McIntosh Building
Also known as: McIntosh Shoe Co.
Why it's listed
Located at 158-64 Chestnut Street in downtown Springfield, this brick commercial building was erected for the McIntosh Shoe Company and designed by W.D. McKenzie. Building permits point to 1913, though the historical text gives 1918. It is regarded as Springfield's best example of the Chicago style of commercial architecture. Wide bays hold Chicago-style windows, and pressed metal spandrel panels separate the stories. The original storefronts survive, and no major alterations are recorded. The one seemingly incongruous feature in an otherwise innovative design is the cornice, whose paired brackets derive from mid-19th century Italianate work. The building was the third downtown home of McIntosh Shoe Co., which earlier occupied the Carlton House Block from 1874 to 1896 and Smith's Block from 1897 to 1913. A 1913 account called the firm the oldest and largest inland boot and shoe jobbing house in New England. The building represents the continued commercial and manufacturing growth of downtown Springfield.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding local example of Chicago-style commercial architecture and Springfield's best example of that style. It also represents the growth of downtown commercial and manufacturing uses through McIntosh Shoe Co., described as one of the region's oldest and largest boot and shoe firms. It is argued to meet 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 83000754, listed February 24, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 158-64 Chestnut St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | February 24, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000754 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | W.D. Mckenzie |
| Architectural style | Chicago Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is commercial; the original storefronts are intact and no major alterations are recorded. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10608, -72.58984 (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 83000754.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6801626
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.