From Dave Brigham:
I visited Framingham, Mass., a few times several years ago with my son as we checked out commuter trains coming in and out of the area (see May 19, 2014, "Another Link in the Chain"). Recently, on a somewhat limited time budget, I explored as much as I could of the downtown of what until recently was the largest town in the Commonwealth.
Framingham for years billed itself as the largest town in Massachusetts. Some locals even referred to it as the largest town in the country. With more than 72,000 residents as of four years ago, and an area of 26.4 square miles, Framingham was indeed a substantial burg, one whose industrial history dates back before the Civil War. But on January 1, 2018, after residents voted, Framingham switched from a town-meeting system to a mayor-council government, and officially became a city.
The city is bisected by both Route 9 and the Massachusetts Turnpike. The downtown area is located in the southern section, where Route 135 is the main thoroughfare. Commuter and Amtrak trains run through the busy area of the city as well. As you can probably guess, I'm interested in this area of the city because of its late-19th century architecture, which includes the former Dennison Manufacturing plant, which I will discuss more below.
After parking in front of the Framingham commuter tain station on Waverly Street, I started walking west and was immediately attracted to the Cardella Building.
Built around the turn of the 20th century, this building is currently home to Papalote Estilo Barber Shop and Gold Refinery, which buys gold and diamonds, and repairs watches and jewelry. I've been unable to find out why this place is named Cardella.
Heading west, I curved onto Fountain Street and found one of my favorite things, a social club.
The Columbus Club building dates to around 1930, but I believe the organization goes back to 1908.
It was at this point that I made a fateful decision to keep heading west-northwest along Fountain Street, as I'd caught a glimpse of a big industrial complex that I wanted to check out. Dating to 1906, these buildings turned out to be the former R.H. Long Shoe Company. Now known as Bancroft Lofts, this complex was once home to various companies manufacturing shoes, leather goods and auto bodies. Everything was too tidy for me, so I kept my camera down and kept walking.
Arriving at the intersection of Fountain Street and Dudley Road, I had a choice to make: go up Dudley and see how long it took to get around Farm Pond; continue along Fountain Street, which didn't look very promising; or turn back and cover ground that I'd already trod upon. Because it was super-hot and humid, I opted for the latter. It was only after the fact that I realized the magnificent Lloyd's Diner was just a little further up Fountain Street. So I made a special trip back a few weeks later to shoot some photos.
Built as #783 by the Worcester Lunch Car Company in 1942, the diner was originally located in Orange, Mass., per Wikipedia. "[I]t was operated by Robert and Richard Whitney until about 1960 as Whit's, and then under other ownership as the Orange Diner. It was purchased by Richard and Joan Lloyd in 1990 and moved to Framingham." Looking good after nearly 80 years!
On my first trip, I headed back toward the action, and checked out Hollis Street. There, I spied the Central-Eames Building, which dates to 1884.
This place is now home to Assembleia de Deus Shalom (Assembly of God Shalom), a Portuguese church.
I'm guessing the Central-Eames Building was erected as a commercial/office space.Next door is the former lodge of the local Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF).
Erected in 1876, the building was home for the local chapter of a fraternal organization begun in this country in New York in 1806. After the Civil War, "Odd Fellows became the largest among all fraternal organizations, (at the time, even larger than Freemasonry)," per the IOOF's web site. "By 1889, the IOOF had lodges in every American state. In 1896, the World Almanac showed the Odd Fellows as the largest among all fraternal organizations." The Odd Fellows began in 1730 in London, per Wikipedia.
The building is now home to a MetroPCS store, a jewelry store and a liquor and food mart.
A little further up Hollis is a former fire station that's now home to the Amazing Things Art Center (which goes by atac). The group hosts open-mic nights, plays, concerts and other events.
The building, known historically as the Hollis Street Fire House and Fire Alarm Building, dates to 1902. The outbuilding behind it was where the alarm system was located, according to MACRIS. It's been beautifully decorated, as you can see below.
I doubled back on Hollis, and shot The Beaumont, a beautiful commercial/office building that was erected in 1898.
