Guenther & Handel's Block
Why it's listed
Built in 1845 at 7-9 Stockbridge Street, this three-story brick block in downtown Springfield has four bays, a large period storefront on the ground floor and a doorway with a broad stone lintel at the east end. Upper windows have plain stone lintels and sills, and a simple brick dentil band forms the cornice. Elam Stockbridge laid out the street in 1839 and then built a series of similar stores and rooms, keeping ownership and leasing to tenants such as a bootmaker in 1858. The ground floor later housed a grocery and delicatessen. In 1913 Emil Guenther and Richard Handel, who had come from Fitchburg, founded Guenther and Handel Co., known for fancy imported groceries. The shop stayed in family hands until 1972 and moved in 1973. Most neighboring blocks of the period were demolished or altered, so this building is one of only two mid-century commercial survivors to retain its early form. A 1977 renovation to offices preserved the facade's character.
Significance in brief: The block is one of only two remaining mid-nineteenth century commercial buildings in the area that keep their early form and features, and it is a rare representative of downtown Springfield's early commercial development. It is also a relatively intact local example of Greek Revival architecture. It has a long record of continuous commercial use, most notably as the home of the Guenther & Handel grocery.
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 83000749, listed February 24, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 7--9 Stockbridge St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | February 24, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000749 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Sensitively renovated to offices in 1977; present use is offices. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10077, -72.58599 (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 83000749.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5614836
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.