Armory Square Historic District

Armory Square is a compact group of forty-six commercial and industrial buildings in downtown Syracuse, arranged around the oval green of Armory Park. Built between 1870 and 1941, the warehouses, factories, hotels and office blocks line portions of five streets and show Italianate, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, Commercial and Art Moderne designs. Notable examples include the Tallman Block by Archimedes Russell, the Hogan Block by Charles Colton, the Loew Building by Thomas Lamb, the Dome Hotel, the fortress-like State Armory and the 1941 railroad passenger station. Only five buildings do not contribute to the district's character. The area grew on land once occupied by a mill pond, filled and developed after 1848, and became a warehouse district beside the city's rail facilities. Cast-iron storefronts, prism glass, brick and stone detailing survive widely. Unlike most of downtown Syracuse, the core remains intact, and many buildings are being rehabilitated for new uses.