Demolished

Brewer & Beebe Townhouses // 1863-1917

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Boston is ever-changing and while change can be good, there have been some major architectural losses. This trend of redevelopment is not new however, as this single site on Beacon Street has seen two major losses, all before 1918! This lot on Beacon Street was originally home to Hancock Manor, a landmark Georgian mansion built between 1734-1737 for the wealthy merchant Thomas Hancock (1703–1764), and later inherited and occupied as the home of United States Founding Father John Hancock, yes, that John Hancock. In 1863, the Hancock Manor was sold at public auction and was purchased for $230. The house was demolished within days. While the building was torn down, souvenirs of it were actively sought as it fell. To replace it, two of the finest homes ever built in Boston were constructed on the site, from plans by elite Boston architect, Gridley James Fox Bryant. The double Second Empire style homes were first occupied by wealthy merchants, James Madison Beebe (the house on the left) and Gardner Brewer (right). In 1916, plans for the extension of the Massachusetts State House necessitated a taking of these (and other nearby) properties. These two houses were razed by 1917.

I wonder if the Hancock Manor would have survived to this time, would preservation prevail to save it?

Atlantic House Hotel // 1844-1877

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Prior to the present Park Gate Cottage at the corner of Bellevue and Pelham streets in Newport, this was the location of the stunning Atlantic House Hotel. Proprietor William T. Potter purchased this land in 1844 and built the Atlantic House Hotel, a massive Greek Revival style structure designed by Rhode Island architect Russell Warren. The Atlantic House faced Touro Park and the Old Mill and took the form of a large temple with a central two-story Ionic portico and hipped roof side wings. The building was constructed of wood and clad with smooth finish siding that was scored to resemble granite blocks to give it more stature. During the Civil War, the Atlantic House was home to the U.S. Naval Academy (1861-1865) when it was moved here to protect it from attack by the confederate forces at its location in Annapolis, Maryland. After the war, the Navy returned to Newport to establish three major facilities–the United States Naval Torpedo Station, the Naval Training Station and the Naval War College. The aged hotel saw dwindling numbers of visitors as newer, modern hotels were built after the Civil War. The hotel was demolished in 1877, just 33 years after completion, to make way for the Park Gate Cottage presently on the site.

Hutchings-Pfaff Mansion // c.1865

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In the mid-19th century, Roxbury was seen as a country retreat for wealthy Bostonians. Many purchased large estates of land and built mansions where they would find peace and solitude from the polluted Downtown areas. As the need increased for more workers, old farms and estates were subdivided, and single family homes, row houses, and multi-family homes sprang up to accommodate the growing population with the advent of trolley service in 1887. This is one of those estates that were demolished. This house was seemingly built for Colonel William Vinson Hutchings after the conclusion of the American Civil War. The stone mansion featured ample porches and a large stone stable amongst winding dirt paths and mature trees. The property was eventually purchased by Henry and Agnes Pfaff, of the Pfaff Brewing Company nearby. The lot was subdivided by 1895 with houselots carved out of the larger estate. By the 1930s, the stone mansion and stable were demolished, leaving just the stone gatehouse (next post) as the last survivor of this once great Roxbury estate.

Town-Sheffield Mansion // c.1836-1957

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One of the biggest architectural losses in New Haven was the 1957 demolition of the Town-Sheffield Mansion, formerly on Hillhouse Avenue. The mansion was built around 1836 by esteemed American architect and civil engineer Ithiel Town (1784-1844) as his own home on Hillhouse Avenue in the Greek Revival style; here he kept what was then an extraordinary architectural library, which was said to have been larger than any other personal collection anywhere at the time, including that of Sir John Soane in London. After Town’s death, the house was bought by Joseph Earl Sheffield in 1859, benefactor of the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale, and modified by local architect, Henry Austin in the Italianate Villa style. Alterations included two large asymmetrical towers, a new porch, and symmetrical side wings with large bay windows. After Sheffield’s death in 1889, the building was used for laboratory space for the school. Although the house was one of Austin’s most important works, it was demolished in 1957 by Yale to make way for Dunham Laboratory.

The Colony // 1898-1969

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In 1898, before the Berzelius Society at Yale built their present “tomb” in New Haven, the organization funded one of the finest residence halls in town at the time. The building was known as “The Colony” and would house Seniors who were members of the secret society. Located on Hillhouse Avenue, the stately Colonial Revival/Neoclassical building was designed by architects Henry Bacon and James Brite. Bacon is best known for having designed the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. Yale purchased the Colony dormitory in 1933 for student housing, later using it for faculty offices before demolishing it in 1969 to facilitate construction of the Yale Health Services Center, one of the least inspiring buildings on the campus.