This place is home to a hair salon, a Cricket wireless store and a Pit Bull/Pantaneira clothing store. I spied a cool-looking building on Irving Street, so I made a beeline for it.
Built in 1890, the Tribune Building is the former home of the Framingham Tribune, which operated from 1883-1912. This wonderful old building is now home to the Tribune Apartments, which is managed by POAH Communities, an organization that provides affordable housing opportunities in several states and Washington, D.C.
Half a block away from the Tribune Building is the Connery Building, which unfortunately seems to have nothing to do with the former James Bond actor.
Built in 1878, this place is known historically as the Bullard House - Connery Building. Connery's was a bar, but I'm not sure how long it was here. In more recent years, this space was home to The Tavern and, until 2019, Danny Sullivan's. Now there is nothing.
Directly across Irving Street from the Connery Building is the former West Boston Gas Company Building.
Dating to 1927, the Classical Revival building replaced a private home. The building appears to be vacant.
I ducked down Columbia Street, where I saw this nice old auto body shop that specializes in Volkswagens.
Around the corner, along South Street, I spied the imposing former Edison Electric Company substation.
Built in 1912 and designed by John Prindiville (whose name will come up again below), the old power station appears to have been vacant for quite some time. I'm not sure whether there has been interest in redeveloping this site. Maybe it could be turned into storage? In South Boston, another former Edison power station is slated to be redeveloped into a mix of retail, housing, commercial and art space, a hotel and more. I shot photos of the complex, as well as the surrounding neighborhood, a few years back (see January 12, 2019, "Power Move in South Boston").
I crossed back over the busy Waverly Street and checked out the caboose at the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority.
The MWRTA facility serves both the MBTA commuter rail and an assortment of bus lines, I believe. The caboose dates to the 1930s, and was installed five years ago.
Steps away is a fantastic mural that brought to mind the finest work of Pablo Picasso.
Created by artist Sorin Bica, the mural is part the Front Door Framingham Project. Bica, a local resident, says he draws inspiration from the cultural and ethnic diversity in Framingham.
A short distance away, on Park Street, is the beautiful Framingham Savings Bank.
Built in 1928, this Spanish Renaissance Revival building is known historically as the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank. The FMSB was incorporated in 1883; the name was changed to Framingham Savings Bank in 1961, per MACRIS. The building is currently vacant.
Around the corner, on Concord Street, is a building I'd shot during a prior visit, the former Hotel Kendall.
Built in 1898, this gorgeous building is now home to a salon, a flower shop, a realtor's office and apartments.
Across Kendall Street is the Amsden Building, which dates to 1906.
This lovely little place has a tragic past, per MACRIS. "On July 23, 1906, the original Amsden building, while under construction, collapsed killing 13 workmen. It was being built by George M. Amsden, and due to this tragedy he lost the property to the Hopkinton Savings Bank. The property was sold to the Fitts brothers in 1908 and they erected the present building."
Yikes.
Home to a variety of stores, small businesses and apartments, the Amsden once held a bowling alley.
Around the corner, on Union Avenue, across from city hall, is the Wilsonia Building.
Built in 1914 and designed by John Prindiville (that name again), the Wilsonia has apartments on the upper floors, and an insurance agency, an optical shop and a shoe store on the ground floor.
Doubling back on Union Street, I shot the Hemenway Building.
Built in 1923, the Hemenway Building also had a bowling alley inside at some point, per MACRIS.
Back on Concord Street is the Framingham Arcade.
Erected in 1928, the Arcade has what MACRIS calls a "spatially exciting central arcade."
North of the arcade on Concord Street is the Prindiville Building.
Built in 1912, it was designed by (you know, don't you?) John Prindiville. In the late 19th century, Prindiville relocated his construction company from Athol, Mass., to Framingham, according to the Framingham History Center. Prindiville quickly became a stalwart in the town. "Because of its reputation for fine and creative work, the J. J. Prindiville Company played a major part in the downtown’s transformation. The Memorial Building, the Kendall Hotel, the stone building for Grace Congregational Church, St. Bridget Church, the brick Framingham Union Hospital, Framingham High School on Union Avenue, the armory for Company E on Union Avenue, The Arcade and the Hemenway, Wilsonia, Crouch, Mullaney, Prindiville, Fitts buildings are just a few of the innovative building completed by J. J. Prindiville Company."
