Nomination for US Post Office--Central Square

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-306 (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTOR Y -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVEO MAY | 2 1986 8 DATE ENTERED FOR FEDERAL PROPERTIES SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES - COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 2 3 5 NAME HISTORIC United States Post Office AND/OR COMMON Central Square Post Office; Cambridge "A Branch" Post Office LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 770 Massachusetts Avenue CITY, TOWN Cambridge STATE Massachusetts 02139 CLASSIFICATION NLA VICINITY OF CODE 0170 N/ ANOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Eighth Congressional District COUNTY CODE Middlesex 017 CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) -STRUCTURE _SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC - PRIVATE -BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION N/A_ IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED - WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK -EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS XGOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION MILITARY - OTHER: AGENCY REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS: (If applicable) New England Field Real Estate and Buildings Office STREET & NUMBER 1050 Waltham Street CITY.

TOWN Lexington N/A VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts 02173 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. Registry of Deeds, Cambridge Courthouse STREET & NUMBER 208 Cambridge Street CITY.TOWN STATE Massachusetts 02141 Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE None DATE - FEDERAL STATE COUNTY _LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN STATE 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION- XEXCELLENT _GOOD FAIR _DETERIORATED _RUINS CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE -MOVED DATE. _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

_PHYSICAL APPEARANCE_ The building is surrounded on three sides by a granite wall; the site slopes down towards the rear. In plan, the Post Office is fronted with a wide vestibule and public lobby flanked by the Postmaster's office and second floor stairway to the left and various service areas for the workers to the right. Beyond the service acreen is the workroom, mail vestibule and platform. Nine wide granite steps with a landing create the main approach to the building. They are flanked by wing walls which terminate with a block-like pedestal base inset with a decorative panel and topped with a series of low, "stubby" wrought-iron lantern fixtures. The building's base slightly projects, topped with a thin band of Virginia black serpentine marble. The front of the building is a two-story public-access block which is attached to a large one-story (plus basement wing) work area.

The front (northeast) elevation is an eleven-bay, steel-framed structure with a three-bay central The metal-framed wing windows are within deeply recessed vertical slots running from base to entablature; the different floors; are marked by a metal spandrel panel with an infill of Virginia black serpentine marble and a centered square of cast white metal with Art Deco detailing. The windows pivot open in a casement fashion. Four wide, flat pilasters mark the entrance pavilion; they are acalloped and topped with simple capitals with a modified Greek key motif. A plain architrave frames each of the three sets of entry doors; above are recessed, wrought-iron framed windows with the same spandrel panels as in the flanking windows.

The top of the building has a projecting massive entablature with expressed architrave, denticulated cornice, and large, round decorative palques within the plain frieze located A low parapet with a central crest, brackedted by two seated human draped figures (on the left holding a boat, the right holding a book), caps the central entry bays. The architectural treatment of the front continues to the sides of the two-story block for a width of three bays. The entablature area stops shortly after it wraps around to the rear side of public block. Basement windows are covered by decorative wrought-iron grilles. The rear part of the building is eight bays in length, containing basement and first floor windows. A belt course above the base is carried around the remainder of the building as is a low, plain entablature with a simple projecting architrave and cornice.

The rear (southwest) elevation contains a covered truck loading platform which leads to the basement and elevators to the workroom above. One enters the building through the vestible which is surfaced in marble. Marble cabinents that house heaters and iron grilles are found below the iron-framed, glass panel windows. The ends of the vestibule angle out and contain a pair of replaced doors. Another set of doors is centered in the vestibule's southwest wall. The ceiling is thinly coffered plaster with geometric shapes and the floor The iron-work forms an entablature around the vestibule exterior, with small medallions located in the frieze. The ceiling has recessed circular lights. NPS Form 10-900-a (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 CENTRAL SQUARE POST OFFICE Continuation sheet CAMBRIDGE "A" BRANCH P.O. Item number 7 For NPS use only recelved date entered Page 2 The lobby has a black and green checkerboard terrazzo floor with a wide black terrazzo strip surrounding it inset with yellow triangles; a marble wainscot, plaster walls, moulding, and ceiling. The northeast wall has marble-framed windows and sills with iron grilles below. The southeast wall has a recessed, smaller lobby framed by a marble architrave and entabla- ture leading to the postmaster's office and stairs to second floor offices. This entry has a glass and aluminum partition sealing it. The lobby walls are topped by a cornice with ornament similar to open fans with scrolls below. The ceiling molding has floral motifs.