Yale University – Alumni Hall // 1851-1911

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Alumni Hall at Yale was designed and built between 1851-1853, at the northwest corner of Yale’s Old Campus. Its was designed by Gothic specialist architect Alexander Jackson Davis, who completed Dwight Hall (the Old Library) a some years prior. The building had a large, open floorplan on the first floor for large gatherings as well as the entrance examinations, along with the biennial examinations that every student had to take at the end of his sophomore and senior years. As the building turned 50 years old, the campus around it was already looking very different. Shifting priorities for dormitory space in the yard necessitated its demolition for Wright Hall (next post). Alumni Hall was razed in 1911, but its two crenelated towers were salvaged when the building was demolished. They were incorporated into Weir Hall which has been incorporated into Jonathan Edwards College, one of Yale’s residential colleges.

Yale University – Osborn Hall // 1888-1926

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One of the biggest architectural losses at Yale was the demolition of the grandiose Osborn Hall in 1926, after standing less than 38 years! The building was constructed in 1888 at the southeast corner of the Old Yard at Yale, at the corner of College and Chapel streets, and was a landmark example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture. Designed by architect Bruce Price, the building was designed to face outward and was said to resemble a “squating toad with an open lip”. While architecturally stunning, the building was immediately met with criticism. Its construction necessitated the removal of the cherished Yale fence and the outward-facing design made it hard for students to focus on lectures while the sounds of horses and carriages on the cobblestone streets just outside. The short-lived Osborn Hall was razed in 1926 for Bingham Hall (next post), a prominently designed, but inward-facing building.

Powell Building // 1921-1990

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Even skyscrapers face the wrecking-ball…The Powell Building was among New Haven’s first building recognized as a “skyscraper.” Built in 1921, the commercial building is Neo-Gothic Revival in style with the two bottom stories and the two top stories are detailed in Gothic motifs, with eight more plain floors between. The resulting shaft-like appearance distinguishes the Powell Building from other contemporary commercial structures in the city, which are essentially heightened versions of various historical styles. The architect, Roy W. Foote, was among New Haven’s leading architects in the first half of the 20th century, largely due to his local efforts in high-rise construction. The Powell Building was erected as a speculative venture by Albert H. Powell, whose primary business was a wholesale coal dealership. Early occupants were professional offices and a bank at the first floor. The building historically was located at the New Haven Green, between the Victorian Gothic City Hall and Classical Federal Courthouse. The building was sadly razed by 1990 by the New Haven Redevelopment Authority, who were VERY active in town knocking down neighborhoods in the second half of the 20th century. It was replaced by the Connecticut Financial Center skyscraper, currently New Haven’s tallest building.

Tontine Hotel // 1824-1913

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Historically, inns and taverns offered short-term stays for visitors to New Haven, Connecticut. As the town developed and Yale College grew, land-owners began to realize the potential for larger, centrally located hotels. Established in 1824 and fronting the Town Green, the Tontine Hotel stood for less than 100 years, but was a prominent establishment in the city. The hotel was designed by architect David Hoadley and it hosted many well-known individuals including Native American chief and orator Red Jacket, who gave a speech here in 1829, and Daniel Webster, who came here in 1832. When more modern hotels were built in the early 20th century, the Tontine saw declining and less fancy clientele. The site was slated for redevelopment and the block was demolished in 1913 for the new Federal Courthouse and Post Office (last post).

Arlington Building // 1904-2022

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This one took me a while to write about because it still pains me to see it was demolished… The Arlington Building was constructed in 1904 as a mid-block building on Boylston Street, across from the Public Garden for the Bryant and Stratton Commercial School. It was designed by architect William Gibbons Rantoul of the firm Andrews, Jacques & Rantoul in the Beaux Arts style. The school building was significantly altered when Arlington Street was extended southward through Boylston Street, making this building suddenly a corner landmark. The new Arlington Street elevation was modeled after the Boylston Street facade. By 1929, Shreve, Crump & Low, established in 1796, the oldest purveyor of luxury goods in North America, moved into the building. The next year, they hired architect William T. Aldrich to add Art Deco embellishments and storefront designs, along with interior renovations to modernize the structure. The luxury company had downsized and moved out of the building, and its prominent site was threatened when owner/developer Druker Co. submitted for a demolition permit to raze the building (and others on the block) to erect a modern office/commercial building. After years of fighting between local preservationists and business interests and developers, the latter won and the building was demolished by late 2022. The new building, 350 Boylston Street, is presently undergoing construction, and in my opinion, is a poor attempt to fit into the surrounding context and is neither as unique or inspiring as the former building.