Damn, that man was busy!
On Howard Street I spied a ghost sign for the former Salvation Army Thrift Store.
The store shut down in 2011; I'm not sure what, if anything, is in this property now. The adjacent building is home to the Hope Apostolic Church.
The next place along Howard Street I found interesting because of the mix of uses for the building.
L/R Construction has been in business since 1995, focusing on corporate, institutional, and non-profit organizations, per its web site. Howard Street Studios is home to eight artists, each specializing in a variety of mediums. And finally, Igreja Christa Evangelica (Casa de Oracao) is one of several churches I spied in Framingham in non-tradtional buildings.
Moseying along, I spied the cool Model A below at Mass Auto Exchange.
This brought me to the former Dennison Manufacturing Company complex.
Built in 1919, this four-story section of the industrial compound was erected by the Dennison company, which manufactured boxes, tags and labels. Other sections of the building were built between 1882 and 1903 by Dennison and the Para Rubber-Shoe Company, per MACRIS. The latter company went out of business in the 1890s, and eventually Dennison took over. "[F]or a short while this building was the home of the Hickory Wheel Company which manufactured bicycles. Col. Albert A. Pope was the principal owner. Mr. Pope was known as the father of the bicycle industry in America, and his plant at Hartford, Conn, was the largest bicycle works in the world," according to MACRIS. "In 1897 the property was purchased by the Dennison Manufacturing Company and this building was used for manufacturing tags and other paper products" (for more on Albert Pope, see June 5, 2020, "Cruising Around a Waterless Bay Village").
(I'm so happy the old sign was preserved.)
Among the businesses located in buildings on the former Dennison campus are craft-beer brewer Jack's Abbey.
Across Bishop Street from the old manufacturing facility is the former Dennison Power Plant complex.
Erected in 1910, the plant was obviously a vital element for the continued expansion of the Dennison operations. Dennison closed up most of its operations in Framingham in 1990, when the company merged with Avery Corp. to form Avery Dennison, and moved to California.
At least part of this complex is occupied by South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), which, according to its web site, works to "improve the quality of life of low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families by advocating for their needs and rights; providing services; educating the community; building a community of support; participating in coalitions with other advocates and searching for new resources and partnerships."
There are some amazing works of art on and around the buildings.
The sunflower mural was painted in July 2020 by Melanie MacEacheron, a SMOC employee. I'm not sure who made the Easter Island head, or the sphinx below.
There's at least one other great mural here.
I'm not sure who painted this. An artist named Alexander Golob painted a mural on the back of these buildings, which I didn't venture to see. The style on the mural above (and below) doesn't seem to be the same as Golob's.
(Detail of SMOC building mural.)
I doubled back along Howard Street to Concord Street. In front of the Rent-A-Center building hard by the railroad tracks, I spied a nice old tile entryway sign.
The Enterprise Block dates to 1951, per MACRIS.
From there, I got back on Waverly Street heading east-northeast. I needed to shoot the building housing the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.
Dating to 1989, the church "is a full gospel ministry devoted to the Revival of Apostolic Signs, Holy Ghost fireworks and the unlimited demonstration of the power of God to deliver to the uttermost," per its web site. This building is also home to Railroad 6 Kitchen & Bar, which occupies the former space of The Happy Swallow, a bar opened after the end of Prohibition, per this article.
Just on the other side of South Street is a vacant lot next to a shuttered Mexican restaurant.
El Mariachi closed in July 2020 after four years in business. Previously, the Chicken Bone restaurant occupied this space. Given the vacant lot here, this seems a likely spot for redevelopment.
I reached Marble Street, and headed southwest until I hit Blandin Avenue, where I spied a war memorial.
The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority hosts the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in November 2016.
And last, but by no means least, a social club on the corner of South and Arlington streets.
The Portuguese Recreation Club dates to 1955.
That's it for downtown Framingham. Make sure to check back for an upcoming post about the Saxonville area of the city.
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