Nomination for Gleason Building

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

FHR-8-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries - complete applicable sections 1. Name For HCRS use only received MAR 18 1982/ date entered APR 1 5 1982 historic Gleason Building and/or common same 2. Location street & number 349A351 Essex Steet N/A not for publication city, town Lawrence N/A vicinity of congressional district 5th state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership district public x building(s) X private .

structure both site Public Acquisition object in process being considered code 025 county Essex code 009 Status X occupied - unoccupied work in progress Accessible X - yes: restricted yes: unrestricted _ no Present Use agriculture X commercial educational entertainment government industrial military museum park private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Mr. Vincent Landers street & number 30 Schoo1 Street city, town No. Andover N/Avicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description 01845 state MA courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Essex County Registry of Deeds street & number 381 Common Street city, town Lawrence 6. Representation in Existing Surveys state Massachusetts title Inventory of the Historic Assets of has this property been determined elegible? the Commonwealth date 1979 federal x -state yes _no .

county .local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town Boston, state Massachusetts 7. Description Condition _ excellent X good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered X altered Check one x original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Gleason Building is a six story brick commercial structure located in downtown Lawrence on the north side of Essex Street, the main commercial thoroughfare, on the block between Lawrence and Amesbury Streets. Constructed in 1890, the handsome Victorian Romanesque style Gleason Building was designed by Arthur F. Gray, a Lawrence architect whose work in the same city includes the Merchants Bank, now a part of the Downtown Lawrence National Register Historic District. The Gleason Building, rectangular in plan, has a frontage of 40 feet on Essex Street and extends 90 feet back to an alleyway. The property is butted on the east by a two story commercial structure and on the west by a one story commercial structure. While the rear and side walls are of red brick, the Essex Street facade is of yellow brick trimmed with brownstone.

The original appearance of the facade has not been altered except at the ground level. Originally the first floor front was flush with the upper stories. On the west side of the facade, an entrance led into the main hallway. The rest of the front was composed of two large display windows with a store entrance between them. Iron pilasters separated the hall entrance, the windows and the store entrance. An iron lintel above the ground floor set it apart from the upper floors. The position of the two entrances has not changed, but in recent years the display windows have been extended forward. New siding has been installed around the side entrance concealing the iron pilasters. Most of the iron lintel has also been hidden by the new siding and by a large sign that extends above the store front. The composition of the unaltered upper 5 stories of the facade is symmetrical.

Pilasters and rounded arches provide vertical emphasis, while stringcourses and lintels denote horizontal divisions. The second and third floors are divided ver- tically into two equal bays by three brick pilasters with carved brownstone bases and capitals. At each of these floors, the two bays each contain a group of four closely spaced elongated windows. Each group of four is further broken down into two groups by a slender iron colonnette. Above the third floor windows is an iron lintel bearing the inscription "Gleason Building" on it. The fourth floor is also divided into two equal bays by two large carved brownstone arches that spring from the pilaster capitals above the third floor. Under each arch are four windows aligned with those of the second and third floor. A stone stringcourse above the fourth floor clearly separates the lower stories from the upper two.

The fifth and sixth floor facade is divided vertically into four equal bays by five brick pilasters with brownstone bases and capitals. The end and center pilasters are aligned with those of the lower floors and are wider than the two intermediate FHR-8-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form For HORS ueMAR 18 1982' received MAR 11-R 159882 date entered Continuation sheet Item number 7 Page pilasters. Within each of the four bays on each floor are two closely spaced windows. Iron lintels with a stone stringcourse above them spearate the fifth from the sixth floor windows. Above each sixth story window is a carved brownstone arch. An intricate cornice crowns the facade and rises up slightly higher than the flat roof which covers the building.

On March 22, 1897, a serious fire completely gutted the inside of the Gleason Building and except for the facade, the entire structure had to be rebuilt, including side and rear walls. The plain, red brick rear wall facing the alley contains rows of five double hung windows with shallow arched heads in the upper five stories. At the ground level, the original win- dows have been bricked in and replaced with five smaller ones. In addition, there is an en- trance. Originally multi-story structures abutted the Gleason Building on both sides. In recent years, these adjoining structures have been reduced to one and two stories, leaving the blank brick side walls of the front half of the Gleason Building exposed. The originally exposed portion of the west side wall contains rows of double hung windows with shallow arched heads, identical to those of the rear wall facing the alley.

At the middle of the east side wall is a slightly recessed section containing rows of double hung windows with stone sills and lintels. The rest of the wall is blank.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Period - prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 _ 1800-1899 1900- Areas of Significance-Check and justify below - archeology-prehistoric community planning - archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics xarchitecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention landscape architecture law literature military music philosophy politics/government religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1890 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Arthur F. Gray The Gleason Building possesses integrity of location, design, and materials, and as a major local example of Romanesque commercial architecture, meets criterion C. It is especially significant as one of the few important buildings outside of the Downtown Lawrence Historic District. The Gleason Building was constructed in 1890 by William Oswald, ore of the foremost dry goods merchants in the City. For years he operated the Boston Store at the corner of Essex and Appleton Streets and had branch stores in Lowell, Massachusetts and in Lewiston, Maine. Mr. Oswald was also the founder and director of the Merchants National Bank. At the time it was constructed, the six story Gleason Buidling stood as the largest of its kind in the city. Above the store on the ground floor were forty-four rooms for offices.

