Springfield, Massachusetts, is a city in the United States. It doesn't have as many very tall buildings, or skyscrapers, as other similar cities. This is because of a special law that was made in 1908. This law said that buildings in Springfield could not be taller than 125 feet. This rule stayed in place until 1970.
The law came about because of a building called 1200 Main Street. When it was built in 1907-1908, it caused a lot of discussion in Springfield and Boston. So, the Massachusetts State Legislature (which is like the state's government law-making group) decided to limit how tall commercial buildings could be. The limit was set at 125 feet, which was the same height as the steeple of Springfield's Old First Church. Because of this law, Springfield didn't build many modern skyscrapers in the styles popular before World War II, like Art Deco or Neoclassicism. However, you can still see many smaller buildings in these styles around the city.
The height limit was finally changed in 1970. This happened after the U.S. government closed the Springfield Armory, which was a big factory. Many people in Springfield felt that the city's buildings looked too old-fashioned. That year, a new building called the Baystate West tower was designed. It's now known as Tower Square and is named after MassMutual. This tower stands 371 feet tall! It was designed by a famous architect named Pietro Belluschi in a style called Brutalist International style. After this, several other big building projects happened in downtown Springfield during the 1970s and 1980s. These new buildings helped create an impressive modern skyline. One older building, the Campanile tower from 1913, was actually allowed to be taller than the old 125-foot law.
See also
