SPRING 2016
Commercial / Industrial Typology Commercial Development: Case Study Blocks Block 176 - bounded by Atlantic Avenue, Smith Street, State Street, and Hoyt Street By 1855, block 176 was highly developed. Long rows of ten or more houses had been built on the north, south, and east sides of the block. The north and east sides of the block were residential, but the south side of the block on Atlantic Avenue featured eleven residential brick buildings with stores below, as well as five wood frame buildings. Today, only five historicized storefronts remain on the Atlantic Avenue side of the block. Notable businesses from 1855 include the Metropolitan Marble Works and the Atlantic Wood & Coal Yard; these types of businesses indicate the area’s industrial character at the time. In 1855 the northeast corner of the block was underbuilt compared to the rest of the block; although by 1880 the whole block had been built upon. The building stock was made up entirely of row houses in 1880, with the exception of two buildings with irregular footprints that were built on the lot where the Atlantic Wood & Coal Yard had once stood. Notably, the five wood frame buildings from 1885 remained in 1880, and in fact still stood as late as 1898. The block remained relatively unchanged in 1904, although by this time only two wood frame buildings with frontage on Atlantic Avenue were still standing. By 1929, all of the buildings on Atlantic Avenue on this block were classified as brick, and the south, west, and east sides of the block were almost completely filled by stores. On the Atlantic Avenue (south) side of the block, there were 25 buildings that contained 28 stores between them (three buildings had 2 stores each). In fact only one building on Atlantic Avenue did not have a storefront in 1929. By 1979, the overall scale of the block had changed very little, with the exception of three large lots that were formed on the east side of the block. Today this lot contains the twelve-story Nu Hotel (lot 7501), and also has retail on the ground floor. A new apartment building was also constructed in 2014 at 333 Atlantic Avenue. Source: Fire insurance atlases
Commercial Development in the study area by 1840 Source: student-creatd infographic
Commercial Development in the study area by 1850s Source: student-creatd infographic
Commercial Development in the study area by 1870 Source: student-creatd infographic
36 Architectural Development
