Nomination for Lynn Realty Company Building No. 2

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (3-82) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park 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 NPS use only received MAR 2 1983 date entered historic Lynn Realty Company Building #2 and/or common Harbor Loft I 2. Location street & number 672-680 Washington Street N/A not for publication city, town Lynn N/Avicinity of state Massachusetts 3. Classification code 025 county Essex code 009 Category _district X building(s) _ structure .site . object Ownership public X private both Public Acquisition in brocess N/Abeing considerec Status occupied unoccupied work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted yes: unrestricted .

no Present Use _ agriculture commercial educational entertainment government industrial military museum park private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Lynn street & number 598 Essex Street city, town Lynn N/A vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts 01901 courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Essex County Registry of Deeds street & number 32 Federal Street city, town Salem state MA 01970 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth #427 has this property been determined eligible? yes y no date May, 1977 federal X state _county - _ local Massachusetts Historical Commission depository for survey records 294 Washington Street city, town Bos ton state MA 7. Description Lym Realty Co.

Building #2; 672-680 Washington Street, Lynn Condition X excellent - good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered X altered Check one X original site moved date NA Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Lynn Realty Company Building #2 is located on the northwest corner of Farrar and Washington Streets within the boundaries of the former Broad Street National Register District. To the south it is bounded by a parking lot, and to the east by a small 20th century building. Built in 1902, the large utilitarian structure is one of the few former shoe factories to survive a major fire in the fall of 1981. The eight story, freestanding building isroughly rectangular plan and is constructed of red brick with buff brick trim. Its simple design elements consist of pilasters which rise the full height of the building, dividing it into paired window bays. Paired windows, which are set in segmental arched openings, contain replacement sash resulting from a certified re- habilitation. The building is finished by a slightlyprojecting brick and metal cornice.

The northern elevation is seventeen bays long with bays on all stories, each bay contain- ing a pair of windows. Windows and bays are located directly above one another on each story. The eastern elevation is four bays long with bays on all stories, each bay containing:a pair of windows. Once again, the bays are located directly above one another on each story. The southern elevation mirrors the northern one, but a glassed in porch/entrance has been added on the first story (1980). There is also a brick chimney on this side. The western elevation , the location of the original entry, is three bays long with bays on all stories, each bay containing a pair of windows. original entry was altered in the mid-20th centuries and has now been bricked over (1980). inrir - kr 8.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Lynn Realty Company Building #2, 672-680 Washington Street, Lynn Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1899 X1900 Areas of Significance - Check and justify below archeology-prehistoric community planning archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement. communications X - industry _ invention landscape architecture _ - religion law literature military music philosophy politics/government science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation X other (specify) Community Development Specific dates 1902 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Henry W. Rogers Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) The Lynn Realty Company Building #2 possesses integrity of location, design, materials, and setting as well as historical association with Lynn's industrial era. As one of a handful of extant downtown buildings representing the city's major industry, the building meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. Built às Building #2 of the Lynn Realty Company, this factory was planned during the construction of Building #1 (190 Broad Street; now gone) with which it shared steam and electric plants. The building was designed by Henry Rogers. Ground was broken in March of 1902 for the building, which the Lynn Business Magazine predicted "will be the: largest and best appointed (factory) in Lynn and one of the best in the county".

Although equipped with steam power as a back-up, it was the first factory in Lynn to be operated by electricity. The factory was completed in October of 1902 and by December was entirely rented. Among the first tenants was the firm of Young, Sampson and Hollis counter manufacturers. . Unlike Building #1, no effort was made to decorate the building's exterior, except for the use of yellow and gray bricks in the window arches. Its severe design seems to have established a precedent which was followed in subsequent factories in the area (such as the Vamp Building at Liberty Square and #264, 278, 282 Broad Street). The large scale and utilitarian design of the Lynn Realty Company Building #2 typifies that of many other shoe factories built in the Broad Street area in the early 20th century.

