BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - - - - In Area no. 26 HP-5 Form no. 438 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number - 1. Town Salem ! Address_284-296 Essex Street Name_ YMCA Present use Institutional Salem YMCA 288 Essex Street Salem, Mass. 01970 -- - - 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. MLYMOD4S 469 BAATCE Present owner 3. Description: Date 1898 Source Newspapers Style Classical Revival Architect Walter J. Paine Exterior wall fabric Brick & Limestone Outbuildings (describe) N/A Other features_monumental entry, pilastered facade, frieze with swags removal of rooftop Altered trellis Date 1950s Moved no Date 5. Lot size: 35,985 sq. ft. One acre or less X Over one acre Approximate frontage 185 ft.
Approximate distance of building from street Adjacent 6. Recorded by_ A. Crump/A. Van Ingen Organization_ SRA/Historic Salem Inc. Date November 1979 UTM References: 19/344040/4709210 Assessor's Number: 26-438 30M-5-77 7. Original owner (if known). YMCA Original use Institutional Subsequent uses (if any) and dates 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) The Salem Y.M.C.A. is the finest local example of the Classical Revival style popular in the late 19th century. Walter J.
Paine of Beverly designed the new facility at 284-296 Essex Street in 1898, incorporating commercial space and a theater with the recreational and residential facilities of the Y. The ground floor of the three-story building is articulated as an English basement, containing storefronts and the elaborate center frontispiece marking the main entrance to the Y.M.C.A. Each bay is defined by an interruption of the wall plane. The center bay is flanked by two-story brick pilasters above the entrance, and the second and sixth bays break forward to match the projection of the frontispiece. The basement and classically-detailed trim are limestone. Although the rooftop loggia has been removed, the building retains a strong sense of the original design. Judging from those examples of his work that were published in the prestigious periodical, American Architect and Building News, Walter J.
Paine worked comfortably in a variety of styles. Iwo contemporary church designs were devoid of classical influence, but fully expressed the Shingle Style and the Romanesque Revival. This eclecticism was typical of the late 19th century, when architects frequently pursued several stylistic directions simultaneously. Paine's published work is uniformly competent and sophisticated, creating a logical context for his capable treatment of the Y.M.C.A. The monumental presence of the Y.M.C.A. acts as an anchor for the western end of Essex Street, Salem's major commercial corridor. Its architectural importance is representative of the Y.M.C.A.'s prominent role in the community at the time 1o. fibilographyanaydrtreferends (suemain iodal historles, telds, assessore fabric element in thes records, of downtown Salem.
early maps, etc.) (Continued) Salem Evening News, April 11, 1898, February 3, 1899, and February 20, 1899. 7 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : Salem Property Name: YMCA Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 9. Historical Significance (Continued) Form No: 438 The YMCA was organized in Salem in 1858 and was originally housed in rented space at the old Custon House on Central Street. The first building purchased by the YMCA was at 20 Central Street in 1884. Twenty years later, the present location on Essex Street was constructed and opened for use. The original rooftop granite portico/trellis structure was removed in the late 1950s due to structural problems. The brick addition at the rear of the building was constructed at this time to house the present indoor pool.
In 1979-1980, the YMCA Trustees, realizing that the facility would have to be upgraded to increase the declining membership due to the growth of private health clubs, sold a portion of the second and third floors to the Salem Housing Authority, in order to raise the necessary capital for the improvements. The Housing Authority renovated the two floors which formerly contained rental rooms, ' into fourteen units of elderly housing. With its own capital, and with grants from the Department of Interior's UPARR Program and the Salem Redevelopment Authority, the YMCA in undergoing more than a half million dollars of upgrading. The YMCA building possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. It meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places.
Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Page 20f z Name State Downtown Salem Multiple Resource Area Massachusetts Nomination/Type of Review *11. West Cogswel1 House Jbrisruü in tho Matlonal Register 1'12. IMCA Entered in the National Register 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Date/Signature tieeper AebuaBgur 2/24 Attest tKeeper AelouaByun +124/83 Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Des el ol tie laterio National Perk Servici YMCA (Downtown Salem MRA) Essex County MASSA CHUSETTS EYALUATION / RETURN SHE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Roview: Reviower's comments: Working No. JUN | 41993 Fed. Reg. Dat: 2.84 Dato Due: 7/17/83 Action: ACCEPT- 7/29/83 brisred in tho - RETURN Mattoosl Fegieter - REJECT. Foderal Agoncy: -sample - request - appeal - NR decision Recom. /Criteria. Reviewer Discipline Date - continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussad below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification 4. Owner of Property 5.
Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys M de propety tom cocraned 7. Description tentora wine Dock ene summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance erter eees ef wife dates ant of Sionilhcemao (in o 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 lorbage of nomineted property Quedrangle neme. UMT Reterenoss ertei boundery descriptien and justificatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evatussed signiticance of thie property within the state is: netionel -Bate local te Historie Preeervation Officer signetun 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 coonc Downteans YMCA 284-296 Essex st salen MRA, Ma NOV 1979 by Berkey 1-31 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000277