Elks Hall, 40-42 Pleasant Street, Gloucester

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On a street lined with buildings spanning almost 300 years, this structure represents the only building constructed between the first and second World Wars. In scale and set back it reinforces the continuity of the older streetscape, and reflects the sense of public pride and confidence the Elks membership felt at the time of the building's construction. Description: The structure consists of a full basement, half out of the ground, a two story office section to the front and an approximately 15 foot high function hall to the rear. An 18' -0" x 58' -0" extension of the basement to the south forms a low element above grade. The exterior walls of the building are red brick, with four wood columns supporting a wooden pediment on the front facade.

The foundation is a combination of granite rubble, brick, and poured concrete. The front section of the building is framed entirely of wood, with a brick veneer, wood floor and roof framing, and a tar and gravel roof. The function hall is framed with steel columns and beams, wooded floor and roof framing, and a tar and gravel roof. The exterior walls of the function hall are non load bearing and are comprised of a brick veneer in front of wood studs that support interior finishes of wire lathe and plaster. History: This parcel of land was occupied by the home of Benjamin A Corliss Town Moderatorfor44 annual Town Meetings, from to (see photo on page In a new home was built for David B. Smith, designed by Ezra L. Phillips with Edward S. Griffin as contractor (photo page 11 ).

His nephew, Benjamin A Smith, ( sold tl'le house to the Elks on May 7, An early morning fire on March 23. destroyed the house, except for the front porch (which was moved to and incorporated into the front facade of the Rock Away Hotel in East Gloucester) and the foundation, which vvas reused during the reconstruction. The foundation line of the two front curved bays are visible in the foundation plan on page 12. The corner stone for a new brick building vvas laid on July 8, The building was designed by Timothy F. Holloran, the younger ELKS HALL HASS No. MA - (page 2) partner of Ezra L. Phillips of Gloucester, built by Jacob Kaminsky of Chelsea, with Gloucester's John S. Pomeroy responsible for the foundation, Faulk Bros. for masonry and plastering, LE.

Smith for plumbing, and Steele & Abbott for painting. The building was dedicated November 11, Phillips and Holloran's original plans indicate features of the previous foundation which were to be incorporated into the new building. Hovvever, the fireplace and full width front entry patio, shown on the plans, were not constructed. A remodeling in by Gloucester architect Fred M. Gill included the extension of the basement level to the west. His addition featured a sloped concrete roof 'Nhich was leveled off to form a floor during the construction of the addition. A portion of this sloped slab served as a small canopy at the northwest rear door.

A remodeling and enlargement designed by Albert Costa (Boston), built by Jim Aldrich, added a rear addition of x _ This remodeling covered most of the interior plaster with masonite paneling and obscured the plastered function hall ceiling with a dropped acoustical tile ceiling. The addition is obvious in the strongly side lit rear photograph, Number 4. Although the brick is well matched, the lower portion of the wall is consistently flat and evenly jointed while the upper portion is not nearly perpendicularly flat, resulting in strong shadow lines. In a basement level addition, half out of the ground, was built along the building's south side. Approximately 18' x it was built by (Peter) Cook & (Joh.n) Geary of Gloucester.

In January Cape Ann Preservation Enterprises purchased the building, intending to demolish the rear function hall and re configure the building as a duplex residential condominium.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,5-GLO,6-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Gloucester Daily Times, newspaper, March 23, July 9, November 10, and November 11, Discussion with Alston N. Faulk, the original mason, Plan files, the Gloucester Elks organization. 97 Atlantic Road, Gloucester, MA. Building permit files, Building Inspector, City of Gloucester

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,5-GLO,6-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

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