After the opening of the Eastern Railroad through Central Square in 1838, Lynn's central business district, including the Broad Street District, outstripped other village centers in the city and emerged as the leading manufacturing and com- mercial center by the 1850's. The area's position was strengthened by the enormous growth of shoe manufacturing during the Civil War and the 1870's. By the 1880's, uncontrolled growth of the central business district had led to its dense development with wood-frame buildings and relatively few brick blocks, so that when a fire broke out at the corner of Blake and Willow Streets on November 26, 1889, it spread quickly, destroying 338 structures in an area of 30 acres. Among the occupants of the destroyed buildings were 162 shoemaking and leather firms with a total employment of more than 7,000 people.

Within the Broad Street District, the fire destroyed all buildings and was halted on the northeast by the dynamiting of wood-frame buildings on the site of 168-172 Broad Street (#1). On the south, the fire was stopped by the waterfront and on the southwest by firefighting equipment at the Central Fire Station (demolished) on Liberty Square. Plans for the rebuilding of the whole area reportedly began before the ashes had cooled (Lynn City Item) and were marked by a strong sense of community pride, fostered in part by the Item which illustrated more than 48 building plans between March 1890 and October 1892. Coming at a time of prosperity for local industry, the fire offered the opportunity to modernize factories and to re-organize land use within the central business district.

In the rebuilding, commercial interests became consolidated around Central Square and Exchange Streets, while two manufacturing districts emerged, a small area around. Almont and Mulberry Streets (altered) and a larger area around Broad Street. For the most part, new buildings were of brick mill construction and were built free- 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Lynn Scrapbooks, (unpublished), Volume 67, P. 80 and 86. Lynn Business Magazine, Volume I, Number 4, March 1902, Page 197; Volume 11, Number 2 September 1902, Page 70; Volume II, Nubmer 3, December 1902, Page 132. 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property 25,733 Square Feet Quadrangle name Lynn Quadrangle scale - 1:25,000 UT M References A 1,9 134,91,0,9 14.710,217,0,9 Zone Easting Northing LPULLtLu Easting Northing CLULILI -LULILIULILILA ELJLLILIL F GLULLILLLILILII LILLL LILLLILILLLI Verbal boundary description and justification nominated property includes only the lot on which the building stands; this lot is identified on Lynn Assessors Map 18 (scale I'=80!) as parcel #31 of Block #590. List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state N/A code county code state code county code 11.

Form Prepared By name/title Candace Jenkins, Registration Director with Carolyn J. Law, Planner organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date street & number 294 Washington Street January, 1983 617 727-8470 Boston MA city or town state 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 accordingto thee criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature alun LVeslonski title State Historic Preservation Officer, Massachusetts Historidate For NPS use only Commission I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register lores Entered in tha Keeper of the National Register Netional Regtsten date 2/2//83 3/31/83 Attest: Chief of Registration date NPS Form 10-900-8 (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form OMB: No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 Far NPS uaa anly Tecaived date entered Continuation sheet Lynn Realty Co. Building Itemnumber 8 12, 972 080 Washington Street Page 1 Lynn, MA standing, surrounded by 20'-30' wide alleys. Most buildings were equipped with metal fire shutters, interior fire walls, fire alarms and water sprinklers.

Local architects, such as Henry Rogers and Wheeler & Northend, were important to the rebuilding designing nearly all of the area's simple Romanesque Revival and Panel Brick style factory facades. After an initial burst of activity between 1890 and 1893, construction in the Broad Street Area : Slowed until the beginning of the 20th century when the rapid expansion of the shoe industry led tothe construction of large rental factories by the Lynn Realty Company. Formed by local businessmen, including local builder and real estate speculator, Edward Strout, the Lynn Realty Company leased industrial space under agreements by which excess rental income (above fixed costs) was refunded to tenants. in t t company built the tirst of its major factories, designed by Henry Rogers, at 190 Broad Street.