Ormament on the ceiling includes palmettes, lotus buds and other design loosely based on Greek sources. The ceiling is divide into a series of lighted coffers.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD -PREHISTORIC 1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 -1700-1799 x1800-1899 1900- -ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE ART -COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION -LAW -_ECONOMICS -LITERATURE EDUCATION _MILITARY LENGINEERING -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION _RELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIEVI Started construction:Nov. SPECIFIC DATESDedication: June 25, 1935 20BU703/ARCHITECT.D. Leland & Co. and Charles P. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

Alterations: 1974 Greco, Collaborating Architects John Baven Co., Inc. - Contractors Built in 1933, the Cambridge Main Post Office or Cambridge A Branch Post Office provided the first permanent home of the city's postal service. Situated across the street from the Richardsonian Romanesque Cambridge City Hall (1887), this buildings smooth streamlined, monodromatic classicism dramatically contrasts with the City Hall's rock faced granite walls, The Cambridge Main Post Office building should be considered eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places by virtue of its siting, design and the Roelstor od Historso Faaos by witue d 0 contribution its construction made to Cambridge's economy during the Depression. Architecturally, it represents a successful marriage of Classical tradition with the Art Deco style.

Though bound by Classical tradition (particularly in its rigid symmetrical tripartite facade and its suggestion of pilasters and entablature) the building uses Classical elements in an unorthodox, almost self conscious way. Capitals are not really Capitals, though those over the central pilasters have Greek Lay motifs in a kind of parody of the Ionic. Granite ashlar masonry walls give a feeling of solidity and permanence important in public buildings constructed during the Depression. Art Deco influence is evident in the overall streamlined verticillately of its planar pilasters and window bays. In addition, the stylized, seated sculptured figures at the center of the main facade parapet are also Art Deco in style.

The Municipal Building at Western Avenue and Green Street and the Cambridge Main Post Office building are the only example of structures blending classical and art deco style in Cambridge. Behind the formal facade lies an interior which is designed to be formal and efficient. Attached to the two-story public access block along Massachusetts Avenue is a much larger one-story-plus basement wing with unobstructed work areas and a range of truck-loading docks along Green Street. Initially, offices were provided for officials of the I.R.S. and agricultural departments. For the first time all mail would be sorted and

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES "Cambridge Chronicle", July 27, 1935; The Cambridge Tribune, June 1, 1934; June 28, 1935 The Quincy Patriot Ledger - November 4, 1933 Survey of Architectural History in Cambridge Report3 - Cambridgeport Cambridge Historical Society - MA MIT Press, 1971 History of Post Office Construction 1900-1940, July, 1982 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY_ UTM REFERENCES 0.932 A1,9 | 312,615,4,0 EASTING 14,619,213,7,01 BLULLLWLILIL NORTHING EASTING NORTHING NDLULLbIiLud VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION Southeast to Northwest, 180.55' along Massachusetts Avenue Northeast to Southwest, 105.0' along side lot line Southeast to Northwest, 4.65' along side lot line Northeast to Southwest, 101.58' along side lot line Northwest to Southeast, 200.0' along Green Street Southwest to Northeast, 184.88' along Pleasant Street - 23.68' rounded between Pleasant and Massachusetts East Cornist ALLSTATES ANDCONTESORPRERTIESERLA PINSTATESORSATE BOSDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Steven M.

Smith, Project Manager ORGANIZATION DATE SULLIVAN DESIGN GROUP, INC. STREET & NUMBER September 24, 1985 TELEPHONE 44 Adams Street (617) 848-1545 CITY OR TOWN STATE Braintree Massachusetts 02184 12 CERTIFICATION OF NOMINATION STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER RECOMMENDATION NONE Vdlue aevnare STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE In compliance with Executive Order 11593, I hereby nominate this property to the National Register, certifying that the State Historic Preservation Officer has been allowed 90 days ip which to present the nomination to the State Review Board and to evaluate its significance. The evaluated level ofs _Natio StateALoca FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE TITLE Realty Specialis Senior DATE 4/28/86 FOR NPS USE ONLY LHEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER atech Andur DATE 6/18/86 DIRECTOR.

OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION ATTEST/ DATE 6-1786 KEEPER OF THÉ NATIONAL REGISTER GPO 899-214 NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form CENTRAL SQUARE POST OFFICE - "A" Branch Continuation sheet Cambridge Main Post Office Item number 8 OMB No.1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only recelved date entered Page 2 delivered from this Cambridge office rather than having to go to Boston first. Funding for the Cambridge Main Post Office building was delayed many months during 1932 due to the Depression. Cost reductions resulted in drastic revisions of the plans. The cornerstone was laid in mid 1934 and reads "Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury, James A. Farley, Postmaster General, Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect, George O.

Von Nesta, Supervising Engineer, J.D. Leland and Co., Architects and Engineers, Charles R. Greco, Architect collaborating, 1933. The Cambridge Main Post Office building was dedicated on June 25, 1935. It was built at a cost of $1,000,000. The Cambridge Main Post Office building's construction provided a boost for Cambridge's economy during the height of the Depression. Upon completion, it provided 150 permanent jobs to "nearly 150 men", more than double the staff of the old office at Central Square. During the 1930's, Cambridge's population decreased by 4%. Assessed property values dropped from $191,237,400 in 1932 to $170,603,600 in 1940 while the tax rate continued to rise. This building's construction also provided work for Quincy citizens - after much controversy over whether to use limestone or granite for the building materials.

