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 1. Town In Area no. Form no. Old Camb. |IIB26 Cambridge s_33 Lexington Avenue "The Lowe11" nt use residential 4. Map- in relation to nearest crvon - other buildings. Indicate north. 1100 -18 27 :D B6U0 POND FRESH PKWY #235-2 ASSESSOR ent owner Arthur D. Trottenberg & lle E. Muhlhauser. c/o Ellis E ription: Andrews, 4 Brattle : 1900 jource le Colonial Revival chitect John A. Hasty iterior wall tabric wood Outbuildings (describe)_ Other features excellent integration of Colonial Revival features on a three-decker frame, unusual side porches rather than the usual front porches. Altered No Date Moved No Date .-- 5. Lot size: One acre or less XX Over one acre Approximate frontage 96 feet Approximate distance of building from street 30 feet 6.
Recorded by_ Bainbridge Bunting OrganizationCambridge Historical Comm. Date 1964 UTM - LEXINE-TON 19132379014693640 WOV 1 41980 30M-5-77 7. Original owner (if known)_ James M. Hilton Original use residential (apartments) Subsequent uses (if any) and dates same 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 Lowel1" is an elaborately detailed Colonial Revival three-decker apartment building designed Knothe br ais mmagteative andorigityi satt th best vernacular.
The Lowell displays an excellent sense of form and proportion as well as an inventive use of detail, including elliptical windows, app-iea garlands and wreaths, an over-scale swan's neck pediment at the second story level repeated at the roofline, and monumental fluted columns with Scamozzi capitals. Also of note is the side place- meant of the porches, giving the Lowell a five- bay facade. 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) 2 Substantive Review NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Department of the Interior National Park Service EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET le Lowell (CAmbudge Property: Multipte Resoure Area) State, County: MA-nuddlen Federal Agency: resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Working No. Fod. Reg.
Date: Date Due: Action: 11-14-80-2862 4-17-82 ACCEPT CRETURN 7/13/87 - REJECT photosL maps Substantive Review: - sample - request _ appeal NR decision Reviewer's comments: Do conter tual information Please explain how this brikding compores to o ther examples of 3-Decker architectine in cambridge. Why is the building individually eligible? Recom. / Criteria return Reviewer. Patrick Andus Discipline Historiap Date - 4/13/82 - see continuation sheet -Womination returned for: - technical- corrections cited below .substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification aemership Publle Aogpoteitien 4. Owner of Property prosomt Uco 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys bes thle property baon dotarminad oligtbte? - ro - 7. Description Condltien excellent good fair deteriorated ruins Obock ene _ unattered .
altered Chock one - original site .moved date - unexposed acortbo the prosant and ertginal (il knowm) poryaieel espoarano summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance cate Chook and fetily baler ultder Aret summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked - relating significance to the resource context relation ship of integrity to significance justification of excepticn other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Aoroage of nomineted property - buadrangte name. UNT Roterences tarbel boundery doscrtatien and heatification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The oveluated elgnificence of this property wutthin the stete is: - national . state - local Bute Mtetonic Preeervatton Oficer etgneture 13.
Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Andsus signed Bramam - Date 4$382 Phone: 202 272-3504 Comments for any Item may be continued on an attached sheet FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - In Area no. 0ld Camb. Form no. OC IIB26 - 1. Town - Cambridge Address_33 Lexington Avenue Name "The Lowe11" Present use residential 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number 1100 -18 - 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. Po5 L2P 27 ega P3 Fah'a O. BODOBB0GÜ0OO POND BRATTLE ASsESSOR 30M-5-77 #235-2 Present owner_Arthur D. Trottenberg Lucille E. Muhlhauser. c/o Ellis & 3. Description: Andrews, 4 Brattle Date 1900 Source Style_Colonial Revival Architect John A.
Hasty Exterior wall fabric wood Outbuildings (describe). Other features excellent integration of Colonial Revival features on a three-decker frame, unusual side porches rather than the usual front porches. Altered No Date -- Moved No Date _--- 5. Lot size: One acre or less XX Over one acre Approximate frontage 96 feet Approximate distance of building from street 30 feet 6. Recorded by Bainbridge Bunting OrganizationCambridge Historical Comm. Date 1964 UTM-LEXINETON +913237904693640 WOV 1 41980 - 7. Original owner (if known)_ James M. Hilton Original use residential (apartments) Subsequent uses (if any) and dates same 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 Lowell" is an elaborately detailed Colonial Revival three-decker apartment building designed Dy the local architect, John A. Hasty. Hasty is best known for his imaginative and original use of the vernacular. The Lowell displays an excellent sense of form and proportion as well as an inventive use of detail, including elliptical windows, applied garlands and wreaths, an over-scale swan's neck pediment at the second story level repeated at the roofline, and monumental fluted columns with Scamozziecapitals.