Built together with a boiler plant which could provide power for three buildings of its size, 190 Broad was quickly occupied by shoe-counter manufacturers, whose demand for space outgrew the building within one year of its completion. The construction of Lynn Realty's Building #2 followed Building #1 within a year; Architectural elements of the Romanesque Revival style which had been evident in Building #1 were abandoned in Building #2 in favor of a more utilitarian exterior which was used in all subsequent Lynn Realty Company buildings. A certified rehabilitation, following the Secretary of the Interior's standards, has recently been completed, converting the former industrial building to apartments. Lynn Realty Co. Building #2 672-680 Washington Street Lynn, Massachusetts BKUMU 218-212 210-206 132 666 53.09 1,87l 95 592 7380 0-B IN 394l 66.32 L.C. L.C.

11,714 183.61 66.97 41 590 23- Lynn Realty Co. Building #2 CARROLL ST. Lynn Assessors' Map #18 1" = 80' Lynn realty co. Büilding #2 UI 179.09 L.C. 10. 2970 8470 10 12,536 55.05 37 33 36-34 84.54 36 27 65.95 23 FARRAR 30 -26 H1.I 53.15 ( 253 29 46,9 253.96 18 ST. 14-12 52.30 34. 4904 46.05 I- LOT- LOT-I-IA-18 LOT- LOT 2 18 49.15 4717 18 10,894 30. 18,87l 94.69 SUFFOLK 99.90 4992 152.91 22 50.23 50.27 100 78 50.10 37-35 1954 3945 10. 30.06/30.06 39 SUFFOLK -34 38- 73 42-40 38 3134 43-41 733 11.06 12. 299 -09 5 2215 13. N37.97 SUF FOL 52.23 7 47 -44 48 90.07 24. 608 65.03 ST. 34.0 5/ 62.53 52-50 48 N 3892 70.10 56 42 40 2708 22.15.93 7 3.10 714 -726 672- 680-696 702-708 26. 280 25. 90'01 13 647-653 525.24 14. 116.220 593 2. 7277 4736 36. 3769 2813 4342 5478 A 3A-2 (234 3985 32 31. 3479 A-1 8. 12,625 37. 40.25 30.) 67.17 3457 29. L.C.

21,544 9 101- 40.5 SAGAMOR AGAMORE 86 - 8 50.65 94- a0° 60 99.70 588 5133 130.86 776 748 WASHINGTON 761 771-801 118.6 65 14,6 148,1 747 82.50 15 12,186 10,061 77,166 IATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Inttod Statos Depertmant of tho Intortar lational Park Service Lynn Realty Company Building No. 2 Essex County MASSACHUSETTS EYALUATION / RETURN SHEET rosubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Roview: Reviower's comments: Working No. MAR 2 1983 Fed. Reg. Date:. 2-7 84 Date Due:. 383 1/16/83 Action: LACCEPTC 3/31/83 Intered Ix the RETURN National Register REJECT. Federal Agoncy:_ _sample - request i appeal - NR decision Recom. /Criteria _ Reviewer. Discipline- Date 800 continuation sheet technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed bolow -Nomination returned for: 1. 2. 3. Name Location Classification Prosont Uao 4.

Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys hos tateproperty beon dosarmined aligible? - 1os - ne 7. Description andbla 3000 taie ieteriorata ruins chach ono unettered aitared Chock one - moved acantao tho procans end ertoinas (1l koarena) piryaiaad sopocnan summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary seloction 8. Significance tertor Araas ef s 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 amtratad property - ViIT Retarenea vorbal baandary dosartattan and pantiaatton 11. Form Prepared By 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification Ta orebeatad apntthcenco of ento proporty eusenen eho olato io: nal -- loea Biate Hlatarke Preservetton Officer elgnatur 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 LYNN REALTY COMPANY BUILDING #2 672 - 680 Washington Street Lynn.MA 01901 Photo Credit and Negative Location: J. Clark Wilson (617) 595 - 2266 Photo #1 of 1/ LOED 598 Essex Street Lynn MA 01901 Lynn Office of Economic Development (617) 592-2361 / 581-9651 Robert A Baker Executive Director January 4, 1983 Ms.