Quincy granite was chosen as the facing material for the Cambridge Main Post Office. The architect for the Cambridge Main Post Office was James D. Leland. The consulting architect was Charles R. Greco, (1892-1963). He graduated from English High School in 1892 (Cambridge) and studied engineering at Harvard. firm of Wait and Culter. He was the chief architect of court houses at Malden, West Roxbury, and Cambridge. His practice was national in scope with projects in Miami, Chicago and Cleveland. He was the architect of Boston area churches and synagogues, including Blessed Sacrament Church (1910-1917) in Jamaica Plain. *Neither the Boston Public Library Architect's file or the Dictionary of American Architects (deceased) by Henry Withrey provided information on James D. Leland.

stor brick retail story brick retail 3-story white marble Classical Revival Bank Beige brick 4-story Classical Revival Cambridge Police Station & Municipal Bldg.

2- Story Brick Office 3 3- Story Wood- Frame House concrete block wood- frame Brick --- One story warehouse- Park- ing story wood- frame house Parking 1 story brick Government Employment Building Parking 1-story brick retail 2-story brick retail 2-story stone & mix use Concrete Temple Street 2 story Limestone 1 story brick retail Italian Renaissance Old Cambridge Gas & Light Blds 1 - Vestibule 2 - Public Library 3 - Postmaster's Office 4 - Workroom 5 - Mail Vestibule/Platform 6 - Vehicle Areas Green Street (one way) 200.0' Pleasant Street (one way) 101.58 Parking 184.88' 4.65' 4-story brick Colonial Revival Offices 23.68' 180.55 Massachusetts Avenue 4 story stone Richardsonian Romanesque Mix-use Romanesque City Hall 3-story stone (Richardsonian) Wood-frame Greek Revival Orthodox Church 1858 Street Inman 1888 UNITED STATES POST OFFICE - CENTRAL SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS Parking 5 story brick Romanesque Revival YMCA 1896 Sellers Street (one-way)- Brick Concrete Gothic Revival Episcopal Church 2 story concrete block International Style office building 3 story wood frame offices Bigelow Street 6768| NW (LEXINGTON) 71°07'30" 42° 22' 30" UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ARLINGTON 3.6 ML.

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BEACON Back Bay COMMONWEALTH 28 CoD -Squ INTERCHANGE Wentworth Inetitéte )BM 13% Roxbury Crossing Spmile bcit Flre sia axbuy Elic O./S. WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 86001343 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Subsbeativa Sariew Central Square Post Office Middlesex County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Asample Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: Anteresteng Jrequest xurene uporathe Anlridge construckion Nomination returned for: - _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes no 7.

Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one -unaltered - altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection LJappeal MAY, | 2 1986 Working No. Fed. Reg. Date:2/3,8 Date Due: _ 6113/86- 6/26/86 Action: _ACCEPT _ 6-18-86 RETURN _ REJECT Federal Agency: - USPS -NR decision Recom./Criteria_ Accept C 4A architeitural Hiskory 6-17-86 _ see continuation sheet Status Accessible Present Use Check one -original site moved date 8.

Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness YAM 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 Quadrangle name. UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature title date 13. Other Maps Photographs -Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to - Signed Date.

Phone: _ Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet RIGHT LANE MUST TURN RIGHT * Cambridge Post Office 770 Mass Ave CAmbridge, MA CENTRAL SQUARE POST OFFICE Cambridge "A Branch" Post Office cambridge, MA David R. Hooker Earl R. Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Front elevation Cambridge Post Office 770 Mass Ave Cambridge, MA CENTRAL SQUARE POST OFFICE Cambridge "A Branch" Post Office Cambridge, MA David R. Hooker Earl R. Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Front elevation. Left view Cambridge Post Office 770 Mass Ave. Cambridge, MA CENTRAL SQUARE POST OFFICE Cambridge "A Branch" Post Office Cambridge, MA David R. Hooker Earl R. Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Lobby EATES POSTA FIELD REAL ESTATE AND BUILDINGS OFFICE P.O. Box 324 Lexington, MA 02173-0324 August 19, 1985 The Honorable Robert W.

Healey City Manager, City of Cambridge Cambridge City Hall 795 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Dear City Manager Healey: The U.S. Postal Service in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer in Boston has evaluated the Main Post Office in Cambridge and has determined it is significant from an historical viewpoint; In view of the above evaluation, the U.S. Postal Service intends to nominate this building to the National Register of Historic Places. We would, prior to our taking formal action, appreciate receiving your concurrence. If you concur with our proposed action, kindly return a signed copy of this letter in the enclosed envelope. Sincerely, Concur : Enclosure JPC/1jr 1.12 JOYNYHA -0N S8.

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Shull Chief of Registration National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of Interior Washington, D.C. 20240-1002 Dear Ms. Shull: The Postal Service hereby submits a nomination for the post office located at 770 Massachusetts Avenue, Middlesex County, Cambridge, Massachusetts. If you have questions concerning this nomination, please call me at 202/268-3107. Sincerely, realty Specialist, Senior Office of Real Estate Enclosure MAY 12 1986