Also of note is the side place- meant of the porches, giving the Lowell a five- bay facade. 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORIÇAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Community : Old Cambridge Form No: OC II.B.26 Property Name: "The Lowel1" Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. The three decker style evolved from wood frame tenement houses of the 1860s, of which an early example exists at 223-225 Broadway (1873; see Report Three: Cambridgeport, pp. 41-42). Tenements had a deservedly bad name as being overcrowded and poorly built, but the intro- duction of the "French flat" brought efforts to make them acceptable to the middle class.
Early examples of this development are relatively plentiful in Cambridgeport, which was developing as a lower middle class suburb during this period. The "hotels" of Norfolk and Austin Streets near Central Square were the first examples of this type in Cambridge (Norfolk Street N.R.D.); they were four-deckers executed in an elaborate Eastlake-Queen Anne style in 1886 and 1887. An even more elaborate example of the effort to make three deckers acceptable to the middle class is the Ernst Flentje House at 129 Magazine Street (also nominated to the National Register), built in 1900. "The Lowell", like the Flentje House, is an example of architec- tural extremism in search of social acceptability. Located just three doors from "Tory Row" (Brattle Street), it was built. at a time when the - Brattle Street horse car line seemed about to be converted to electric street cars.
Instead, Brattle Street residents, concerned about just such development on what was even then considered to be one of the most 'historic streets in America, convinced the City Council and the Massa- chusetts Railroad Commissioners to relocate the car line to Mount Auburn Street and Huron Avenue. If this had not happened, many more real estate ventures like The Lowell would undoubtedly have taken place in the neighborhood. As it was, The Lowell is unique to the Brattle Street neighborhood as multi-family housing, and in Cambridge as representing an extraordinary effort to embellish a middle class housing type. In Report Four: Old Cambridge of the Survey of Architectural History in Cambridge, The Lowell is called "the most extraordinary double four- decker in the entire city".
This building is significant under Criterion A for its role in the development of Cambridge, and under Criterion C as an exceptional example of its type and style. Staple to Inventory form at botton - NPS Form 10-900-a (7-81) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory -Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number For NPS use only received date entered Page /4 ~217 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Cambridge Multiple Resource Area MA Nomination/Type of Review 131. Conventual Church of St. Mary and St. John Substantive Review 132. /Second Cambridge Savings Bank Building Suletanitiro MevsAr 133. Frost, David, House Sustientive Novien" Date/Signature Weeias H.Bracham 41382 1,34. Howe House Substantive Heview Su885 '135. Lowell, The FV1AD '136. Willis, Stillman, House Sobst "137.
Second Waterhouse House SEARS TUWER - Harvard. Observatory owine aljection DOE/OWNER OBJECTION withdrawn '1,39. Almshouse Substantive Review *140. Lovel1 Block bu08 Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper pur 1 0 16-7007 Attest Keeper Pare 1 Ba l 6 2057 Attest Keeper nDn 1Ol630.8) Attest Keeper Willian A Braiham 4.13.82 Attest Keeper tre lDer 6-308) Attest Keeper Attest / Keeper Cane DShuel 2-2687 BettASange 2-26-81 Wieliamt. Bracnam 4.1382 Attest Keeper Auer, la Pogl63083 Attest NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United Sta Mational P Subatantive RevIow The Lowell, (Cambridge MRA) Middlesex County MA EYALUATION / RETURN SHEE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviower's comments: REUISED STATEMENT IS ACLEPTABLi Working No. 11.14.80-2562 Fod. Reg. Date:2-7-84 Date Due: 7/4/83 Action: -LACCEPT_6/30/83 - RETURN - REJECT.
Fodoral Agoncy:- - sample - request i appeal JNR decision Recom. / Criteria A4L Reviewer_ hh Discipline AH Date- 9:30-83 continuation sheet -technical corrections cited below .substantive reasons discussad below -Nomination returned for: 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification 6Uee 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys tes taie property bean totomained oligite -9 -- 7. Description andtte escetten good leie .eeteriorated ruins chock ene - unattered _ altares Chack ane - movec sertbo the procont ad ertginal (il kaoural ptayaieed asgorrans summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8.
Significance Portad Aroes of Significance Chock and justify balow Spocific dates Btatomant ol significanco (In eno paragraph) Sultder Architect summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relation ship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quedrangie neme UMT Raterences Verbal boundary description and justitication 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: - nationa! -_ state - local State Historic Preservation Ofticer signature date title 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 00-18 IAON 7 6 C Cambridge MRA, Ma "Lowell", The 33 Lexington Aue. 1100- 18 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000275