Lynn Realty Company Building No. 2
Also known as: Harbor Loft I
Why it's listed
Built in 1902 at 672-680 Washington Street in Lynn, this eight-story red brick building was the second factory of the Lynn Realty Company. Designed by local architect Henry Rogers, it has full-height pilasters dividing the walls into paired window bays, segmental arched openings with buff brick trim, and a slightly projecting brick and metal cornice. Ground was broken in March 1902 and the building was fully rented by December, with shoe-counter manufacturers among its first tenants. Although steam power served as a back-up, it was the first factory in Lynn to run on electricity. Its severe, undecorated design departed from the more ornamental Building #1 and influenced later factories nearby. Rebuilt after the great fire of 1889, the Broad Street area became a center of brick shoe manufacturing. This building survived the 1981 fire and was later converted to apartments through a certified rehabilitation. It was listed for its association with Lynn's industrial era and its architecture.
Significance in brief: It is one of a handful of surviving downtown buildings that represent Lynn's shoe industry, and it survived the 1981 fire that destroyed most of the former Broad Street District. Its plain, utilitarian design set a pattern for later factories in the area, and it was reportedly the first factory in Lynn run on electricity. The form cites criteria A and C.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83000579, listed March 31, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 672-680 Washington St., Lynn |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 31, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000579 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Henry W. Rogers |
| Architectural style | Utilitarian industrial brick factory (Romanesque Revival elements abandoned in favor of a plain exterior) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A certified rehabilitation has been completed, converting the former industrial building to apartments; condition listed as excellent and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.46217, -70.94429 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83000579.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715687
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.