McIntosh Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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McIntosh Building
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Chestnut and Worthington Sts., Springfield, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | McKenzie, W.D. |
| Architectural style | Chicago |
| MPS | Downtown Springfield MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000754 |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 1983 |
The McIntosh Building is a historic business building in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts. It stands at the corner of Chestnut and Worthington Streets. This building was constructed in 1918 for a company that made shoes.
It is a special example of the Chicago style of architecture in the local area. This style was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1983, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site in the United States. Even then, it still had its original shop fronts.
Contents
What Does the McIntosh Building Look Like?
The McIntosh Building is in the center of Springfield. It is a six-story building. The upper floors have wide window areas. These areas are separated by brick columns called piers. Most of the windows have three parts.
Between each floor, there are metal panels. The very top of the building has a decorative edge called a cornice. This cornice has brackets and looks like the Italianate style. This is a bit different from the modern Chicago style of the rest of the building.
Shops and Design Details
The ground floor of the building has several spaces for shops. These shops usually have entrances that are set back from the street. They also have large display windows. These windows are placed in sections marked by flat, decorative columns called pilasters.
A cool feature of the building is its rounded corner. This part faces the street intersection. It has curved window panes on the upper floors.
History of the McIntosh Building
The McIntosh Building was constructed in 1918. It was built for the McIntosh Shoe Corporation. This company needed more space as its business grew.
The McIntosh Shoe Corporation
The McIntosh Shoe Corporation was a very important company. In 1913, it was known as the oldest and largest shoe selling business in New England. It did not make shoes itself. Instead, it bought shoes from factories and sold them to smaller stores. This type of business is called a "jobbing house."
The company started way back in 1874. Before building this large new building, they had offices in other places. These included the Carlton House Block and Smith's Building. The McIntosh Building helped them expand even more.