The top floor was built expressly as a photographer's studio, and had a large skylight to light the interior. The Gleason Building was also noteworthy at the time of its construction for boasting the first hydraulic elevator in the city. Other "modern improvements" included in the design were steam heat, electric lights and speaking tubes. The Gleason Building was orginally praised not only for its innovative systems, but alio fon, thhe fase o the bunce of its be of a unique aid nof it sign, dition vastly from any building in the city"l and "The plans provide for a structure which will eclipse all others in the city and perhaps open a new era in the building history of Lawrence."2 The expanse of glass created by the bands of windows, and the bold Romanesque arches were features introduced with the Gleason Building and set it apart from other commercial structures on Essex Street.

Other taller commercial buildings soon followed the construction of the Gleason Building. However, it remained one of the finest of the few Romanesque style commercial structures built in Lawrence. As time goes by and many of the nineteenth century commercial build- ings that once lined Essex Street are demolished, its significance increases. Today, surrounded by twentieth century structures, the Gleason Building stands as a major representative of Lawrence's nineteenth century commercial development. 1. "Handsome Building", Lawrence-American, May 16, 1890. 2. "Oswald's New Block", Lawrence-American, March 24, 1890.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References Lawrence Up-to-Date 1845-95, Lawrence, Mass; Rushforth & Donoghue, 1895. Lawrence-American newspaper. March 24, 1890 and May 16, 1890. 10. Geographical Data ACREAGE NOT VERFIED Acreage of nominated property less than 1 acre (3600 sq.ft.) Quadrangle name Lawrence Quadrangle scale - 1:24000 UMT References *Lual L3l2128161d UTM NOT VERIFIED 417/310L41010 LuL LILL Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing DLIJ EL G Verbal boundary description and justification The property is bounded to the north 40 ft. by an alleyway, to the east 90 ft. by an abutting commercial building, to the south 40 ft. by Essex Street, and to the west 90 ft. by an abutting commercial structure. Also refer to the attached map. List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state A code county code state code county code 11.

Form Prepared By name/title Candace Jenkins,RegistrationDirectorwith Lawrence CommunityDevelopment Office. organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date November 1980 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston, state Massachusetts 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _ national state local As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature Patuua LWeslowski Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission date 2/25/82 For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Entered in the ye National Register date 4//15/82 Keeper of the National Register Attest: Chief of Registration date GPO 938 835 Ane OTFa 33D3 50 (33) "N'E" MAYI956 (5) TH 3328 322 32) 320 COMMON -- --Y 2N2 V _N. REST - 33C AMESBURY ,7-++_ 27 BST ONLY MEL 8"WP 10'W P (MS) T.H. 2 26' !! 7.H0 OPP 2 A5 \ 20 ESSEK 310 BANK =231 28 ONLY 335. 12° BR. WALL DÓ HIGH T' WIRE FENCE os COMMeN / 19 MERRI EL 16 TRANSF. YHNU SL Nc TILE E STE '7' * "2ND. Gleason Building Lawrence, MA Sanborn Map 1" = 50° 1964 - IR POSTS 2 .E3 NANN NN oseit stfrei 343 341-3900337 335-33-33/ 329-27-32505323 Oopp ESSEX 33D TMETHUEN 28 OT.H B"H. MUNITY LAWRENCE 34 FILLG. $TA.

12 10 0) 60 8IV.Px12WA SdN NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Department of the Interior National Park Service EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Property: Gleason Bujlding State, County: MA, ESey Federal Agency: Working No.3-18.82.811 Fed. Reg. Date: Date Due:41582 5-2-82 resubmission Entered An Yon: Y ACCEPT- 415-182 nomination by person or local governmentNational Register - RETURN - REJECT- owner objection photos appeal maps Substantive Review: - sample - request - appeal - NR decision Reviewer's comments: Recom. /Criteria - Reviewer _ Discipline. Date- _ see continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: - technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location x3. Classification category Ownership X Public Acquleltion 4. Owner of Property Status Aecessible Present Use 5. Location of Legal Description 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys has thie property been determined eligibte? 10 7. Description Condition excelient good tair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one - unaltered _ altered recribe the proeent and eriginal (il known) phyeical ap summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Check one - original site moved date sarence 8. Significance Porled Aroas ef SignificanceChook and justity beler poolfie detes Satement of Signifleaneo (in ene peragraph Bullder Architeet summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10.

Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property - Quedrangle neme - UMT Reterences Vorbel boundery deecription and justitication 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated eignificance of this property within the state is: national _. state Duute Hietoric Preservation Officer aigneture 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to - Signed Date - Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments for any Item may be continued on an attached sheet GLEASON BUILDING *FIVE *STAR STATIONERY OFFICE CENTRY Gleason Building Lawrence, MA. Christine Pfaff November 1979 Lawrence Community Development Eept, Photo # 1 oi 3 View of facade and west wall from Essex St. Walll Gleason Building Ulew of facade and w street F2 Gleason Bi Gleason Building Lawrence, MA Christine Pfeff November 1979 Lawrence Community Development Dept.

Photo # 2 of 3 View of north or rear wall and west wall taken from Common Street viewo of rea wall #3 Gleason Bu Gleason Building Lawrence, MA Christine Pfaff November 1979 Lawrence Community Development Dept. Photo # 3 of 3 Detail of facade Detail of ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APRIL 15, 1982 Name Gleason Building Kimball, C. Henry, House Stacy, George O., House Location Lawrence Essex County Chelsea Suffolk County Gloucester Essex County Notified Honorable James M. Shannon Honorable Nicholas Mavroules Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Paul E. Tsongas Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, NPS North Atlantic Regional Office, NPS State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L.

Weslowski Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 For further information, please call the National Register at (202) 272-3504