Candace Jenkins Registration Director Massachusetts Historical Commission Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Dear Candace, The Lynn Economic Development Industrial Corporation understands and supports the Massachusetts Historic Commission's overall review of the Broad St. Historic District's designation in light of last year's tragic fire. However, since the Vamp Building, 3-15 Liberty Square, Union St. and 601 Washington St. has been totally restored by the Crowninshield Corporation to its renovated pre-fire condition, we would like that structure individually considered before any decision to revoke the district's designation considered procedurally. The same holds true for the Daley Drug Building at 672-680 Washington St.

which was minimally affected by the conflagration and ostensibly did not have to substantially alter its exterior. Since the developer's syndication has already been represented to the investment community predicated on the district's historic status, we strongly believe that the fiscal integrity of their arrangement be protected as they have dutifully complied with all of the Lynn E.D.I.C.'s pre-requisites. In fact, they have pledged an additional $20,000 towards a capital fund with the city whose proceeds will be deployed to aesthetically soften the building entrance from the Lynnway (i.e. small plaza). Finally, the only structure left standing in the district which merits your attention is 210 Broad St. which is occupied by Champion Die and is owned by a realty trust.

While this building presently has industrial occupants, its early 1900 architecture symbolizes the era in which the large, now non-existent wharf facilities were constructed by Lynn Realty Trust. I hope you carefully weigh your determination as the Lynn E.D.I.C. has the greatest respect for historic preservation of multi-story structures strategically situated in Lynn's central business district. Thank you for allowing us to express our point of view as property owners. Sincerely, - Robert A. Baker Executive Director RAB/ds cc: Joe Saunders EDWARD T CALNAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JANSI CHANDLER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CITY OF LYNH DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CITY HALL - ROOM 315 LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS 01901 TELEPHONE: (617) 598-4000 Ext. 192, -3, -4, -5 HOUSING COUNS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMEN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT: HOUSING DEVELOPMENT GRANTSMANSHIP RECEVED FLB - + 1983 MASS.

HIST. COMM. Refer to: 370/MN: cc Serial #401 February 1, 1983 Ms. Valerie Talmage Acting State Historic Preservation Officer Acting Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, MA 02108 Dear Ms. Talmage: Responding to your letter of December 29, 1982, I am writing in support of the delisting of the Broad Street Historic District in Lynn and concurrent individual listings of the Vamp Building at 3-15 Liberty Square, the Lynn Realty Company Building #2 at 672-680 Washington Street and the Tapley Building at 206 Broad Street. It is unfortunate that the Broad Street Historic District was virtually dismantled in Lynn's devastating fire of November, 1981. However, since that time it has become necessary for the City to reassess priorities in the Downtown/Waterfront and to define renewed goals for historic preservation.

Listing the three buildings referenced above to the National Register would be an instrumental achievement toward assisting the people of Lynn reestablish those goals. As such, the City of Lynn and this office extend their full support and cooperation through the accomplishment of this important matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance. Very sincerely yours, swan XT. Calman Edward T. Calnan Executive Director MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State February 24, 1983 RECEIVED Carol Shull, Chief National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of the Interior NATIONAL REGISTER Washington, D.C. 29243 Dear Ms.

Shull: Enclosed you will find a petitión, jointly sponsored by the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the City of Lvnn, to remove the Broad Street Historic District from the National Register of Historic Places. Listed on December 2, 1980, this district was substantially destroyed by a maior fire on November 28, 1981. You will also find individual nomination forms for three of the remaining shoe manufacturing buildings. Constructed be- tween 1890 and 1907, these three structures represent the rebuilding of the downtown after another maior fire in 1889, and a concentration of the shoe industrv. Because of the effects of this fire, post-1890 construction was invariably masonry, creating a divergence from the state-wide norm of wood-frame shoe manufacturing buildings. (Shoe machinery is relatively light and does not require mansonry construction for support).

Thus the remaining buildings are sienificant on a state level as examples of masonrv shoe factories and on a local level as representatives of Lynn's major industry. Owners of two of the individually nominated buildings have combleted certified rehabilations. Therefore, we urge you to consider delisting of the district and listing of the individual buildings concurrently so as to avoid any tax penalties. Sincerely, Candace lenkins Candace Jenkins Registrattion Director CJ/1k Vamp Bldg Fynu Radt Reatty Co. Bldq