French-Canadians were immigrating to Holyoke and seeking housing. Main Street was being extensively developed at the time. The Clovis Robert Block, designed by G.P.B. Alderman, was constructed originally in 1881 and expanded in 1888. It was built by Clovis Robert, a French-Canadian, who came to Holyoke in 1872. He worked as a blacksmith and became wealthy in the real estate business, encouraging other French-Canadians to save their money and do the same.

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Posted in Commercial, Holyoke, Italianate, Queen Anne | Leave a comment

Phoenix Building, Holyoke (1910)

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Daniel

The large commercial building at 592-604 Dwight Street and 221-233 Maple Street in Holyoke was built in 1910 for the Phoenix Realty Company. Designed by Lucius L. Bridge, the Phoenix Building was constructed of steel and reinforced concrete to make the structure fireproof.

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Posted in Commercial, Holyoke, Renaissance Revival | Leave a comment