Calhoun, Apartments, The
Why it's listed
Located on the corner of Dwight Street and Jefferson Avenue in Springfield's North End, this four-story yellow-brick apartment block was built in 1914 by Home Realty Trust, a firm owned by the Alpert family, and designed by Springfield architect James D. Long. Its Classical Revival character shows in rounded bow-front bays, brownstone trim and beltcourses, and a bracketed, denticulated metal cornice. It was one of many bowfront brick tenements that housed clerical and industrial workers employed downtown, and its owners and tenants included Russian Jewish, Irish, French-Canadian, Italian and Portuguese families, with later ties to the city's Hispanic community. After years of vacancy, water damage and vandalism, the building was rehabilitated in 2007. The exterior was restored, the storefront and entrances returned to their historic configuration, and the interiors were redone as low-income apartments. It is the first of Long's buildings to be listed.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a representative example of the multifamily housing built in Springfield's streetcar neighborhoods in the early 20th century. It is also presented as a well-preserved work of local architect and engineer James D. Long. Its owners and tenants reflect the city's immigrant communities, particularly Jewish and later Hispanic residents.
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 09000881, listed November 5, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1391-1399 Dwight St. & 85 Jefferson Ave., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | November 5, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000881 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-1959 |
| Architect / builder | LONG, James D. (b. 1890), Architect; HOME REALTY TRUST, General contractor |
| Architectural style | Early 20th Century Revival: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated in 2007 as low-income apartments after a long vacancy; the corner storefront is now a tenant laundry room. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.11618, -72.60331 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 09000881.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16890071
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.