Downtown

Lincoln Building // 1894

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Designed by a prominent architect, Willard T. Sears, the Lincoln Building at Lincoln and Essex streets, is a handsome example of a late 19th century mercantile structure consisting of stores, office & loft space, serving as an important visual anchor the almost uninterrupted neighborhood of the Leather District of Boston. The building is the second of its name, with the first Lincoln Building succumbing to the Lincoln Street Fire of 1893, which started as a small fire in a restroom of a toy wholesaler, eventually spreading to a storage room full of fireworks, which exploded, eventually killing at least five, and forced many others to jump from buildings to seek safety. The replacement building is Renaissance Revival in style with a stone base and classically decorated facades. The recessed entrances set within arches and the series of columned bays at the ground floor are truly special. The building was long-occupied by leather dealers and companies, but was converted to residential use in 2006 with condos on the upper floors and retail spaces on the street.

Woodman Block // 1867

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Located next-door to the Rackleff Block, this high-style Second Empire commercial block in Downtown Portland, Maine really turns heads. The Woodman Block (like its neighbor) was built in 1867 from plans by architect George M. Harding, who designed the building for George W. Woodman, a drygoods dealer. This stunning commercial block originally housed Woodman’s dry goods firm, Woodman, True, and Company. It later held a druggist and medicine company. The building retains much of its original architectural character minus the iron cresting which once capped the mansard roof. They don’t make them like they used to!

Suffolk Savings Bank // 1906-1967

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The Suffolk Savings Bank for Seamen and Others was incorporated in 1833 as a banking institution catered to seamen and merchants who received their earnings after a trip in cash, and wanted a secure place to store their funds. At the time, these men were among the richest in the city, and the bank did very well. It later became a national bank in 1865 and membership boomed. The bank grew and grew until the early 20th century, and it needed a new banking house that showcased their stability, but also provide a visual embodiment of the security their institution provides. The bank’s board hired world-renowned architect Cass Gilbert to design a new building, which would be located on one of the busiest corners in Downtown Boston at the corner of Tremont Street and Pemberton Square. The Classical Revival building was constructed of Hallowell Granite and featured four monumental columns recessed into the Tremont Street facade. Minimal windows allowed for security, while a domed skylight covered in a cap provided light into the rounded banking room below. Inside, the walls and floors were of marble with a tile coffered ceiling. The building lasted until 1965 when Urban Renewal brought the wrecking ball. The bank was demolished by 1967 for the present Center Plaza building in Government Center.